The Other Half of Happy: (Middle Grade Novel for Ages 9-12, Bilingual Tween Book)

2020 Pura Belpr Honor Book
A Junior Library Guild Selection
ALSC Notable Children's Book
2020 Jean Flynn Award for Best Middle Grade Book
2020 Spirit of Texas Reading Program Recommended Title

This immersive and beautifully written novel follows the story of Quijana, a girl in pieces.

Quijana must figure out which parts of herself are most important, and which pieces come together to make her whole.

This is a heartfelt poetic portrayal of a girl growing up, fitting in, and learning what it means to belong.

- Lyrical middle grade debut from author Rebecca Balc rcel
- A diverse and family-centered story that resonates with anyone who remembers, or is going through, growing pains
- Inclusively embraces real life experiences with biracial, autistic, and gay characters

One-half Guatemalan, one-half American: When Quijana's Guatemalan cousins move to town, her dad seems ashamed that she doesn't know more about her family's heritage.

One-half crush, one-half buddy: When Quijana meets Zuri and Jayden, she knows she's found true friends. But she can't help the growing feelings she has for Jayden.

One-half kid, one-half grown-up: Quijana spends her nights Skyping with her ailing grandma and trying to figure out what's going on with her increasingly hard-to-reach brother.

- A wonderful gift for bilingual and bicultural readers, introspective tweens and teens, and parents and educators
- Perfect for those who love the heart of Matt de la Pe a, the honesty of Meg Medina, and the poetry of Kate DiCamillo
- Add it to the shelf with books like We Were Here by Matt de la Pe a, Merci Su rez Changes Gears by Meg Medina, and I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. S nchez


About the Author
Rebecca Balcárcel received the Jane Kenyon Poetry Prize, and her work has appeared in journals such as the North American Review. She is an associate professor of English at Tarrant County College. She lives in Bedford, Texas.