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Blended
Eleven-year-old Isabella’s blended family is more divided than ever in this “timely but genuine” ( Publishers Weekly ) story about divorce and racial identity from the award-winning and New York Times bestselling author of Out of My Mind , Sharon M. Draper.
Eleven-year-old Isabella’s parents are divorced, so she has to switch lives every One week she’s Isabella with her dad, his girlfriend Anastasia, and her son Darren living in a fancy house where they are one of the only black families in the neighborhood. The next week she’s Izzy with her mom and her boyfriend John-Mark in a small, not-so-fancy house that she loves.
Because of this, Isabella has always felt pulled between two worlds. And now that her parents are divorced, it seems their fights are even worse, and they’re always about HER. Isabella feels completely stuck in the middle, split and divided between them more than ever. And she is beginning to realize that being split between Mom and Dad involves more than switching houses, switching nicknames, switching it’s also about switching identities. Her dad is black, her mom is white, and strangers are always “You’re so exotic!” “You look so unusual.” “But what are you really?” She knows what they’re really “You don’t look like your parents.” “You’re different.” “What race are you really?” And when her parents, who both get engaged at the same time, get in their biggest fight ever, Isabella doesn’t just feel divided, she feels ripped in two. What does it mean to be half white or half black? To belong to half mom and half dad? And if you’re only seen as half of this and half of that, how can you ever feel whole?
It seems like nothing can bring Isabella’s family together again—until the worst thing happens. Isabella and Darren are stopped by the police. A cell phone is mistaken for a gun. And shots are fired.
Eleven-year-old Isabella’s parents are divorced, so she has to switch lives every One week she’s Isabella with her dad, his girlfriend Anastasia, and her son Darren living in a fancy house where they are one of the only black families in the neighborhood. The next week she’s Izzy with her mom and her boyfriend John-Mark in a small, not-so-fancy house that she loves.
Because of this, Isabella has always felt pulled between two worlds. And now that her parents are divorced, it seems their fights are even worse, and they’re always about HER. Isabella feels completely stuck in the middle, split and divided between them more than ever. And she is beginning to realize that being split between Mom and Dad involves more than switching houses, switching nicknames, switching it’s also about switching identities. Her dad is black, her mom is white, and strangers are always “You’re so exotic!” “You look so unusual.” “But what are you really?” She knows what they’re really “You don’t look like your parents.” “You’re different.” “What race are you really?” And when her parents, who both get engaged at the same time, get in their biggest fight ever, Isabella doesn’t just feel divided, she feels ripped in two. What does it mean to be half white or half black? To belong to half mom and half dad? And if you’re only seen as half of this and half of that, how can you ever feel whole?
It seems like nothing can bring Isabella’s family together again—until the worst thing happens. Isabella and Darren are stopped by the police. A cell phone is mistaken for a gun. And shots are fired.
308 pages, Paperback
First published October 30, 2018
995 people are currently reading
12386 people want to read
About the author
Sharon M. Draper
56 books3,892 followersSharon M. Draper is a professional educator as well as an accomplished writer. She has been honored as the National Teacher of the Year, is a five-time winner of the Coretta Scott King Literary Award, and is a New York Times bestselling author. She lives in Cincinnati, Ohio.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,381 reviews
March 23, 2019
4 stars
So, DO NOT LET COVERS DECEIVE YOU! This has such a cute cover that it leads you to believe it's a light and fun book. It's not. This book had some serious discussion topics in it from divorce, to racism, to police involved shootings.
Don't get me wrong, I really enjoyed this book. Draper is an amazing writer. But.... this was essentially the middle grade The Hate U Give. I think it's perfect for that parent or adult who wants to discuss these topics with their preteens who may not be ready for THUG.
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So, DO NOT LET COVERS DECEIVE YOU! This has such a cute cover that it leads you to believe it's a light and fun book. It's not. This book had some serious discussion topics in it from divorce, to racism, to police involved shootings.
Don't get me wrong, I really enjoyed this book. Draper is an amazing writer. But.... this was essentially the middle grade The Hate U Give. I think it's perfect for that parent or adult who wants to discuss these topics with their preteens who may not be ready for THUG.
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May 7, 2021
Summaries & reviews posted on @audiobooksreviewed
I wanted to love this book, but it fell short for me. I also tried (very hard!) not to compare it to The Hate You Give, but even when I put that book completely out of my head I still felt this was a 2-star book.
I do applaud Draper for taking on the subject matters here ("blended" refers to being biracial *and* having divorced parents). However, it proved to be too much subject/topic for one book. The "issues" in the storylines "competed" making both issues shallow/unfinished/undone.
As a positive, there are times where I felt the story helped give a strong picture of what it is like to be a child of divorce, but that was it. I would have liked that clarity and detail with the other issues holding down the plot.
