Review By: Anonymous
Published: 2024
Genres: Middle Grade J-Fiction/J-NonFic, Realistic Fiction, Fiction, Novel in Verse
Audience: Grades 4-6, Upper Elementary, Middle Grade
Number of Stars: ★★★★★ (5/5)
Goodreads Link: Something Like Home
Content Warnings: Foster care, parent neglect, substance abuse
Publisher’s Summary
A novel in verse in which a lost dog helps a lonely girl find a way home to her family . . . only for them to find family in each other along the way.
Titi Silvia leaves me by myself to unpack, but it’s not like I brought a bunch of stuff. How do you prepare for the unpreparable? How do you fit your whole life in one bag? And how am I supposed to trust social services when they won’t trust me back? Laura Rodríguez Colón has a plan: no matter what the grown-ups say, she will live with her parents again. Can you blame her? It’s tough to make friends as the new kid at school. And while staying at her aunt’s house is okay, it just isn’t the same as being in her own space.
So when Laura finds a puppy, it seems like fate. If she can train the puppy to become a therapy dog, then maybe she’ll be allowed to visit her parents. Maybe the dog will help them get better and things will finally go back to the way they should be. After all, how do you explain to others that you’re technically a foster kid, even though you live with your aunt? And most importantly . . . how do you explain that you’re not where you belong, and you just want to go home?
Review Text
“Something Like Home” by Andrea Beatriz Arango is a touching novel that tells the story of Laura, a young girl who ends up in foster care after some big changes in her family. She’s trying to find her place in a new home, a new school, and a world that suddenly feels very different. Along the way, she builds new connections and finds a puppy, whom she thinks can make everything better again. She starts to figure out what “home” really means.
This book is heartfelt, honest, and written in a way that’s super relatable for kids. One thing that makes this novel special is that it is written in verse. This structure makes this novel a quick and easy read, which keeps students engaged throughout the story. It also gives students a deeper look into Laura’s thoughts and emotions without being overwhelming. It’s the kind of book that can really spark important conversations about family, belonging, and resilience.
The story does touch on some heavier topics like foster care, parental neglect, and substance abuse. These are handled gently and age-appropriately, but it’s good to be aware of them in case your students might need support or background knowledge. From a teaching perspective, this book ties in nicely with several ELA standards. It’s great for exploring character development, understanding point of view, identifying theme, and even studying poetic structure and figurative language. It would work well as a read-aloud, book club pick, or independent read for students who are ready for deeper topics. One fun activity that teachers and students could do with this book is to do a “Verse Rewrite Challenge”. Students would choose a scene from the story and rewrite it in verse, but from the perspective of a different character in the story. Students can then discuss how the point of view changes the tone or message.
Overall, I highly recommend adding :Something Like Home” to your classroom library. It’s powerful, accessible, and full of heart. It will take you and your students on an emotional journey you never knew you needed.
