“Hoping,

I’m starting to think,

might be the bravest thing a person can do.”

Other Words for Home is a breathtaking verse novel for middle grade readers, written with sensitivity, heart, and a beautiful lyricism that carries you from page to page.

Jude loves her family and her best friend in Syria, but when things in her hometown become volatile, she moves with her mother to live with relatives in Cincinnati. It doesn’t feel like home – it’s too fast, too loud, and the language is too different. But she finds hope in unexpected places – her ESL class, her new friends, and the school play that she might try out for. Jude finds her way in a new and unfamiliar place, trying to figure out whether home is where she has come from or where she is now. And as she finds home, she might also find herself.

@jasminewargabooks explores some heavy topics, such as racism, identity and belonging, and this book balances the depth and darkness of these experiences with a light and gentle touch. A beautiful story, beautifully written.