Review of Hearts Unbroken by Cynthia Leitich Smith

 Review of Hearts Unbroken by Cynthia Leitich Smith

 

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Leitich Smith, Cynthia, 2018. Hearts Unbroken. New York: Candlewick Press; ISBN: 978-0-7636-8114-2

PLOT SUMMARY

When Louise Wolfe’s first real boyfriend mocks and disrespects Native people in front of her, she breaks things off and dumps him over e-mail. It’s her senior year, anyway, and she’d rather spend her time with her family and friends and working on the school newspaper. The editors pair her up with Joey Kairouz, the ambitious new photojournalist, and in no time the paper’s staff find themselves with a major story to cover: the school musical director’s inclusive approach to casting The Wizard of Oz has been provoking backlash in their mostly white, middle-class Kansas town. From the newly formed Parents Against Revisionist Theater to anonymous threats, long-held prejudices are being laid bare and hostilities are spreading against teachers, parents, and students — especially the cast members at the center of the controversy, including Lou’s little brother, who’s playing the Tin Man. As tensions mount at school, so does a romance between Lou and Joey — but as she’s learned, “dating while Native” can be difficult. In trying to protect her own heart, will Lou break Joey’s?

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

To tell you the truth, I really stay away from books that deal with love and relationships.  I have had my share of broken hearts in my past yet, I took a chance on this book. One can say that the cover and the words Hearts Unbroken called to me.  This book wants to communicate a lot of good messages about inclusivity and the continued prejudice surrounding indigenous and native peoples in America. It’s a real story about a native teenager whose relationship falters with her first boyfriend due to a remark against her race. Some of the messages are able to come across, but not a lot of the what the book is trying to point out comes across due to it being bogged down by the awkwardness of writing and the most monotone style one could imagine reading. Lou is a likable character in the story, but she has several faults that are not resolved or addressed properly in the story. That leaves me with a bad taste in my reading brain. The plot events are exaggerated at best. The main goal of this book is trying to spread about being mindful of other people’s heritage and race. However, it is very unfortunate because the of the writing, chapter breaks, characterization, and more are so irregular and inconsistent. This book would be much more effective if it were not written so poorly in my opinion.

This book invites the readers to stop and consider how characters, settings, and events are portrayed culturally in the books they read. They can then examine how others are portrayed more closely while drawing comparisons and contrasts and strengthening their ties to their own culture. You can change the default questions in each level's slots to fit your learning objectives and aspirations.

REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

Blending teen romance with complex questions of identity, equality, and censorship, this is an excellent choice for most collections. —School Library Journal (starred review)

In a time when #ownvoices stories are rising in popularity among YA readers, this brings an insightful story to the conversation...this is truly a thought-provoking and educational novel. —Booklist

Louise...is believable in her own missteps, and her younger brother’s moral quandary—he’s unsure if he wants to stay in the play after finding out about L. Frank Baum’s virulent anti-Native prejudice—is compellingly explored...a revealing account of a bigotry experience that sometimes gets overshadowed by others, though, and readers will sympathize with Louise’s frustrations. —Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

Smith effectively presents the continuous microaggressions Lou faces as a young Native woman alongside the central narrative arc of the school play. —The Horn Book

Smith depicts the Wolfes’ warm family life as a stable foundation as Hughie and Lou each confront challenges, and she is especially successful at portraying the camaraderie and conflicts of the newspaper staff...a thought-provoking work of realistic teen fiction. —Publishers Weekly Online

CONNECTIONS

·        Students consider the beginning, middle, and end of the story by writing or drawing.

·        Students consider the setting, characters, beginning, middle, end, problem, and solution of the story.

·        Students consider the setting, characters, rising action, conflict, climax, falling action, and resolution of the story.