Red, White, and Whole by Rajani LaRocca (review)

It's 1983, and thirteen-year-old Reha, narrator of this free-verse novel, is chafing gently at the expectations of her loving Indian immigrant parents for their only child ("My family did not come to America/ to be mediocre") and starting to wonder if medicine is the right career path for a girl who gets woozy at the sight of blood. She's also beginning to think her schoolmate Pete might be more than just a friend, an inclination that causes some consternation in the family. Those concerns shrink, however, when her mother is diagnosed with leukemia, and Reha and her father struggle to hold it together as Reha's mother is hospitalized for treatment. The verses (often titled with names of pop songs) keenly depict Reha's being caught between the family demands and the romantic messages of radio hits, and the musical theme culminates perfectly in her receiving that ultimate romantic gift: a mix tape. The story of family affection, especially that of the aunt who arrives from India to care for Reha and her father while her mother is in the hospital, is brimming with warmth. However, the pace is slow and the plotting often disjointed, undercutting the story's impact, especially that of Reha's mother's terminal illness. It's still an approachable account of negotiating identity and of struggling with loss, so readers looking for a gentle entry into those issues may appreciate Reha's journey. An author's note will be included in the final copy.