It’s been 10 years since William C. Morris YA Debut Award-winning author Isabel Quintero introduced us to Gabi Hernandez.
Award-winning author Aida Salazar reflected on what this book means to her. Of it, she says, “Gabi, A Girl in Pieces expanded the Chicana YA literary conversation with an edge, insight, irreverence, and a lyrical nuance that was a departure from the Chicana writers who came before. The conversation became loud, unapologetic, and so pointedly for young people in a way that was truly revolutionary. On its tenth anniversary, I celebrate this powerful book and Isabel Quintero for that expanded and lively conversation, for spellbinding us with a truth about our Chicana identities we had not yet seen on the fictional page, for a truth that continues to have resonance as it dances into young adult readers’ hearts and souls, and will do so for years to come. ¡Adelante, Gabi! ¡Hasta tocar el cielo!”
Gabi, A Girl in Pieces resonates with young people today because it realistically depicts the myriad of struggles teenagers face: body image issues; drug addiction; sexual assault; homophobia and the overall condemnation of any expression of sexuality; the ways we are told we belong or not as part of American society, especially as people of color and specifically in Gabi’s case as a Mexican American. It’s for these reasons and so many more that Gabi, A Girl in Pieces needs to be readily accessible across all communities.
The book has faced censorship since its original publication a decade ago, and even more so now. If you are advocating for Gabi where you live or work, we hope you will report it with ALA or PEN America. There is also a Book Résumé for Gabi readily available on Unite Against Book Ban’s Book Résumés hub. The resume details the book’s significance and educational value and is easy to share with administrators, elected officials, or board members.
Readers are hooked from page one by Gabi's witty voice as she chronicles her senior year of high school. Her mom is stricter than ever, her dad is still hooked on drugs, and her best friends are going through it. Thankfully, she has poetry, Hot Cheetos, and her diary to help her navigate through everything.
Isabel (she/her) is an award-winning writer and daughter of Mexican immigrants. She has written many books for young readers, including My Papi Has a Motorcycle. Visit her online at isabelinpieces.com.
“⭐ Reading Quintero's debut is like attending a large family fiesta: it's overpopulated with people, noise, and emotion, but the overall effect is joyous.” — Booklist, starred review
“⭐ Readers won't soon forget Gabi, a young woman coming into her own in the face of intense pressure from her family, culture and society to fit someone else's idea of what it means to be a 'good' girl. A fresh, authentic and honest exploration of contemporary Latina identity.” — Kirkus Reviews, starred review
“⭐ Quintero's first novel quickly establishes a strong voice and Mexican-American cultural perspective through the journal of intelligent, self-deprecating, and funny Gabi. . . . Her narration is fresh, self-aware, and reflective. The intimate journal structure of the novel is especially revealing as Gabi gains confidence in her own integrity and complexity.” — Publishers Weekly, starred review
Check out these resources for Gabi, A Girl in Pieces !
- Judge a Book by its Cover: Multimodal Collages by Marissa Tessier from Dr. Bickmore’s YA Wednesday’s Monday Motivators
- Teaching materials for Gabi, A Girl in Pieces created by inservice and preservice teachers at Vanderbilt University
- Educator’s Guide from Latin American & Iberian Institute
- Latinx in Kid Lit’s We Read Banned Books video (22 min)
- Isabel Quintero’s Morris Award Speech (8 min)
