The Other Half of Happy

by Rebecca Balcárcel

12-year-old Quijana likes to say that she used to be Pangaea. Unsplit. Not half white or half Latina. But that was before her Guatemalan cousins moved to town and before her dad asked her to speak some Spanish. Now her continents are splitting apart. Let’s face it, when you’re named after Spain’s most famous loser, Don Quixote, you might make a secret escape plan. Join Quijana as she earns to make a tortilla, comes of age in the Guatemalan-American hyphen, and discovers her missing half.

Chronicle brings us poet Rebecca Balcárcel's middle grade novel about a biracial girl who's navigating between the Anglo and Guatemalan sides of her family, a burgeoning crush and a cool new friend, and trying to figure out what's going on with her little brother, who is becoming remote and hard to reach, all while trying to determine just who she is.

Genres: Middle Grade, Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Latinx, Contemporary, LGBT, Young Adult

332 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 20, 2019

About the author

Hi! I love popcorn, chocolate, and my kitty, as well as writing books! I'm a bi-cultural Latina who is still learning Español, and every day that I play in my word sandbox is a happy one. :-)

Reviews

[Hannah Greendale (Hello, Bookworm) · Rating 5 out of 5]

2019 Best Books of the Year [#07 of 11]

🌟 This book is Newbery Medal material! 🌟

Balcárcel has crafted a fierce and unforgettable Latinx protagonist in Quijana, whose keen observations about life are ornamented with luminous prose. An emotionally resonant tale that unfolds like a kaleidoscope of life’s intricacies, shifting from one colorful snapshot to the next. Balcárcel juggles myriad subplots with the finesse of a seasoned author, and she delivers an earnest first-person narrative with a verity recalling the novels of Meg Medina or Jason Reynolds.

Being a little kid was easier than this. I wasn't half anything. I was a whole continent then, like Pangea. Unsplit. Now I have tectonic plates. Mom looks at me and sees Grandma Miller's cheekbones; Dad sees the Carrillo nose. I see one land mass, but I'm wrong. My body is where Guatemala crashes into the United States. What happens to me, the whole me, when my plates shift, when my continents tear apart? No one told me twelve was earthquake season.*

-
*Note: Quote taken from an Advanced Reading Copy.

[Eileen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, that was really good! A middle school girl who is half Guatemalan and half Caucasian, but doesn't feel like she belongs in either world because she doesn't speak Spanish, but she doesn't look white. This is a story of how she figures out who she is and where she belongs, in the midst of some normal middle school angst, but also some hard life lessons that come her way. The story is told from her point of view so you really get to see her struggle and appreciate her growth. Yes, she makes some pretty poor decisions, but part of that is normal tween/teen behavior when it's hard for a child to see anything from a point of view that is not theirs. The good news is that she has an amazing group of people behind her, including her family and her best friends, and they love her for who she is, flaws and all, and she is able to come to that realization. I love her grandmother and her words of wisdom, the quotes from Don Quixote (yes, that book is now moving up in my queue), her father's kindness, her mother's practical sense, the way she loves her baby brother, and the crew who are her Guatemalan relatives. I think this book should be in all middle school libraries, but I think maybe they should think about some alternative covers. While I think the cover is pretty attractive for me, I don't know if middle schoolers would be drawn to it.

I'd like to thank NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Lori Stephens · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Other Half of Happy is one of those books that settle into your heart and take you by surprise. Balcárcel’s voice is pure poetry, but also pure 12-year-old angst. In sometimes breathtaking metaphors, Balcárcel captures the hopes and fears of Quijana, a seventh-grader who is experiencing her first real crush and the first real questioning of her identity. Quijana wonders how she’s supposed to navigate her Guatemalan-American identity, which is a simple, yet profound question. We tell young people that they can be whoever they want to be. Be yourself, they’re often told, but at 12, it’s really daunting to figure out who “yourself” is. Throw in a proud father, family responsibilities (which Quijana maintains admirably), and an inherited culture that feels more like a cloak than a heritage, and we have character you can’t help but feel deeply for. Quijana’s family tensions are wholly believable. I wanted to hug Qui and tell her everything was going to be all right. I cried. Twice. This moving portrayal of family and love and friendship and forgiveness is sure to be one of the best reads of 2019.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. While on vacation this summer, I was browsing a local bookshop when this beautiful cover caught my eye. I love finding books that I’ve never heard of! Even better when the lady who checked me out said she was excited that I picked this one. The relationship Qui had with her grandmother was so sweet. Many tears were shed when I was reading those parts! This is such a beautiful story that found me at the perfect time.