Most of the book is dribble about a teenagers day--it was uninteresting and seemed to have no purpose. The picture the author was trying to draw didn't come together for me... it felt unconnected or unfinished or not quite sensical. I thought often, "why are you telling me this?" "why do I care?"
Most of the book felt like filler... Several times I was about to quit out of boredom, but then an exciting thing happened... so I'd keep on, looking forward to seeing what the author did with that issue... what social commentary or exploration there might be but... nothing happened. (There were so many missed opportunities). This is where it really failed compared to THUG.
The storyline also became ridiculous at the end and completely unbelievable. It took me a full week to read this, which I think says everything--I kept forcing it, wanting it to be amazing, was unwilling to "give up" on a book that was stacked with potential... but meh.
I do hope the author keeps writing though!
I wanted to love this book, but it fell short for me. I also tried (very hard!) not to compare it to The Hate You Give, but even when I put that book completely out of my head I still felt this was a 2-star book.
I do applaud Draper for taking on the subject matters here ("blended" refers to being biracial *and* having divorced parents). However, it proved to be too much subject/topic for one book. The "issues" in the storylines "competed" making both issues shallow/unfinished/undone.
As a positive, there are times where I felt the story helped give a strong picture of what it is like to be a child of divorce, but that was it. I would have liked that clarity and detail with the other issues holding down the plot.
Most of the book is dribble about a teenagers day--it was uninteresting and seemed to have no purpose. The picture the author was trying to draw didn't come together for me... it felt unconnected or unfinished or not quite sensical. I thought often, "why are you telling me this?" "why do I care?"
Most of the book felt like filler... Several times I was about to quit out of boredom, but then an exciting thing happened... so I'd keep on, looking forward to seeing what the author did with that issue... what social commentary or exploration there might be but... nothing happened. (There were so many missed opportunities). This is where it really failed compared to THUG.
The storyline also became ridiculous at the end and completely unbelievable. It took me a full week to read this, which I think says everything--I kept forcing it, wanting it to be amazing, was unwilling to "give up" on a book that was stacked with potential... but meh.
I do hope the author keeps writing though!
June 20, 2019
I need an extra 5 stars. This book just about gave me a heart attack towards the end. It has everything in it from divorce, race to police brutality. A must read for young and older.
April 30, 2022
My 11-year-old and I are throwing in the towel on this one, on page 115.
I normally adore Sharon Draper's work, but this middle grades novel felt sloppy to me, with the tenses traveling back and forth, inconsistently. I also found errors in plot points.
The sixth grade protagonist, Isabella, had the attitude, speech, and habits of a ninth grader, which irked me. You've got to get kids' voices right, or you lose me as a reader.
Also, the definition of racism is as follows: prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism by an individual, community, or institution against a person or people on the basis of their membership in a particular racial or ethnic group, typically one that is a minority or marginalized.
Racism is not exclusive to any one group of people, and it is a nasty byproduct of people not taking the time to understand one another. I felt like Ms. Draper made it feel a bit too heavy handed here, and I resented how the protagonist, who is biracial, shamed her own mother, who is Caucasian, by telling her that the Black part of herself is the strong part.
I wonder when we'll be able to elevate each other in a way that won't bring the other down? Why couldn't BOTH of Isabella's parents (Black and Caucasian) have contributed to the strong, dynamic and beautiful parts of who she was?
I normally adore Sharon Draper's work, but this middle grades novel felt sloppy to me, with the tenses traveling back and forth, inconsistently. I also found errors in plot points.
The sixth grade protagonist, Isabella, had the attitude, speech, and habits of a ninth grader, which irked me. You've got to get kids' voices right, or you lose me as a reader.
Also, the definition of racism is as follows: prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism by an individual, community, or institution against a person or people on the basis of their membership in a particular racial or ethnic group, typically one that is a minority or marginalized.
Racism is not exclusive to any one group of people, and it is a nasty byproduct of people not taking the time to understand one another. I felt like Ms. Draper made it feel a bit too heavy handed here, and I resented how the protagonist, who is biracial, shamed her own mother, who is Caucasian, by telling her that the Black part of herself is the strong part.
I wonder when we'll be able to elevate each other in a way that won't bring the other down? Why couldn't BOTH of Isabella's parents (Black and Caucasian) have contributed to the strong, dynamic and beautiful parts of who she was?
December 2, 2018
At first I was excited to read this book, as I am a big fan of Sharon M. Draper’s past bestsellers: Tears of a Tiger, Forged by Fire, Out of My Mind, etc. But Blended turned out to be a big disappointment.
There was just too much crammed into a book that just meandered along. There was unexplained drama between Izzy’s parents - why do they hate each other, exactly? - that made the whole divorced parents angst thing seem ungrounded. Then there was Izzy herself, whose voice was not fully realized in Ms. Draper’s words. The writing was not consistently authentic for an 11-year-old, as many times, Izzy’s “voice” seemed too juvenile in today’s media-saturated world. And all of the inner dialogue exclamation points were grating!
