Gabi, A Girl in Pieces by Isabel Quintero: Book Review and Author Insights

Gabi, A Girl in Pieces By Isabel Quintero Book Talk by Guadalupe Book Talk by Guadalupe Rodriguez Rodriguez SLIDESMANIA.COM

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Isabel Quintero Before becoming a well known writer, Quintero attended San Before becoming a well known writer, Quintero attended San Bernardino California State University where she received both her Bernardino California State University where she received both her B.A and M.A in English. Afterwards, she worked various education B.A and M.A in English. Afterwards, she worked various education related jobs such as being an AVID tutor, a substitute, and even an related jobs such as being an AVID tutor, a substitute, and even an English high school teacher. English high school teacher. Quintero prides herself in being the daughter of Mexican Quintero prides herself in being the daughter of Mexican immigrants. Her Mexican roots are visible in her works such as in immigrants. Her Mexican roots are visible in her works such as in https://theauthorvillage.com/presenters/ isabel-quintero/ Ugly Cat and Pablo Ugly Cat and Pablo and and My Papi Has a Motorcycle My Papi Has a Motorcycle. Her books have . Her books have been awarded the California Book Award Gold Medal, Morris Award been awarded the California Book Award Gold Medal, Morris Award SLIDESMANIA.COM for Debut YA Novel, and other various awards. for Debut YA Novel, and other various awards.

SUMMARY OF THE NOVEL Gabi navigates her senior year of high school Gabi navigates her senior year of high school while simultaneously juggling her love life, her meth while simultaneously juggling her love life, her meth addict father, and her best friends problems all addict father, and her best friends problems all while being in a strict Mexican household. Her while being in a strict Mexican household. Her pregnant best friend Cindy and her gay best friend pregnant best friend Cindy and her gay best friend Sebastian have to figure out a way to overcome the Sebastian have to figure out a way to overcome the societal rules of Mexican culture which frowns upon societal rules of Mexican culture which frowns upon sexually active teens and anybody that might be sexually active teens and anybody that might be part of the LGBTQ+ community. The closer Gabi s part of the LGBTQ+ community. The closer Gabi s graduation day approaches the more she realizes graduation day approaches the more she realizes that she must balance the social customs of being that she must balance the social customs of being both Mexican and American in order to figure out both Mexican and American in order to figure out who she is and where she fits in. who she is and where she fits in. SLIDESMANIA.COM

My dad is a drug addict. A meth addict My dad is a drug addict. A meth addict as in crazy and desperate and never mentally here. But no one in our house desperate and never mentally here. But no one in our house ever says those words: drugs, addict or meth. It s like we are ever says those words: drugs, addict or meth. It s like we are forbidden to use them. My mom says, Tu papa anda mal. As forbidden to use them. My mom says, Tu papa anda mal. As if he just has the flu and a bowl of chicken noodle soup will fix if he just has the flu and a bowl of chicken noodle soup will fix him right up. But he s an addict and has been since I was a him right up. But he s an addict and has been since I was a little kid. I remember when I was in elementary school, he little kid. I remember when I was in elementary school, he would ask to borrow money all the time. I think even then I would ask to borrow money all the time. I think even then I knew what it was going towards, but I gave it to him anyway. knew what it was going towards, but I gave it to him anyway. What was I supposed to do? He s my dad. What was I supposed to do? He s my dad. as in crazy and SLIDESMANIA.COM Page 29 Page 29

QUOTE 1 Analysis of Mexican Taboos It is important to note that Gabi talks about her father s meth It is important to note that Gabi talks about her father s meth addiction relatively early on in the novel which emphasizes how big addiction relatively early on in the novel which emphasizes how big of an issue this truly is to her. She feels as if everyone else including of an issue this truly is to her. She feels as if everyone else including her mother simply sweeps her father s addiction under the rug. If her mother simply sweeps her father s addiction under the rug. If nobody acknowledges and talks about his addiction then there is no nobody acknowledges and talks about his addiction then there is no way he will be receiving any type of help. Gabi has always known way he will be receiving any type of help. Gabi has always known about his problem, but now that she is older she is coming to terms about his problem, but now that she is older she is coming to terms with how problematic it is to pretend this battle doesn t exist. with how problematic it is to pretend this battle doesn t exist. SLIDESMANIA.COM