[Meghan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. Balcárcel captures middle school life, concerns, and emotions beautifully with Quijana and her family. The writing is beautiful, the story compelling, and the end notes with quotes, Grandma Miller's "Nature Journal," and other bits from the story will delight middle school readers.

I've tried to read more middle grade books in the last year (it's just so easy to find and read YA novels, but middle grade novels get less attention) so I can better match kids to books. I can already think of about 15 kids who will love this book. I can't wait to share this with them!

[Maryam Rz. · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 STARS

I received an ARC through NetGalley for an honest review. Many thanks to the publisher, Chronicle Books.

A middle grade novel about a biracial girl who's navigating between the Anglo and Guatemalan sides of her family?? *clutches chest* I feel like my heart my burst out 😭

I loved it, adored it, appreciated it—but there were too many themes being tackled for them each to get the attention they each deserve in 300 pages. Still, strongly recommended.

[Lily · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book!! You felt so in-tune with
Quijana that you almost felt you were right there with her. Congrats to Rebecca for writing such a enchanting novel. You should TOTALLY buy it!!

- Sincerely, your favorite 10 year old bookworm!!

[Tammy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A character who's mom is from the US and her dad from Guatemala? Sign me up! This was a sweet story with some depth that I wasn't expecting from a children's novel.

[Gillian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this book if you want to fall in love with a wonderfully bright, curious kid who’s exploring where she fits in—in the world, in her family, and with her friends. Quijana is a seventh grade girl who is half-Latina and half-Anglo. She is navigating life “in the hyphen.” For Quijana this means feeling stressed about not speaking Spanish (not able to communicate with her Guatemalan grandmother), pressure from her dad who is suddenly trying to help her connect more to his side of the family, and her concerns at times about whether she is Latina “enough.” There is so much to love about this book... the layered family relationships were fantastic. I loved the exchanges between Quijana and her Florida grandmother, Q and her little brother, Q and her friends from school. This beautiful, heartfelt book is going to be loved by so many kids! So happy I got to read!

[Jeimy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to love this one and I cannot quite pinpoint why I didn't. Quijana behaves life a self-centered tween (maybe her extreme brattiness is what put me off). I cannot believe her mother, who is studying to be a teacher, cannot identify what is going on with her younger child (maybe her cluelessness at the obvious red flags is what put me off). I also cannot believe that Quijana was not allowed to go with her mom on the pre-Thanksgiving trip. Again, the mom is studying to be a teacher; anyone could see what was about to happen, why deprive Quijana of the opportunity to go? Honestly, I thought the parents should have postponed the Christmas trip. It was selfish of them not to do so, even if if provided Quijana an opportunity to grow in the repressed cultural aspect.

[Mariama Lockington · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful, nuanced story about a girl trying to figure out who she is. The prose is full of poetry and song, and the characters are compelling and strong. I cheered, cried, stormed, and laughed alongside Quijana as she tried to navigate seventh grade, as well as figure out what it means to be half- American and half-Guatemalan. The relationship between Quijana and her father is particularly moving, as is it expertly woven. This is a story that will stay in my heart for a long time, one that I will share with many people in my life.

[Dani (_heyitsdanii) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. Along with My fate according to the butterfly this book made my love for middle grade books return. This is a story about family, identity, finding your voice and a lot more. It's the latinx book I needed without knowing it.
You can read my full review here: https://metamorphoreaderblog.wordpres...

[Ruth Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book about being imperfect and learning that’s OK. This book shared what it’s like to grow up between two cultures, and made it seem both wonderful and difficult, which I imagine it is. It reminds me that we can’t be happy all the time, but the bittersweet helps the joy. Yes, I cried through parts of this book. And got frustrated with the main character. And I think that’s just what I was supposed to feel. Recommend.

