Some Places More Than Others

I recently looked up books by Renee Watson (since she's an author I like) to see if she had anything new I wanted to try, so I got Some Places More Than Others from the library. The book descriptions says, "All Amara wants for her birthday is to visit her father’s family in New York City--Harlem, to be exact. She can’t wait to finally meet her Grandpa Earl and cousins in person, and to stay in the brownstone where her father grew up. Maybe this will help her understand her family--and herself--in new way. But New York City is not exactly what Amara thought it would be. It’s crowded, with confusing subways, suffocating sidewalks, and her father is too busy with work to spend time with her and too angry to spend time with Grandpa Earl. As she explores, asks questions, and learns more and more about Harlem and about her father and his family history, she realizes how, in some ways more than others, she connects with him, her home, and her family."

This was a nice read. It was different than a lot of realistic fiction books I've read in that the conflicts were different. Amara has two stable parents who weren't fighting, her family had plenty of money, she didn't fight with her BFF, etc. Instead, the book was more of a journey of discovery with her extended family, and there was a conflict between her dad and grandpa that she tried to help resolve. I also liked the side story of her mom expencting a baby and Amara's well-deserved worries. I just liked the vibe of the book and loved the message about learning about your family and finding meaning in where you came from. The book kept me interested throughout and was a pretty quick read.

Rating: * * (2/3 = Liked it)