Drita My Homegirl

Lombard, Jenny. Drita, My Homegirl. GP Putnam’s Sons, 2006. 135 pages. $15.99. ISBN 9780399243806.

Summary:

Drita is a ten year-old refugee from Kosovo who arrives in Brooklyn with her family. She just wants to fit in and be liked by her peers, but things start out pretty lonely for her, with limited English skills, strange-smelling lunches, and unfashionable clothes. Maxie is one of the homegirls of the fourth grade: she's funny and athletic and has a lot of friends, but she's often impulsive and gets into trouble. When Maxie is unkind to Drita, their teacher proposes a special assignment: for Maxie to interview Drita about the story of her family and Kosovo. This sensitive story includes a lot more than just a book about two friends: it's about the things that we all have in common and about how our differences make the world a smaller place.

Curriculum Connections:

Drita My Homegirl would make an excellent read-aloud or reading group selection during a study of immigration. How are Drita and Maxie alike? How are they different? The story is told in alternating, first-person chapters, so that we “hear” Drita’s and Maxie’s unique voices and personalities. Lombard writes English as Drita hears it, when she is beginning to learn: "Ov curs, Drita. Tek va pass" ("Of course, Drita. Take the pass.").

Personal Reflections:

Asking students to gain a new perspective is a great prompt for thinking and writing. For example, “Imagine being woken up in the middle of the night and leaving your home with only the clothes on your back...Going to a new school and not being able to talk to anyone or understand them...” How would you feel? What would you be thinking?

Awards:

Age/Interest Range:

8-12

Genre/Themes:

Realistic Fiction, Immigration, Friendship, Social Skills, Kosovo, Social Studies

Read-Alikes:

The Year of the Dog (Lin) and How Tia Lola Came to Stay (Alvarez) are two books that also address social issues of characters with diverse backgrounds.