I usually love Ms. Draper’s writing, but this one had way too many obvious metaphors; of course Izzy loves ice cream sandwiches, with their chocolate wafers and vanilla insides. As a biracial person myself, I found it all just too obvious. Just…no.
I’m sure there will be readers who will truly enjoy this book. It just didn’t do it for me.
I received this book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
There was just too much crammed into a book that just meandered along. There was unexplained drama between Izzy’s parents - why do they hate each other, exactly? - that made the whole divorced parents angst thing seem ungrounded. Then there was Izzy herself, whose voice was not fully realized in Ms. Draper’s words. The writing was not consistently authentic for an 11-year-old, as many times, Izzy’s “voice” seemed too juvenile in today’s media-saturated world. And all of the inner dialogue exclamation points were grating!
I usually love Ms. Draper’s writing, but this one had way too many obvious metaphors; of course Izzy loves ice cream sandwiches, with their chocolate wafers and vanilla insides. As a biracial person myself, I found it all just too obvious. Just…no.
I’m sure there will be readers who will truly enjoy this book. It just didn’t do it for me.
I received this book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
July 28, 2018
I just read this entire book on my phone in one sitting in a hotel room in Japan while my husband snores next to me. It’s phenomenal. Obviously Sharon Draper is a queen, but this book was all kinds of epic. Emotion jumps off the page, and she mentions my favorite ice cream in the world, Graeters, and Jason Reynolds, who is one of the best people in the world. Don’t miss it this fall, thanks to Edelweiss for the early copy!
January 24, 2019
I really liked how Draper addressed important topics and brought them down to a middle grade level. With that being said, I think there too many important topics to give each one the attention they deserved.
November 17, 2025
this was honestly such a mid book and it had absolutely no purpose. the only reason i even picked it up in the first place is because i enjoyed 'out of my mind' by the same author, so i thought i'd give it a try. first of all, the writing is just so odd. the way isabella talks doesn't sound like an 11 year old whatsoever because somehow it's immature but uses adult language at the same time. like, for example, at one point she says "tats". like, bro what 11 year old is calling tattoos tats that's actually so goofy 💀
anyway, the whole point of this book is to talk about the struggle of being mixed, having divorced parents, and dealing with racism. and i think it's great that sharon m. draper is trying to educate younger kids about these necessary topics, but this book was just shoving all these narrative into this story to the point that they became the whole story. like, genuinely, there was absolutely zero plot to this book and no structured series of events. each chapter was just random snippets of days from isabella's life and after like not even 50 pages it got repetitive.
also, a few things could've been developed more, like why isabella's parents got divorced in the first place and why they seem to hate each other so much. and the whole plot point at the very end of the book was very unnecessary in my opinion, like genuinely what did we even benefit from it. oh and also final point: isabella's curly hair was literally always described negatively like bro how are you gonna write a book about racism and being mixed and have the main character complain the whole time about her hair being wild and uncontrollable and frizzy and how hard it is to slick it down and keep it from poofing back up. that's honestly just crazy work.
most of the time i actually enjoy books geared towards a younger audience but this one was just plain bad because of how poorly written and plotted out it was. kind of shame too, considering how good 'out of my mind' was, but oh well.
anyway, the whole point of this book is to talk about the struggle of being mixed, having divorced parents, and dealing with racism. and i think it's great that sharon m. draper is trying to educate younger kids about these necessary topics, but this book was just shoving all these narrative into this story to the point that they became the whole story. like, genuinely, there was absolutely zero plot to this book and no structured series of events. each chapter was just random snippets of days from isabella's life and after like not even 50 pages it got repetitive.
also, a few things could've been developed more, like why isabella's parents got divorced in the first place and why they seem to hate each other so much. and the whole plot point at the very end of the book was very unnecessary in my opinion, like genuinely what did we even benefit from it. oh and also final point: isabella's curly hair was literally always described negatively like bro how are you gonna write a book about racism and being mixed and have the main character complain the whole time about her hair being wild and uncontrollable and frizzy and how hard it is to slick it down and keep it from poofing back up. that's honestly just crazy work.
most of the time i actually enjoy books geared towards a younger audience but this one was just plain bad because of how poorly written and plotted out it was. kind of shame too, considering how good 'out of my mind' was, but oh well.
January 3, 2019
As an adult reader, I felt there were too many "issues", but I don't think that will deter the intended audience for this book. What I thought was the strength of this story was the way Draper writes the tug of war feelings Isabella struggles with pertaining the separation/divorce/remarriage of her parents.