But ta Agi felt sick and said things like Cochinos! Que asco! But t a Agi felt sick and said things like Cochinos! Que asco! You should be ashamed of yourselves! And they were. She You should be ashamed of yourselves! And they were. She sent Sebastian to a psychologist to talk him out of being gay (I sent Sebastian to a psychologist to talk him out of being gay (I guess she s not as understanding as we thought). And guess she s not as understanding as we thought). And yesterday she sent for a priest who threatened him with God yesterday she sent for a priest who threatened him with God of course, because everyone knows that the mission that God of course, because everyone knows that the mission that God has left for his worshippers is to hate people and damn them to has left for his worshippers is to hate people and damn them to hell. Finally, she forbade pink shirts, satchels and guy friends hell. Finally, she forbade pink shirts, satchels and guy friends who would tempt them with their sinful penises. He is only who would tempt them with their sinful penises. He is only allowed to talk to me and Cindy because maybe we could make allowed to talk to me and Cindy because maybe we could make him straight. Maybe she hoped we d show him our mighty him straight. Maybe she hoped we d show him our mighty vaginas and fuck the gay out of him. vaginas and fuck the gay out of him. SLIDESMANIA.COM Page 66 Page 66

QUOTE 2 LGBTQ+ acceptance Sebastian s tia, Agi, catches him and his boyfriend, Pedro, making out in his room Sebastian s tia, Agi, catches him and his boyfriend, Pedro, making out in his room which unleashes her homophobia. She goes from being the cool and accepting which unleashes her homophobia. She goes from being the cool and accepting tia to completely mistreating Sebastian for his sexual identity. She even goes as tia to completely mistreating Sebastian for his sexual identity. She even goes as far as calling them cochinos which is a very hurtful Spanish term that translates far as calling them cochinos which is a very hurtful Spanish term that translates to dirty. to dirty. This quote is important because it depicts the cruel reality of persons of color that This quote is important because it depicts the cruel reality of persons of color that are part of the LGBTQ+ community. They are met with backlash from their families are part of the LGBTQ+ community. They are met with backlash from their families and sometimes even forced to attend conversion therapies that are known for and sometimes even forced to attend conversion therapies that are known for using barbaric techniques. It is ironic that in Mexican culture families would prefer using barbaric techniques. It is ironic that in Mexican culture families would prefer Y/A to be hypersexual as long as they re heterosexual. Y/A to be hypersexual as long as they re heterosexual. SLIDESMANIA.COM

Shes a walking contradiction She s a walking contradiction- -she wants me to be a strong woman and not let any man tell me what to do, but she also woman and not let any man tell me what to do, but she also wants me to be obedient and behave like a nice young lady wants me to be obedient and behave like a nice young lady (whatever the hell that is): a virgin, I am sure, but what else? (whatever the hell that is): a virgin, I am sure, but what else? A good cook? A good reader? Someone who can make A good cook? A good reader? Someone who can make tortillas with one hand tied behind her back? Being a virgin tortillas with one hand tied behind her back? Being a virgin can t be the only thing that makes you a nice young lady can t be the only thing that makes you a nice young lady because I know plenty of girls who are virgins, but could because I know plenty of girls who are virgins, but could never be called nice never be called nice- -young young- -anythings because they are anythings because they are straight straight- -out spawn of Satan. out spawn of Satan. she wants me to be a strong SLIDESMANIA.COM Page 275 Page 275

QUOTE 3 Being a nice young lady Gabi starts questioning what it truly means to be a nice young lady Gabi starts questioning what it truly means to be a nice young lady considering her own mother constantly contradicts her meanings of considering her own mother constantly contradicts her meanings of this. Sometimes she tells Gabi to be independent and other times she this. Sometimes she tells Gabi to be independent and other times she tells her to be submissive. tells her to be submissive. This quote highlights the constant struggles of young women trying This quote highlights the constant struggles of young women trying to meet the expectations of others. Being a virgin is one of the biggest to meet the expectations of others. Being a virgin is one of the biggest indicators of a pure lady in Mexican culture, yet this seems like an indicators of a pure lady in Mexican culture, yet this seems like an unjust expectation of young women and not men. unjust expectation of young women and not men. SLIDESMANIA.COM

Text Complexity The qualitative complexity of this The qualitative complexity of this book is much higher than the book is much higher than the suggested quantitative level. The suggested quantitative level. The Dale Dale- -Chall Formula suggests this Chall Formula suggests this book for fifth graders, but I would book for fifth graders, but I would suggest this book to be better suggest this book to be better understood by 10th understood by 10th- -12th graders because of the heavy themes and because of the heavy themes and raunchy language that is used. raunchy language that is used. There are many explicit scenes There are many explicit scenes regarding sex, drugs, and body regarding sex, drugs, and body issues that 5th issues that 5th- -6th graders would 6th graders would not be mature enough to not be mature enough to comprehend. comprehend. Dale Dale- -Chall Formula Chall Formula Raw score Raw score 1.6492 Adjusted Score: Adjusted Score: (3.6365 + 1.6492) Final Score: Final Score: 5.3 5.3 1.6492 (3.6365 + 1.6492) 12th graders New Dale New Dale- -Chall Readability Index: Chall Readability Index: Grade level: Grade level: Grades 5 Grades 5 - - 6 6 Qualitative Complexity: 10th Qualitative Complexity: 10th- -12th graders graders 12th SLIDESMANIA.COM

