Emily Goldberg Learns to Salsa - by Micol Ostow (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

A young girl from New York finds herself thrust into a vibrant world she never knew existed.

"Ostow's story may be light-hearted, but she delves deeply into the feelings of [her] heroine and this newfound extended family."--Publishers Weekly

Half Jewish. Half Puerto-Rican. All confused.

Emily is a Jewish girl from the suburbs of New York, end of story. Her mother has family in Puerto Rico that Emily has never been in contact with. However, she's forced to go to the Caribbean for her grandmother's funeral. Pampered Emily wants nothing to do with her Puerto Rican family--until a very special person shows her that uncovering her roots is like discovering a secret part of her own heart.

Review Quotes

"Ostow's story may be light-hearted, but she delves deeply into the feelings of [her] heroine and this newfound extended family."--Publishers Weekly

"A moving story that has a solid plotline and plenty of family secrets. . . ."--Booklist

"Honest, thoughtful narrative . . . [an] engaging story of family and culture drawn from the author's own experiences."--School Library Journal

"5 stars! . . . A funny, heartwarming story about family and roots, and how learning about them can teach you about yourself . . ."--TeensReadToo

About the Author

Micol Ostow has been publishing works for young readers of all ages for over a decade. Emily Goldberg Learns to Salsa was a 2007 NYPL Books for the Teen Age Selection. Her hybrid graphic novel, So Punk Rock (And Other Ways to Disappoint Your Mother) was a Sydney Taylor Notable book for teens. Micol received her MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts and teaches writing for all ages, all across the country. She was also an active editor of the National Book Award-winning literacy blog, readergirlzdotcom. Micol lives in Brooklyn with her family and a finicky French Bulldog.