A Girl From a Store
By: Lesem Elizabeth Puerto
A Girl From a Store follows Lena, a free-spirited Guatemalan girl, finding herself as she balances living with her dysfunctional, at times ruthless, family and her ambition to become more. Lena recounts her struggles growing up in a repressed environment, and finding solace in friendship and first love. Is a happy ending possible for a girl growing up with so little, who dreams of so much? Written from the protagonist's perspective, Lena's emotional truth comes to life and captures human nature in its most innocent state. This coming of age story offers a rendition of real life events, and contemplates what would have been in the reality of growing up in 1960s-70s Guatemala.
A Girl From a Store is Lesem's first novel, and a piece personal to her heritage.