[Kristine Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

HALL WAYS REVIEW: There is so much to love about THE OTHER HALF OF HAPPY by the incredibly talented Rebecca Balcárcel. It's lyrical, it's deep, it's highly relevant, and most of all, it's REAL. The characters all pop to life and become part of the readers' extended friend or family group. We feel invested in these people and we FEEL for them.

Reading THE OTHER HALF OF HAPPY took me through all the feels from flashing back to my own middle school days, to teaching and parenting kids that age, to losing a loved one. Main character Quijana is an extraordinary young lady, and extraordinarily smart, and I longed for her to realize it. Somehow, I think one day she will. I know I'll keep thinking about her and the rest of the group (and can't stop, really).

There were many quotables in the book, but I share only a few that illustrate all the different ways Balcárcel is an outstanding writer:


"The English r isn't fancy, but it's like a go-to pair of white socks, matching every word I need. The Spanish rrr is orange with pink dots, blinged-out with rhinestones and ribbons."

"Her shine doesn't take away from yours."

"Saturday stretches out in all directions, my unexplored island."

"Everything's okay in the end. If it's not okay, it's not the end."


It's funny, but sometimes a book comes to you in a backdoor way. I first met the author at WORDfest in March of this year, when she conducted an interview with me. She calmed my nerves and was delightful to talk to, and at the Lone Star table, she mentioned her book and showed me the cover -- and of course, I went nuts over it. Sometimes, you just know a book is going to be next level, and so I made a point to find Rebecca again at the Texas Library Association Annual Conference in April. I got my signed copy and photo, of course, and the beautiful book taunted me -- which led to emails, which led to a book blog tour, which led to my taking this book across an ocean so that I could get it read, which led to my falling in love with people who exist only between pages of a book, and I miss them so much.

I highly recommend THE OTHER SIDE OF HAPPY. It speaks important messages that we all need to hear and absorb and ponder as part of our shared experience in this world. There truly is something for every reader and readers of every age in this book.

This full review and more special features on Hall Ways Blog,

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Other Half of Happy by Rebecca Balcárcel, 332 pages. Chronicle Books, 2019. $17.

Content: G.

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Quijana is in 7th grade, and starting in a new school. She immediately connects with Jayden and Zuri and the three become fast friends. There's a lot going on in Quijana's family - she has a three-year-old brother who is experiencing some sensory challenges; her grandmother Miller, who lives in Florida has recently been diagnosed with cancer; and the family is planning a Christmas trip to Guatemala to visit Quijana's Abuela. Quijana does not want to go - she doesn't speak Spanish and feels like an outsider with her Guatemalan cousins in Texas - what will it be like when she's the only one who doesn't speak Spanish? Even her American mother speaks fluent Spanish. She makes plans to run away to her Grandma in Florida just before the rest of the family goes to Guatemala, so they will have to leave without her.

There were so many pieces of this plot, it felt a bit much: the grandmother's illness, the little brother's problems, the troubles at school and the conflict with her father - who suddenly wanted her to embrace her Guatemalan culture - the music the clothes and the language. I would have appreciated Balcárcel picking 1 or maybe 2 and going into them deeper. I liked her portrayal of 7th graders - they acted like 12-13yo kids. I also appreciated the appendix, with Grandma Miller's advice and science notebook, and the quotes from Don Quixote.

Lisa Librarian
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2020...

[rock · Rating 1 out of 5]

spoiler warning for like the entire book……

IN PROGRESS REVIEW



i hated this book so much.. i had started it in hopes that i might relate to it as i am mexican-american. both of my parents are mexican, unlike the mc, with a guatemalan dad and a mother who i think is american? still, maybe a chance for some relation, right? WRONG.

the mc, Quijana, is so unlikeable its insane… straight off the bat, she insults her dads accent and “wishes he was more regular”?? obviously his english isn’t perfect, he was born in guatemala. i know how it is, surrounded by many spanish speaking people. she blames her parents for her lack of spanish which i semi-agree with, since they failed in teaching her at a young age, but she still refuses to TRY and learn spanish. that’s the first main story, she doesn’t know spanish, okay. next she has a trip to guatemala that she dreads going to. this connects to the first main point. she doesn’t want to go to guatemala, as she knows she won’t understand her family. i can kind of see why she wouldn’t want to go, but she yells at her parents for treating her like “luggage.”

i have seen people call quijana bratty but then try to excuse her because its “not in their age range”.. well, i am in a similar age as quijana, and i still think she’s a spoiled, self-centered brat.

