There is no way justice can be done to this remarkable body of writing in 250 words or less, but here goes. Rape. Sex. Pregnancy. How drug abuse destroys families. Supporting friends at all costs. Body image. Motherly advice (to a fault). Self-worth and assertion. Mexican pride. "Good" vs. "Bad" girls. Becoming a statistic. Rejection brought on by homophobia. TEACHERS TAKING A STAND TO SILENCE HATRED AND IGNORANCE - YES! And don't forget the beautiful poetry - (sigh)! One of the most important, enjoyable bodies of work I've read throughout this entire assignment, Gabi is a high school senior whose diary provides readers with a glimpse into her world. A true friend, confidante, budding activist, student and self-assured young woman, Gabi is the total package. I was fortunate enough to have a "Gabi" as a best friend in high school, but for those girls who are or were not, the Gabi on the pages of this text would surely volunteer. Simply put, you've GOT to read this book! I did...twice!
One of my favorite - and there were many - parts of this book was when Ms. Abernard immediately put a stop to a homophobic rant directed toward Gabi's friend Sebastian. As educators, we have to be committed to EDUCATING our students. We cannot turn the deaf ear to notably mean-spirited comments meant to oppress and isolate subsets of our classroom populations. I held the book up and gave Ms. Abernard a high five!
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