April 8, 2024
➳ 2.5 ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚
╰┈➤ ”chocolate family meets vanilla family in the artificial reality that is a mall. caramel daughter caught helplessly between the two.”
so, i gave this book a rounded up 3 stars but it’s definitely closer to 2.5
i enjoyed the concept and the author dealing with issues like racism, divorce, violence, etc. but it just felt too rushed and random and like the author was trying to hard to sound like a “tween” and failed because, news flash, slang from the 80s isn’t how kids talk today.
the “plot twist” at the end came out of no where and not in a good way and i just couldn’t quite enjoy this as much as i wanted to. i loved sharon’s other book, out of my mind, much more and unfortunately this didn’t live up to that
i thought it was fine and in all fairness this was the first thing i read after the harry potter series so that may have affected my enjoyment? but yeah i just thought it was extremely average and had so much potential to be better
୧ ‧₊˚ 🍓 ⋅ ☆
╰┈➤ ”chocolate family meets vanilla family in the artificial reality that is a mall. caramel daughter caught helplessly between the two.”
so, i gave this book a rounded up 3 stars but it’s definitely closer to 2.5
i enjoyed the concept and the author dealing with issues like racism, divorce, violence, etc. but it just felt too rushed and random and like the author was trying to hard to sound like a “tween” and failed because, news flash, slang from the 80s isn’t how kids talk today.
the “plot twist” at the end came out of no where and not in a good way and i just couldn’t quite enjoy this as much as i wanted to. i loved sharon’s other book, out of my mind, much more and unfortunately this didn’t live up to that
i thought it was fine and in all fairness this was the first thing i read after the harry potter series so that may have affected my enjoyment? but yeah i just thought it was extremely average and had so much potential to be better
୧ ‧₊˚ 🍓 ⋅ ☆
November 14, 2019
İçimdeki Müzik benim en sevdiğim kitaplar arasında yer alıyor gerçekten. Yazarın anlatımıyla, Melodi’nin yaşadıklarıyla çok öfkelenerek okuduğumu hala çok net hatırlıyorum. O yüzden de yazardan yeni bir kitap çıktığını duyunca hemen alıp okumak istedim.
⠀
Karışık, siyahi bir baba ve beyaz bir annenin melez kızı olan 11 yaşındaki Isabella’nın yolculuğu. Anne babası ayrı olan Isabella velayet yüzünden her hafta farklı bir evde açıyor gözlerini. Bir hafta annesinde kalırken, öbür hafta babasının evinde başlıyor yeni güne. Fakat bu durum bi yerden sonra onda ‘ben nereye aitim’ hissiyatına dönüşmeye başlıyor. Anne ve babasının başkaları ile evlenecek olması ve birbirleri ile olan sorunları da Isabella’nın hayatını daha zor hale getiriyor. Üstüne üstlük siyahilerin yaşadığı dışlanma ve okulda olan bir takım olaylar da Isabella’nın küçük omuzlarına çok fazla üzüntü bindiriyor.
⠀
Yazarın kim olduğunu bilmeden okumaya başlasaydım bile iki kitabın aynı elden çıktığını anlardım diye düşünüyorum. Çünkü yazarın kendine has bir anlatımı var bana göre. Ve bir çocuğun ağzından onun hissettiklerini o kadar güzel aktarıyor ki okuyucuya, sayfalar nasıl akıp gidiyor anlamıyorsunuz.
⠀
İçimdeki Müzik kadar olmasa da Karışık da çok sevdiğim bir kitap oldu. 11 yaşında bir kızın kimlik bunalımını, ırkçılığı, boşanmış anne babaların istemeden de olsa yaptığı şeylerin çocuklar üzerinde bıraktığı etkiyi çok güzel bir şekilde gözler önüne seriyordu yazar.
⠀
Okuyan herkesin seveceğini düşündüğüm kitaplardan birisi Karışık.
⠀
Karışık, siyahi bir baba ve beyaz bir annenin melez kızı olan 11 yaşındaki Isabella’nın yolculuğu. Anne babası ayrı olan Isabella velayet yüzünden her hafta farklı bir evde açıyor gözlerini. Bir hafta annesinde kalırken, öbür hafta babasının evinde başlıyor yeni güne. Fakat bu durum bi yerden sonra onda ‘ben nereye aitim’ hissiyatına dönüşmeye başlıyor. Anne ve babasının başkaları ile evlenecek olması ve birbirleri ile olan sorunları da Isabella’nın hayatını daha zor hale getiriyor. Üstüne üstlük siyahilerin yaşadığı dışlanma ve okulda olan bir takım olaylar da Isabella’nın küçük omuzlarına çok fazla üzüntü bindiriyor.
⠀
Yazarın kim olduğunu bilmeden okumaya başlasaydım bile iki kitabın aynı elden çıktığını anlardım diye düşünüyorum. Çünkü yazarın kendine has bir anlatımı var bana göre. Ve bir çocuğun ağzından onun hissettiklerini o kadar güzel aktarıyor ki okuyucuya, sayfalar nasıl akıp gidiyor anlamıyorsunuz.
⠀
İçimdeki Müzik kadar olmasa da Karışık da çok sevdiğim bir kitap oldu. 11 yaşında bir kızın kimlik bunalımını, ırkçılığı, boşanmış anne babaların istemeden de olsa yaptığı şeylerin çocuklar üzerinde bıraktığı etkiyi çok güzel bir şekilde gözler önüne seriyordu yazar.
