At Home in a Faraway Place

Gr 3-7–Lissie, her father, and her grandmother travel to Guatemala to visit a family friend. She resolves to learn as much Spanish as she can. The story follows her trip, including many Spanish words, as well as some geography, geology, and history lessons. Despite the language barriers, Lissie finds friends and a sense of home in these new places and people. This younger middle grade novel is delightfully adorned throughout with black-and-white artwork that ranges from spot art to multi-page spreads and comic panels which both enhance and amplify the well-written story. The illustrations accompany the Spanish introduced in the text, spelled out and written phonetically. Using her new language skills, Lissie is able to make friends with other children. Beyond some initial hesitation in forming those friendships, there is no conflict to create a compelling plot, but what emerges is a sweet slice-of-life tale. The events take place only over the two weeks of their trip and provides just a small amount of room for character growth. Within that, Lissie finds some confidence in her ability to connect to others regardless of language and culture barriers. Lissie and her family are white; the people they meet and visit are Guatemalan. The author’s note covers her experience learning Spanish; the book reads as a tourist’s trip and lacks a cultural authenticity.