TITLE: Ana of California
AUTHOR: Andi Teran
PUBLISHER: Penguin
PUB. YEAR: 2015
SETTING: California
FORMAT: - print (my shelves)
FORMAT: - print (my shelves)
RATING: 4/5 stars
Fifteen year old Ana Cortez has spent much of her young life in foster homes, ever since her parents and then her grandmother were murdered. After another incident with a foster family she is told by her social worker that her next option will be a group home unless she agrees to leave east LA for a farm aide position in Northern California with sibling farm owners Emmett and Abbie Garber.
This is a story that has been compared to be "In the grand tradition of Anne of Green Gables, Bridget Jones’s Diary, and The Three Weissmanns of Westport, Andi Teran’s captivating debut novel offers a contemporary twist on a beloved classic."
Unfortunately, I haven't read any of the referenced books but, this was certainly a heartwarming, coming of age story about a young girl who had faced some very sad challenges in life. I admired Ana's determination to do a good job on the farm and, to not be viewed as a "screw up" as some of her foster parents labeled her. The other characters like Cole, the young boy and special friend, Ana found came across as genuine and caring. Emmett, was curt and not receptive to having Ana on the farm. He did not believe Ana would be of help, but Abbie, on the other hand, was sweet and supportive. I do wish that the ending was not as rushed as it was but, overall, I thought this was a very good story, and, I think reader who enjoy YA fiction will really like this story.
Ana sounds like a very wonderful character.
ReplyDeleteI loved this book!
ReplyDeleteI can't believe you've never read Anne of Green Gables. This sounds like a book I'd like.
ReplyDeleteI think it's good to have more books out there about foster youth as it seems to be a demographic that has been largely ignored.
ReplyDeleteI do not know very much about foster homes as we have only orphanages here. I know there are transit homes and these places are so damaging because even a young child knows that they are purely temporary and do not add to any feeling if security at all. I feel sad for Ana.
ReplyDeleteI thought it would be a dark novel since she had that emotional cloud hanging over her, but I'm glad that it wasn't that kind of story and that you liked it. The cover should have told me something about the kind of story it would be, I guess. ;-)
ReplyDeleteI read and enjoyed this book a few years ago...(2015, I just looked it up). I was drawn to Ana and her past in foster care. I was rooting for her all the way through the book.
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