⠀
Okuyan herkesin seveceğini düşündüğüm kitaplardan birisi Karışık.
Read
December 3, 2018Mini review:
Trigger warning: Arguments before divorce. Up till the point I read.
DNF
I heard about this book through GR. I was actually semi-excited to read this. It sounded cute but important. Unfortunately I did not enjoy this.
I liked the beginning! It was interesting and I enjoyed the music talk. After some time I felt that the dialogue was forced. It could've been the situation between her parents, but I just couldn't get into it. Thus I left it.
I do still recommend. I sincerely believe this deals with an interesting topic. It was just personal on my end.
Trigger warning: Arguments before divorce. Up till the point I read.
DNF
I heard about this book through GR. I was actually semi-excited to read this. It sounded cute but important. Unfortunately I did not enjoy this.
I liked the beginning! It was interesting and I enjoyed the music talk. After some time I felt that the dialogue was forced. It could've been the situation between her parents, but I just couldn't get into it. Thus I left it.
I do still recommend. I sincerely believe this deals with an interesting topic. It was just personal on my end.
July 5, 2021
A year in the life of sixth grader Isabella/Izzy, an only child who navigates the complicated dynamics of switching homes each week. One week at Mom's, one week at Dad's. Mom is white; Dad is black. Life would be so much easier if her divorced parents would get back together.
Fans of Judy Blume will like this contemporary story about blended families, skin color and racism.
Fans of Judy Blume will like this contemporary story about blended families, skin color and racism.
July 13, 2021
Okay, for starters Sharon m. Draper is probably my favorite author. But, this book was not good.
What type of book is this? Is it about a girl with divorced parents? A mixed girl and her daily struggles? A girl with school problems? A book where the black characters get harassed by the white ones? A book about a girl with two lives and two identities, but in actuality she is the same girl no matter where she’s at? How about a book where the parents don’t get along and the child doesn’t know how to feel.
This book was all of those things and so many more confusing and unnecessary things.
Draper was trying too hard with this book. I understand that it was written for middle schoolers, but the writing is not very good, and the dialogue is SO unrealistic.
Also, did Isabella have a crush on her soon-to-be stepbrother? Because it definitely seemed that way, and that is not okay.
So many different things started in the book and then were forgotten about. Characters were underdeveloped. Why did Draper make the piano recital one of the main focuses only to not let Isabella go to it because she was shot in a really confusing police stop? I’m sure there were other ways to bring her parents together.
There are so many things about this book that frustrate me.
What type of book is this? Is it about a girl with divorced parents? A mixed girl and her daily struggles? A girl with school problems? A book where the black characters get harassed by the white ones? A book about a girl with two lives and two identities, but in actuality she is the same girl no matter where she’s at? How about a book where the parents don’t get along and the child doesn’t know how to feel.
This book was all of those things and so many more confusing and unnecessary things.
Draper was trying too hard with this book. I understand that it was written for middle schoolers, but the writing is not very good, and the dialogue is SO unrealistic.
Also, did Isabella have a crush on her soon-to-be stepbrother? Because it definitely seemed that way, and that is not okay.
So many different things started in the book and then were forgotten about. Characters were underdeveloped. Why did Draper make the piano recital one of the main focuses only to not let Isabella go to it because she was shot in a really confusing police stop? I’m sure there were other ways to bring her parents together.
There are so many things about this book that frustrate me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 31, 2018
Isabella is torn; her mom is white and her dad is black, and they have gotten divorced, leaving Isabella at her mom's one week and her dad's the next. Isabella is more than just being caught between two homes, though. She is caught between two cultures. What is her place? How can she react when her black friend is victimized? As a fellow black person? Or a white person?
Blended is a book that will deeply resonate with children today. Sharon Draper takes on issues of race that all children confront and centers readers in the character of Isabella who is conflicted in her responses to issues.
I can't think of any better way for children to develop empathy for racial issues than to read this book and see the world through the eyes of Isabella.
Blended is a book that will deeply resonate with children today. Sharon Draper takes on issues of race that all children confront and centers readers in the character of Isabella who is conflicted in her responses to issues.
I can't think of any better way for children to develop empathy for racial issues than to read this book and see the world through the eyes of Isabella.
January 14, 2019
Draper just writes one outstanding book after another. I have followed her for years and bought all of her books when I was a librarian. This book is just perfect for middle school students. Top notch!
September 6, 2022
4.5 stars, rounding down to 4. Would have rounded up to five, more on that in a few moments. First, let me share what's great, even outstanding about this book, which was recommended to me by niece, who turns 10 next month. Our main character is Isabella ("Izzy"), an 11 y.o. in Ohio, and her voice comes across as authentic and the character as one I loved "hearing." (There were a few times I could hear the author and not the child, but it was only once or twice.) Isabella's parents are divorced and not amicably so, and the almost literal tug-of-war that she's caught in is quite well-expressed. "Blended" thus partly refers to Isabella being part of a blended family, but it also refers to Isabella herself, as her father is African-American and her mother is white, and thus Izzy must navigate racial and identity issues as well.
