Red White and Whole Rajani LaRocca

 Reha is the only daughter of a couple from India.  They came to America to make a new life for themselves and for Reha.  As Reha prepares to start high school she feels stifled by her parents conservative traditionalism.  She wants to fit in with her friends, but her parents want her to maintain the standards of their Hindi heritage.  Then Reha's mother becomes ill and Reha begins to question all the times she had resented her parent's strictness with her.  She thinks if she can be the perfect Indian daughter, maybe the gods will hear her prayers to save her mother.

This was a Newbery Honor book last year, and totally deserves it.  It is beautifully written in free verse; both heartrending and heartwarming at the same time.  Even though Reha is dealing with issues around being Indian, her story is about every child growing up and wrestling with how they fit into their family while fitting into the world.  I was really impressed with the fact that she has two parents who love her but show it differently.  It is pretty rare these days to have functional family life portrayed in children's literature.  I am glad the Newbery committee chose a book that is inclusive but not overburdened with a dozen social issues. (2021, 224 p)