Blended

by Sharon M. Draper Narrated by Sharon M. Draper

Overview

Eleven-year-old Isabella's blended family is more divided than ever in this thoughtful story about divorce and racial identity from the award-winning and New York Times best-selling author of Out of My Mind, Sharon M. Draper.

Eleven-year-old Isabella's parents are divorced, so she has to switch lives every week: One week she's Isabella with her dad, his girlfriend Anastasia, and her son, Darren, living in a fancy house where they are one of the only black families in the neighborhood. The next week she's Izzy with her mom and her boyfriend, John-Mark, in a small, not-so-fancy house that she loves.

Because of this, Isabella has always felt pulled between two worlds. And now that her parents are divorced, it seems their fights are even worse, and they're always about her. Isabella feels even more stuck in the middle, split and divided between them, than ever. And she's is beginning to realize that being split between Mom and Dad is more than switching houses, switching nicknames, switching backpacks: It's also about switching identities. Her dad is black, her mom is white, and strangers are always commenting: “You're so exotic!” “You look so unusual.” “But what are you really?” She knows what they're really saying: “You don't look like your parents.” “You're different.” “What race are you really?” And when her parents, who both get engaged at the same time, get in their biggest fight ever, Isabella doesn't just feel divided, she feels ripped in two. What does it mean to be half white or half black? To belong to half mom and half dad? And if you're only seen as half of this and half of that, how can you ever feel whole?

It seems like nothing can bring Isabella's family together again — until the worst happens. Isabella and Darren are stopped by the police. A cell phone is mistaken for a gun. And shots are fired.

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

★ 10/01/2018
Timely and genuine, this novel chronicles a biracial girl’s struggle to define her identity and find her voice amid personal and societal expectations. After her parents’ divorce, competitive pianist Isabella, 11, divides her time between her white diner-waitress mother and her wealthy black father. The constant back and forth and her family’s tense weekly exchanges cause her intense stress, as do the microaggressions Isabella experiences regularly. When a history class discussion about student protests and the history of lynching ends with a noose being placed in a black classmate’s locker, Isabella’s awareness of racist behavior skyrockets, as does her need to define who she is for herself. Draper (Out of My Mind) doesn’t shy away from challenging or uncomfortable topics; police aggression, gun violence, the complicated nature of divorce, and socioeconomic imbalances are all candidly addressed as real and important parts of Isabella’s experience. Readers will identify with Isabella’s journey to stand up for herself, especially to her parents, whose constant arguing and clear dislike for each other often overshadow her needs: “Chocolate family meets vanilla family in the artificial reality that is a mall,” Isabella says. “Caramel daughter caught helplessly between the two.” Ages 8–12. (Oct.)

BCCB

Honest and approachable.

Shelf Awareness

"Blended is a graceful novel about family and identity that will enlighten and entertain readers. Draper's insight into the world of an 11-year-old girl is uncanny."

Booklist

Draper has written a book in which kids will see themselves.

Booklist

Draper has written a book in which kids will see themselves.

School Library Journal

★ 11/01/2018

Gr 4–7—Eleven-year-old Isabella is biracial; her mother is white and her father is black. Other people sometimes describe her as "exotic," but she doesn't think of herself that way. Isabella is also from a blended family. Her mother, a waitress at Waffle House, has a serious boyfriend, a white guy who drives a truck, manages a bowling alley, and has dozens of interesting tattoos. Her father is a successful corporate attorney who drives a Mercedes and has a serious girlfriend, who is black, an interior decorator with a son that Isabella is looking forward to having for a big brother. Her parents share custody and each Sunday they meet at the mall and do "the exchange." Mostly, it's done curtly, without talking, so Isabella "hates, hates, hates it." She finds solace in playing the piano and practicing for a big recital. Shifting between two sets of parents, no matter how much she cares about them and how different their lifestyles are, is hard. As new tensions begin to rise, Isabella works to find her place in the world. Draper has a way of speaking to the heart of tween concerns. The dialogue is realistic and the alternating chapters between Isabella's time with her mom and dad underscores the protagonist's discomfort moving back and forth between them. The story could have ended there and worked well as a frank, honest portrait of a modern, blended family. But a dangerous, racially biased event near the end of the novel offers a deeper exploration of the unique struggles faced by young people of color. While the event is disturbing, Draper writes with grace, compassion, and respect for the intelligence and emotional lives of young readers. VERDICT This is Draper at her best, penning a current and ultimately uplifting story. It deserves a place on library shelves along with her other outstanding works.—Carol Connor, Cincinnati Public Schools, OH

DECEMBER 2018 - AudioFile

Author Sharon Draper narrates this thoughtful story of identity. Now that it’s been a few years since her parents’ divorce, 11-year-old Izzy has found a way to make alternating weeks with Mom and Dad work. However, her growing awareness of her own biracial identity is starting to complicate her understanding of the world and her family. Izzy's perceptive voice lies at the heart of this powerful story, which explores the prevalence and impact of racism—from overt actions to microaggressions. While Draper lightens her deep, slightly raspy voice and effectively plays with inflection during dramatic moments, the overall production has the feel of a good read-aloud rather than a memorable performance. Still, this is a worthwhile and engaging listen for children and adults alike. A.S. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine

Product Details

BN ID:	2940171092757
Publisher:	Simon & Schuster
Publication date:	10/30/2018
Edition description:	Unabridged
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

Read an Excerpt

Chapter 1 CHAPTER 1
PLUNK.

Plink.

Ripple.

Rumble.

Tinkle.

Twinkle.

Boomble. I know that’s not an actual word, but it’s a real sound. I can create any musical combination of sounds on my piano. That’s my superpower.

I sit, hands perched with thirsty fingers, as I get ready to play. I work hard at it, always trying to find the right melodies and harmonies. The upstairs-downstairs scales that rise and fall. The three- and four-finger chords that stomp. The fingernail-delicate tiptoeing up and down the keyboard, each touch a new sound. White keys. Black keys. One at a time. Chords all together. Two keys make a different sound than three played together. Four or five mashed at the same time is even better. I can do nine keys, even ten, to make a chord, but to be honest, that sounds weird.

Each combination at the piano is different. Bass. Treble. Major tones. Minor wails. Bass like a celebration. Treble like tears.

Five-four-three-two-one. One-two-three-four-five. Up. Up. Up. Down. Down. Down. Harmony. Melody. Chords. Scales. The black keys play sad sounds, like somebody crying. The white keys sometimes laugh. Using only my fingers, I can make the black and white keys dance together and do whatever I want.

When I play the piano, I rock! It would be nice if the rest of my life came together like some kind of a magical musical symphony. But, nah, not usually.

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