The book is a very quick read. A couple of the reviews I read gave away a big twist that happens in the last 30 or so pages, a turn of events that has been compared, not completely favorably, to certain other recent "big" children's or YA books. It does change the tone of the book somewhat, but not in a negative way for me. What DID spoil things for me, and why I rounded DOWN instead of up, is the RELENTLESS product/brand/store placement in the book. Cheesecake Factory, Lush cosmetics, Waffle House (OK, her mom works at one, but), Mountain Dew, Dunkin' Donuts, Skittles, Fritos, the Apple Store, Big Macs, Graeter's ice cream, Walgreen's, these and many more all figure, sometimes several times, throughout the book. Yes, our society is extremely consumerist, and that sadly includes our children, so in real life, my little nephew and niece, starting sixth and fifth grade tomorrow, are VERY much aware of all these products, brands, and stores, and VERY much driven by their preferences, and whose lives (and mine) include these points of reference, but... did the author HAVE to have her main character (and others) go on, and on, and ON, about all the stuff they love? I mean, at one point, Isabella rhapsodizes about Target, among too many other examples of how intrusive the consumerism felt in this book. If it wasn't for how much I loved the book otherwise, I would even go to a three star rating.
Ranting over. A great book, which I would recommend to both children and adults... except for all the commercials.
The book is a very quick read. A couple of the reviews I read gave away a big twist that happens in the last 30 or so pages, a turn of events that has been compared, not completely favorably, to certain other recent "big" children's or YA books. It does change the tone of the book somewhat, but not in a negative way for me. What DID spoil things for me, and why I rounded DOWN instead of up, is the RELENTLESS product/brand/store placement in the book. Cheesecake Factory, Lush cosmetics, Waffle House (OK, her mom works at one, but), Mountain Dew, Dunkin' Donuts, Skittles, Fritos, the Apple Store, Big Macs, Graeter's ice cream, Walgreen's, these and many more all figure, sometimes several times, throughout the book. Yes, our society is extremely consumerist, and that sadly includes our children, so in real life, my little nephew and niece, starting sixth and fifth grade tomorrow, are VERY much aware of all these products, brands, and stores, and VERY much driven by their preferences, and whose lives (and mine) include these points of reference, but... did the author HAVE to have her main character (and others) go on, and on, and ON, about all the stuff they love? I mean, at one point, Isabella rhapsodizes about Target, among too many other examples of how intrusive the consumerism felt in this book. If it wasn't for how much I loved the book otherwise, I would even go to a three star rating.
Ranting over. A great book, which I would recommend to both children and adults... except for all the commercials.
January 25, 2019
This is a hard book to rate. I really love Isabella’s voice and the authenticity of the portrayal of middle school. The book could use some editing. Draper threw every possible issue into the book ending with the big one. I just talked myself into taking away one of the stars.
August 27, 2020
My Rating: 4.5 stars, rounded down
Isabella is mixed. Her father is Black, and her mother is white. When her parents get a divorce, having to go from house to house every week just seems like a huge hassle, especially so since she doesn't even know what she feels like anymore. Is she Black? Is she white? Is she her mom's daughter, or her dad's kid? Isabella knows one thing: she just feels Blended.
My Breakdown:
- Gosh, I loved this book! As a child who has divorced parents and previously had a very similar custody schedule to Isabella's, I felt really content reading this book and seeing that other kids feel like this too. Oh, what I would have given to read this when I was younger!
- The book is perfectly written for middle-grade. It has educational moments, and it's very helpful for kids with divorced parents and possibly even for mixed children as well. I'm not mixed, so it's not up to me to decide if it's helpful for them, but I personally think that it could be. The book covers topics like racism, Black poetry, divorce and even uses vocabulary words that little kids would love to show off to their parents. The writing is easily understood and little kids can also relate to Isabella other than divorced parents etc, as she talks about slime and fidget spinners and Lush. Yes, Isabella sounds like she walked out of 2016, but Blended was published in 2018 and as far as I know little kids still were into that kind of stuff in 2018.
- However, there were some things about the book that I didn't really appreciate. For example,
- I applaud Draper for putting all of these topics into a book, but some of it was just too much or unnecessary. A lot of it was filler, and yes, I agree that filler is necessary for some books, but it was just excessive here. The only reason why this book got 4.5 stars for me is that because I could see myself so much in Isabella regarding the divorced parents, and it was exactly the book I needed when I was younger.
- I sure hope that the author keeps writing, and this book was very good, but I do hope that Sharon M. Draper's books continue to get better and not feel like a middle-grade version of a popular book.
