The Go Between

Reviewed by: Elizabeth Andersen - Westbrook High School, Westbrook, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: July 18, 2017

Review

How can you tell if you have real friends or if they like you because your mother is one of Mexico's biggest telenovella stars? This question has always haunted Cammi's friendships. She even has a set of rules that guide her friendships: you cannot be her friend if you ask for her mother's autograph, take a selfie with her mother, or post a picture of her house. Things change for Cammi when her mother takes a role in an American television show. Her rules no longer apply. She attends an elite private school, but because she is Mexican her classmates assume that she is a scholarship student. Cammi does not correct these assumptions. She wants to see if people like her without knowing her mother is famous and to teach them a lesson about assumptions. This novel is one of the few that tells the story of a wealthy immigrant, but some readers may find it unbelievable and disappointing that Cammi's character would not confront the stereotypes and racist assumptions. This novel is best for younger YA audiences. It is an immigrant story that wraps up neatly without thoroughly tackling the big issues it introduces.

Overall Book Score: very good