Hooray! Every now and then I read a book that makes me just want to yell, Hooray!
Monsoon Summer by Mitali Perkins made me yell Hooray! Jasmine Carol Gardner (Jazz) accepts herself, opens up to others, and finds romantic, familial, and friendly love. It has the elements of YA fiction (independence, identity, intimacy) without angst, thanks in part to the family code: Family Sticks Together. Jazz falls in love but doesn't lose her identity because of it; instead she becomes more comfortable in her own skin and realizes she is valued and loved for being the girl she's always been. Also great: the emphasis on joy through service to/sharing with others.
After finishing the book, I'm extra excited about the book launch this weekend! Also imagine my surprise earlier today when Mitali herself emailed me in response to my RSVP--She said she'd looked at my profile and noticed that we both like Fernando Ortega's music!
