This Side Of Home ( Summer Reading )

This Side Of Home, by Renee Watson, is one of the 4 books I read for Thalia Book Camp at Symphony Space. It is almost the antithesis of what we have learned in school; the structure is a new creation in itself, and the plot and obstacles are less prominent. Though this book was just a normal read for me, I respected the fact that the author changed the vibe of this book compared to the others I am reading. I loved the simplicity of it and how it was just about daily life instead of all this high speed action that I am used to. The main character is a African American teenager living in Portland. Her old neighborhood starts turning into an expensive gentrified place, and her friends start having to leave because of the constantly rising rent. The identity of her school morfs and more hispanic and white children join. This book is about change and coping with it. It is really a good easy read, and I recommend it to anybody who just wants to sit down with a book each day and relax. This Side Of Home was a great book, and I am excited to meet the author.

P.S. Book camp happens for a week in the summer where we read 4 books,  meet the authors and talk to them about their book.