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Rep: mixed main character, Black side characters
TW for book: divorce, racism, police brutality
Isabella is mixed. Her father is Black, and her mother is white. When her parents get a divorce, having to go from house to house every week just seems like a huge hassle, especially so since she doesn't even know what she feels like anymore. Is she Black? Is she white? Is she her mom's daughter, or her dad's kid? Isabella knows one thing: she just feels Blended.
My Breakdown:
- Gosh, I loved this book! As a child who has divorced parents and previously had a very similar custody schedule to Isabella's, I felt really content reading this book and seeing that other kids feel like this too. Oh, what I would have given to read this when I was younger!
- The book is perfectly written for middle-grade. It has educational moments, and it's very helpful for kids with divorced parents and possibly even for mixed children as well. I'm not mixed, so it's not up to me to decide if it's helpful for them, but I personally think that it could be. The book covers topics like racism, Black poetry, divorce and even uses vocabulary words that little kids would love to show off to their parents. The writing is easily understood and little kids can also relate to Isabella other than divorced parents etc, as she talks about slime and fidget spinners and Lush. Yes, Isabella sounds like she walked out of 2016, but Blended was published in 2018 and as far as I know little kids still were into that kind of stuff in 2018.
- However, there were some things about the book that I didn't really appreciate. For example,
- I applaud Draper for putting all of these topics into a book, but some of it was just too much or unnecessary. A lot of it was filler, and yes, I agree that filler is necessary for some books, but it was just excessive here. The only reason why this book got 4.5 stars for me is that because I could see myself so much in Isabella regarding the divorced parents, and it was exactly the book I needed when I was younger.
- I sure hope that the author keeps writing, and this book was very good, but I do hope that Sharon M. Draper's books continue to get better and not feel like a middle-grade version of a popular book.
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Rep: mixed main character, Black side characters
TW for book: divorce, racism, police brutality
February 2, 2022
Wow!! I was really not expecting this book to hit me as hard as it did. My Eleven year old self has never connected to a book character more. I was going through the same thing as this character at this age and I totally felt seen by the book. I will say though that the cover of this book is very deceiving. I was not expecting this book to get as dark as it did. Trigger Warnings Below.
I don't think I have ever cried this month for a short little middle grade book. It was so real and raw but also wholesome and cute. There were so many wonderful things that I enjoyed about this story. The relationship between Isabella and her step brother Darren was so amazing to watch. I love the way that music and metaphor was added into this story. The talk about micro aggressions and racism as a whole was so refreshing but also quite powerful. It was an amazing experience all around.
I can say that were was a bit of trouble with the pacing of this book at around the 200 page mark but with I could definitely look past that after reading to the end. What a fantastic novel that I think every kid this age should pick up. There are so many thing to learn about in here.
Trigger Warnings:
Hate Crimes, Police Brutality, Gunshot wounds, Racism
I don't think I have ever cried this month for a short little middle grade book. It was so real and raw but also wholesome and cute. There were so many wonderful things that I enjoyed about this story. The relationship between Isabella and her step brother Darren was so amazing to watch. I love the way that music and metaphor was added into this story. The talk about micro aggressions and racism as a whole was so refreshing but also quite powerful. It was an amazing experience all around.
I can say that were was a bit of trouble with the pacing of this book at around the 200 page mark but with I could definitely look past that after reading to the end. What a fantastic novel that I think every kid this age should pick up. There are so many thing to learn about in here.
Trigger Warnings:
Hate Crimes, Police Brutality, Gunshot wounds, Racism
November 30, 2018
It pains me to give a low rating to a book by the wonderful Sharon Draper, who has written so many good stories for kids and teens. The premise of this book seemed relevant for so many kids who deal with divorce and split custody arrangements, as well as identity struggles from being biracial, that I was looking forward to reading it and sharing it with the young people in my life.
Having just finished the book, however, the story just felt out of control. In place of a character-driven plot, we get example after cliched example of racism and animosity against the biracial protagonist and her African American peers. A noose is left in a Black girl’s locker. A security guard follows Black girls around a department store. A woman calls the protagonist “exotic”. Innocent Black people are arrested and nearly killed by racist cops. And on. And on. And on.
I have read many books for children that tackle prejudice and racism, but none that seemed so heavy-handed and artless. Rather than telling an interesting story, this book chooses to use its characters to simply bemoan race relations in America. Draper can tell stories much better than this.
Having just finished the book, however, the story just felt out of control. In place of a character-driven plot, we get example after cliched example of racism and animosity against the biracial protagonist and her African American peers. A noose is left in a Black girl’s locker. A security guard follows Black girls around a department store. A woman calls the protagonist “exotic”. Innocent Black people are arrested and nearly killed by racist cops. And on. And on. And on.
I have read many books for children that tackle prejudice and racism, but none that seemed so heavy-handed and artless. Rather than telling an interesting story, this book chooses to use its characters to simply bemoan race relations in America. Draper can tell stories much better than this.
