Juliet Takes a Breath
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The parents' guide to what's in this book.
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that Juliet Takes a Breath tells the story of a Puerto Rican American lesbian college student from the Bronx who comes out to her family and moves to Portland, Oregon, for an internship with a feminist author. There are detailed descriptions of kissing and lovemaking between women, sexual fantasies, sexual arousal, masturbation, and periods, as well as extensive discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity and an excellent example of a consent conversation. Adults from college age up drink alcohol, smoke cigarettes, and smoke pot in numerous scenes, all presented in a positive, casual light. Several characters use pot as a remedy for menstrual symptoms. The story is set in 2003, so this pot use is illegal. There is discussion of sexual assault and a scene where young men sexually harass a young woman in a grocery store. Strong language includes "f--k," "s--t," "d--k," "c--t," and "damn," "p---y."
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What's the story?
When JULIET TAKES A BREATH BEGINS, Juliet, a Puerto Rican college student from the Bronx, is gearing up to come out as a lesbian to her parents. She decides to make the announcement the night she's to fly out for the opportunity of a lifetime: going to Portland for a summer internship with an author who wrote a book called Raging Flower about female empowerment. Juliet's family members try to be accepting, though her mother suggests being gay might be just a phase. Portland turns out to be a culture shock, and Juliet feels as much an outsider among the predominantly white hippie scene in Portland as she did in her traditional Puerto Rican neighborhood in New York. Meanwhile, Juliet's girlfriend, who's on the East Coast interning for the Democratic party, is ignoring Juliet's texts and phone messages, and her cousin is inviting her to come visit her in Miami.
Is it any good?
A funny, emotionally true book with an exceptionally compelling narrator. The main character of Juliet Takes A Breath is like a fat, Latinx, lesbian version of Holden Caulfield, with a keen eye for observing all the cultural norms that don't fit her in her assimilation-minded Catholic family in the Bronx, the feminist community in Portland, and with her White girlfriend. As a cousin leads Julia through a minefield of terminology and concepts, readers can follow along and think for themselves about what "identity" really is, and how to show respect and support for other people.
Talk to your kids about ...
Families can talk about the importance of reading and writing in Juliet Takes a Breath. What book or author has most influenced you and why?
What are the differences between fitting in, being accepted, and being appreciated?
How does the author use settings -- the Bronx, Portland, and Miami -- to reveal Juliet's identity and character?
Book details
- Author: Gabby Rivera
- Genre: Coming of Age
- Topics: Activism, Friendship, Great Girl Role Models, Misfits and Underdogs
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Dial Books
- Publication date: July 26, 2020
- Number of pages: 320
- Last updated: September 25, 2020
Our editors recommend
For kids who love Latinx and LGBTQ stories
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