Teaching this novel in classrooms Read Gabi s selection of Read Gabi s selection of poems poems Write short Write short poems poems Create a zine Create a zine Diary Entries Diary Entries This book is written This book is written with dated diary with dated diary entries. Students entries. Students can emulate Gabi s can emulate Gabi s diary by keeping a diary by keeping a small notebook small notebook where they simply where they simply write about their write about their day. day. In the novel, Gabi In the novel, Gabi gets exposed to gets exposed to poetry through poetry through her poetry class her poetry class and Martin. and Martin. Students can Students can analyze the same analyze the same poems Gabi gets poems Gabi gets exposed to. exposed to. Eg: The Rape of the Lock by Alexander Rape of the Lock by Alexander Pope, Tonight I Can Write by Pope, Tonight I Can Write by Pablo Neruda, A Red, Red Rose Pablo Neruda, A Red, Red Rose by Robert Burns, Shakespeare s by Robert Burns, Shakespeare s Gabi expresses Gabi expresses her hatred of how her hatred of how womens bodies womens bodies are are oversexualized oversexualized through her zine. through her zine. Students can Students can create their own create their own zines about social zines about social issues they care issues they care about. about. Gabi deals with her Gabi deals with her emotions by writing emotions by writing poetry about loved poetry about loved ones that have ones that have passed, her crushes, passed, her crushes, and even simply food and even simply food she loves. Students she loves. Students can write their own can write their own short poems about short poems about either loved ones or either loved ones or food. food. Eg: The SLIDESMANIA.COM Sonnet 130, Sonnet 130,

Adolescents in the Search for Meaning: Tapping the Powerful Resource of Story Chapter 5: facing loss Chapter 5: facing loss & death & death Chapter 4: Real Chapter 4: Real- -life experiences experiences life Chapter 6: Chapter 6: Identity Identity Gabi and her friends Gabi and her friends struggle with struggle with navigating their last navigating their last year of high school. In year of high school. In particular, Gabi also particular, Gabi also struggles living in a struggles living in a dysfunctional family dysfunctional family where her father is where her father is absent and her aunt absent and her aunt takes the father takes the father role. role. Gabi faces her Gabi faces her father s death which father s death which deeply impacts her. deeply impacts her. She learns to openly She learns to openly mourn her father s mourn her father s and grandfather s and grandfather s passing by writing passing by writing letters and poetry letters and poetry about them. about them. Sebastian deals with Sebastian deals with the consequences of the consequences of coming out as gay to coming out as gay to his homophobic his homophobic family. He struggles family. He struggles with deciding if his with deciding if his openness about his openness about his identity is worth identity is worth losing his family. losing his family. SLIDESMANIA.COM

Why teens should read this book? Something for everybody.. Something for everybody.. Gabi, A Girl in Pieces Gabi, A Girl in Pieces covers a wide range of subjects such as sexuality, body image covers a wide range of subjects such as sexuality, body image issues, sexual assault, peer pressure, friendship, and teen pregnancy. This novel could issues, sexual assault, peer pressure, friendship, and teen pregnancy. This novel could resonate with many students considering there is something for everybody to be resonate with many students considering there is something for everybody to be interested in. interested in. Humor and teen slang .. Humor and teen slang .. As mentioned previously, the book heavily relies on humor to alleviate some of the As mentioned previously, the book heavily relies on humor to alleviate some of the darker themes that are present. Using humor to cope with these heavy topics allows darker themes that are present. Using humor to cope with these heavy topics allows the readers to easily digest this book. There is also common teenage slang that the readers to easily digest this book. There is also common teenage slang that makes the tone more lighthearted and funny. makes the tone more lighthearted and funny. Finding oneself like Gabi.. Finding oneself like Gabi.. Gabi struggles with finding herself while juggling her personal life and simultaneously Gabi struggles with finding herself while juggling her personal life and simultaneously trying to pursue a higher education. Gabi s experiences can resonate with high school trying to pursue a higher education. Gabi s experiences can resonate with high school students that feel the stress of trying to juggle everything in their lives. students that feel the stress of trying to juggle everything in their lives. SLIDESMANIA.COM

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