The Other Half of Happy

By Rebecca Balcárcel

A girl navigates identity, family, and friendship while discovering what makes her whole.

4.1/5 Goodreads · 1,044 ratings

332 pages· 70,591 words· Est. 8 hour read

$16.99Save 6%

In stock. Also at Amazon or Bookshop.

Bookroo's summary

Quijana, caught between cultures, faces the challenge of understanding her identity. With her Guatemalan cousins nearby, her father's expectations weigh heavily. As she bonds with friends Zuri and Jayden, her feelings for Jayden complicate things. Meanwhile, her brother grows distant, and her grandmother's health declines. Can Quijana piece together her fragmented world and find where she truly belongs? This journey of self-discovery explores the complexities of growing up and the search for belonging.

From the publisher

2020 Pura Belpré Honor Book

A Junior Library Guild Selection

ALSC Notable Children’s Book

2020 Jean Flynn Award for Best Middle Grade Book

2020 Spirit of Texas Reading Program Recommended Title

This immersive and beautifully written novel follows the story of Quijana, a girl in pieces.

Quijana must figure out which parts of herself are most important, and which pieces come together to make her whole.

This is a heartfelt poetic portrayal of a girl growing up, fitting in, and learning what it means to belong.

Lyrical middle grade debut from author Rebecca Balcárcel

A diverse and family-centered story that resonates with anyone who remembers, or is going through, growing pains

Inclusively embraces real life experiences with biracial, autistic, and gay characters

One-half Guatemalan, one-half American: When Quijana’s Guatemalan cousins move to town, her dad seems ashamed that she doesn’t know more about her family’s heritage.

One-half crush, one-half buddy: When Quijana meets Zuri and Jayden, she knows she’s found true friends. But she can’t help the growing feelings she has for Jayden.

One-half kid, one-half grown-up: Quijana spends her nights Skyping with her ailing grandma and trying to figure out what’s going on with her increasingly hard-to-reach brother.

A wonderful gift for bilingual and bicultural readers, introspective tweens and teens, and parents and educators

Perfect for those who love the heart of Matt de la Peña, the honesty of Meg Medina, and the poetry of Kate DiCamillo

Add it to the shelf with books like We Were Here by Matt de la Peña, Merci Suárez Changes Gears by Meg Medina, and I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sánchez