Part of Me: Stories of a Louisiana Family
By Matt Berman,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Gentle, slow-paced but sweet multigeneration saga.
Add rating
A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this book.
Where to Read
Community Reviews
There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.
What's the Story?
Ten related stories link together the generations of a Louisiana family, beginning (and ending) with Rose who, in 1939, is forced to leave school to help support her family. Though she dreams of being a writer, instead she lies her way into a job driving a library bookmobile into the small bayou communities around Houma.
Her son, Merle, becomes a trapper, until a horrible accident makes him think twice about what he's doing. His daughter, Annabeth, learns courage from a dead boy, and her son, Kyle, changes his mind about books after acting them out for toddlers.
Is It Any Good?
Kimberly Willis Holt writes gentle little character-driven stories that lyrically convey the rhythms, pace, and quirks of life in the deep South. Like her other books, PART OF ME is a book that only a Southerner could write. It doesn't just describe what a visiting observer could see and hear -- every page is steeped in the languid and sultry cadences, the ancient traditions, and cultural eccentricities of the bayou.
The format -- related short stories crossing four generations -- means that the reader never establishes a deep connection to any one character. Rather, the connection is to a place and a way of life. With its leisurely pace and lack of action, this is not for every child. But for one who has the patience to wait to see what appears around the next bend in the bayou, it can reveal a world few outsiders get to see.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the ways in which books play a part in every generation of this story. How do they affect each character? What about those who say they don't like books? This book might inspire your kids to want to know more about their own family history.
Book Details
- Author: Kimberly Willis Holt
- Genre: Family Life
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Henry Holt & Company, Inc.
- Publication date: January 3, 2007
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 10 - 14
- Number of pages: 208
- Last updated: July 12, 2017
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
Where to Read
Our Editors Recommend
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate