Gabi: A Girl In Pieces

Quintero, I. (2014). Gabi: A girl in pieces. TX: Cinco Puntos.

Summary: Gabi is a senior in high school in a Latino American community. Gabi has two best friends, Cindy and Sebastian. Gabi chronicles her life events in her diary. She helps Cindy and Sebstian with big events in their lives like Cindy's unexpected pregnancy and Sebastian's disastrous coming out to his family. Her friends also help her. Gabi's father is a drug addict and she struggles with her weight. Gabi uses her poetry as an outlet for all the trouble in her life. In the end, Gabi has grown into a well-rounded young woman with a blossoming relationship and a bright future in college.
Commentary: The characters in Gabi: A Girl In Pieces are very relatable. They are all going through different struggles in their last year of high school. Throughout the course of the year, they confront their problems and grow in their relationships. Conflict also plays a big part in this book. Gabi is in conflict with her mother over college, with her father over his drug addiction, with her self about her weight, and with her romantic relationships.
Connections: Teacher Resources, Book Trailer, Book Review, Author Interview
Similar Books: Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass by Meg Medina; The Carnival at Bray by Jessie Anne Foley; Hold Tight, Don't Let Go by Laura Rose Wagner
Textbook Connections: When I was reading Gabi: A Girl In Pieces, I was able to connect with the family and social Hispanic Culture.