[Anna Schubert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my goodness. The first chapter enchanted me, and the rest of the book held up to its beginning. The prose is lyrical and inviting, and the characters are vivid people you would not be surprised to meet. This book is just pitch perfect as it engages with questions of cultural heritage and coming of age for its seventh-grade protagonist, Quijana. As Quijana navigates her parents' expectations and hopes, new friendships, and her own sense of self, the story resonates the truth of the world, in which family, friendships, and life changes can be hard, but still a part of The Other Half of Happy.

[Lisa Zinkie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was kind of surprised at how much I liked this book. Love the shout out to Fort Worth (wat wat!!!). The writing style sucked me in immediately. It was refreshing after the last book or two that I read.

I did get frustrated with the family dynamics- which is not a bad thing. I want them to be able to learn how to communicate clearly and that just doesn’t happen in all families. The “diagnosis” seemed obvious to me, but I’ve been in education too long probably.

My favorite part was the friendships and the growth from that.

Great job, Rebecca! Please write more!!!

[Faith Rice-Mills · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book! It was beautifully written, but not in such a way that the story is lost on the middle graders it was meant for.

[Queen Cronut · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderfully written middle-grade novel that explores cultural identity and self-belonging.

Twelve-year-old, Quijana Carillo, struggles to find a balance between her Guatemalan and American identity while navigating through middle school, boys, and family issues. Although her father is from Guatemala and is proud of his cultural heritage, Quijana identifies more as American and thus often alienates herself from the Guatemalan side of the family due to her limited Spanish vocabulary and disinterest in learning the culture.

This book brought up a lot of topics- cultural identity, racism, cancer, and autism to name a few. There was a lot going on and at times it seemed as if these topics were just brushed on and had very little depth to them. Another issue I had was the MC, Quijana. While I understand that she's not perfect, she comes across as selfish and stubborn at times. She doesn't acknowledge nor consider other people's perspectives, is rude, and makes impulsive decisions that hurt others. Despite this, however, Quijana manages to shine in some scenes though I really liked her dad because of his compassion and dedication to his family. In fact, all the characters are pretty great- especially Grandma Miller. The relationships are well developed and Balcarcel masterfully weaves in Guatemalan song and poetry throughout the novel.

Overall, not a bad novel- though I'm not sure it would necessarily appeal to the middle school demographic I can see it be discussed in a classroom or a book club for its notable themes.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Chronicle Books publishers for providing a free ARC

[Rajiv · Rating 4 out of 5]

A big thank you to NetGalley and Chronicle Books for sending me an advanced e-copy of “The Other Half of Happy” in exchange for my review. There are many things I really liked about this book, and a few things that I did not.

To begin with, I loved almost all the characters in this story. I especially loved the father and how optimistic he is and tries to keep his family on track and bonds with is children. I also loved the mother’s character for being the more grounded one and looking for solutions to fix the problems. Jayden in Zuri are also wonderful friends to Quijana. Most of the characters are very dynamic and lovable and you instantly root for them. The author progresses with the storyline so smoothly that even though there is drama, it is not over dramatic. There is no unnecessary jealousy between the friendships, hardly any hostility between characters. Everybody genuinely loves one another, even if they have family issues. The author has also remarkably portrayed that no matter how many hurdles life throws as you, life keeps going, and you need to look forward to each day.

Grandmother Miller is one of my favorite characters, and I love some of the quotes she imparts, such as: “Figure out what makes you amazing” and “Embrace the adventure”. One of my favorite lines is when she tells Quijana:

“You’ll flourish in your life, that’s certain. But you’ll grieve, too. And not just for me. All your life, you’ll be letting go of things. The secret is to relish the moments as they happen, but let endings happen, too.”

The author has also thrown in wonderful quotations from Cervantes “Don Quixote”, which makes me want to pick up the book from my bookshelf and read it.

