Drita, My Homegirl - by Jenny Lombard (Paperback)

About the Book

Fleeing from war-torn Kosovo, 10-year-old Drita and her family move to America with the dream of living a typical life. But with this hope comes the struggle to fit in and adapt, in a poignant story about the friendships that can overcome a cultural divide.

Book Synopsis

A poignant story about the difficulties of leaving everything behind and the friendships that help you get through it.

Fleeing war-torn Kosovo, ten-year-old Drita and her family move to America with the dream of living a typical American life. But with this hope comes the struggle to adapt and fit in. How can Drita find her place at school and in her new neighborhood when she doesn't speak any English? Meanwhile, Maxie and her group of fourth-grade friends are popular in their class, and make an effort to ignore Drita. So when their teacher puts Maxie and Drita together for a class project, things get off to a rocky start. But sometimes, when you least expect it, friendship can bloom and overcome even a vast cultural divide.

Review Quotes

"Touching....This first novel is imbued with the language and customs of Kosova as well as the efforts of a family attempting to regain balance. Read it aloud to groups and let the conversations begin."--School Library Journal, starred review

About the Author

Jenny Lombard lives in New York City.