June 27, 2020
I think this book is Amazing. But honestly quite harsh!! No doubt I still love it.
I felt as if Isabella is just like me. My mom is white and my dad is African-American. Although my parents are still totally in love. :)
I felt as if Isabella is just like me. My mom is white and my dad is African-American. Although my parents are still totally in love. :)
January 27, 2019
Isabella is an eleven-year-old girl living two lives: one with her white mother and boyfriend with an awesome monster truck; another with her buttoned up black father, his decorator girlfriend and her over-achieving son. What I liked about the book was the honest depiction of life as a daughter of divorced parents. For the most part the relationship is amicable, but friction still erupts from time to time trapping Isabella in the middle. While riding with her soon-to-be stepbrother to her big piano recital (Pianopalooza), conflict comes in out of left field. The police scene is jarring and demonstrates a substantial lack of training on the part of the officers in that town. We are all appalled by such behavior. Would have liked to read about changes/ramifications to department members from their lack of judgment.
September 24, 2019
Important ideas poorly developed. Everyone fills a role and does things that the explication of the discussion points requires them to do, but most of their behaviors are implausible, especially for the cast of characters sketched here. Stereotypes abound, nuances are absent, and threads are dropped willy-nilly. I'm sure better, less simplistic. richer books are available....
March 8, 2019
2.5
I wanted to like this a lot more. And maybe I would have if I had read it and not listened to it. The narrator's voice was a lot older than a 11 year old should sound like.
The story was good, except there was so much going on. I felt like it took away from the book. I liked the initial conflict of being blended, and I liked the family conflict. But then....
If you actually read the spoiler section I apologize for how ranty it was.
I wanted to like this a lot more. And maybe I would have if I had read it and not listened to it. The narrator's voice was a lot older than a 11 year old should sound like.
The story was good, except there was so much going on. I felt like it took away from the book. I liked the initial conflict of being blended, and I liked the family conflict. But then....
If you actually read the spoiler section I apologize for how ranty it was.
June 23, 2025
Eleven year old Isabella has a black father and a white mother. Her parents are divorced and each is now involved in a new, serious relationship. Isabella's life is already divided between the two parents, two houses, two nicknames,.... How would her life change with potential stepparents coming in the picture?
If the book had stopped only at narrating the ordeals of a child caught in a divorce battle, the book would have been a 5/5. But Sharon Draper tries to include every possible issue in the book: racial bias, skin colour, marital issues, stepparent problems, gun shooting, police discrimination,... After a point, the book feels like it's going overboard with the social causes. The last few chapters are absolutely over the top with a completely unnecessary twist. I wish Draper would have stuck to 2-3 major plot points and developed a story revolving around those. But even with this emotional overload, the book is quite good. (It did have the potential to be excellent.) It is full of humour and sass. I really loved Isabella's character as she tries to take every thing in her stride even when her parents act like buffoons. Unlike typical stories, the stepparents are gems and truly supportive. I loved the book cover too; it represents Isabella's confusion aptly.
Rating: 4/5
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Join me on the Facebook group, Readers Forever! , for more reviews and other book-related discussions and fun.
If the book had stopped only at narrating the ordeals of a child caught in a divorce battle, the book would have been a 5/5. But Sharon Draper tries to include every possible issue in the book: racial bias, skin colour, marital issues, stepparent problems, gun shooting, police discrimination,... After a point, the book feels like it's going overboard with the social causes. The last few chapters are absolutely over the top with a completely unnecessary twist. I wish Draper would have stuck to 2-3 major plot points and developed a story revolving around those. But even with this emotional overload, the book is quite good. (It did have the potential to be excellent.) It is full of humour and sass. I really loved Isabella's character as she tries to take every thing in her stride even when her parents act like buffoons. Unlike typical stories, the stepparents are gems and truly supportive. I loved the book cover too; it represents Isabella's confusion aptly.
Rating: 4/5
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Join me on the Facebook group, Readers Forever! , for more reviews and other book-related discussions and fun.
July 27, 2020
This middle grade book deals with a LOT of stuff...divorced parents who constantly fight, new step parents, mixed race marriage, race issues at school, police brutality, identity, and more. I thought there was a lot that was well done. I loved the music aspect. Loved the friendships. Love the 6th grade teachers talking about real issues. I just think maybe it tried to deal with too much and some issues felt kind of dropped. Overall, though, I really enjoyed listening to this audiobook read by the author.
May 29, 2021
This book was definitely five-star book and more! It was thrilling and amazing at the same time. As if now it’s my favorite book I have ever read! It taught me to be more aware for what happens in history and what’s still happing now. I think that even if your older you will enjoy it because it’s just so important to know what’s happening and understand it. Over all, amazing thrilling awesome book!!
April 8, 2019
I really enjoyed this one (although probably not as much as Out of My Mind).
April 22, 2024
3.5 starssssss
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