My main problem was Quijana’s character at certain parts. She appeared to be way too selfish at certain pivotal scenes and thinking only about herself. Even when her Grandmother passes away, all Quijana thinks of if she was about to fill out the bus form. She acts way to impulsive and stubborn and does not listen to others at times. Also, I felt like the author tried to highlight way too many issues in one book itself. One chapter talks about autism, another about cancer, then about a gay character coming out, then one about racism etc. Moreover, I felt that the author just touched the surface of these issues without really dwelling into it. While I agree that these are relevant topics, I think it was just too much in one book. As they say, sometimes less is more.

Don’t get me wrong. I still think this is a charming book and there are some parts which are truly beautiful. If the author has just made Quijana’s character less self-centered and annoying, I would have really enjoyed reading it. Overall, “The Other Half of Happy” is still a fun, breezy read, and I would give it a rating of 3.75 out of 5 stars.

[Kelly Hager · Rating 5 out of 5]

According to the synopsis, Rebecca Balcarcel is a poet. I didn't know that before (my knowledge of poetry is really lacking) but it makes sense. She has a real command of language and every word is deliberate and perfect.

I absolutely loved this book. Quijana's life is separated into two parts, and she's definitely closer to her Anglo side than her Guatemalan one (she barely speaks any Spanish---we have basically the same grasp, which is only a handful of words---and she's almost embarrassed by her dad). It's not like she's ashamed of being biracial but she definitely prefers her white grandmother and English to her dad's family. (Although a big part of that is the fact that she literally doesn't speak their language.)

I also loved the subplot about her brother. He seems to be on the spectrum somewhere, but there are other clues that it doesn't really fit, either. Quijana's really close to him and she clearly just wants to be able to fix it for him, but there's no way to. (I love her relationship with everyone in her family. One thing middlegrade does better than YA is feature these great family relationships. And I love everyone in The Other Half of Happy.)

This is a fantastic story and I'm so glad I saw it at ALA. Highly recommended.

[Polly Holyoke · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this charming middle grade tale about a twelve-year-old, bi-cultural girl. Quijana is caught between her Anglo life and her Latino relatives. Knowing little Spanish, she dreads her family’s upcoming trip to Guatemala and plans to run away to see her sick Anglo grandmother instead.

Balcárcel handles with a deft touch Quijana’s middle grade issues such as her first crush and building friendships with new friends at school. Quijana struggles to define herself even as she has to cope with her beloved grandmother’s illness, her little brother’s strange behaviors and the heavy load of her father’s cultural expectations. Quijana comes alive on the page, and I found myself rooting for her more and more as this engaging story progressed. Nicely done!

[Lucy Campos-Wood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Growing up is not easy, and Quijana’s story takes readers along as she figures out that, no matter how much we plan, some things in the universe are out of our control. I enjoyed getting to know Quijana and, coming from a bicultural background myself, was able to identify with her frustrations. I even shed a tear as I saw her come to terms with her identity. This book is definitely going on my list of books to recommend and to re-read.

[Flesha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This middle school boom was a happy surprise. Quijana has a father from Guatemala and a mother from the USA. She is going to a new school void of her previous friends. Of course she is nervous about the transition, but she quickly finds a couple of really great friends. This story deals with living as a second generation American, an ill grandmother, and first love. The best part it that is is written in such a respectful manner honoring the thought processes of an almost teen.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kind of a bittersweet story. Qui has a crush on a boy, a grandma who has cancer, parents who don't understand her.... It all works out in the end. A great book that is the story of a girl figuring out how to navigate being a Guatemalan-American in the United States.

[Reving · Rating 5 out of 5]

https://revingsblog.blogspot.com/2020...

[Laura Gardner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audiobook was very well done. Book examines identity and diversity. Protagonist doesn’t feel like a teenager, but she’s supposed to be. Not a first purchase, but good.

[Natalie Park · Rating 4 out of 5]

Giving it four stars at it covers many important topics especially as an entry point for the younger reader. Yet, I’d probably give it three stars for the writing style and storytelling.

[Rachel Yoder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lots of moving parts in the beginning that came together seamlessly at the end.