Cristina, an MK growing up in Brazil, has spent months dreaming about her quinze anos party, the 15th birthday celebration when a girl becomes a young lady. Now the family is on furlough in Minnesota, and Cristina is certain her quinze anos will be a disappointment. To make things worse, she finds it difficult to fit in at school despite the welcome of Lisa, her best friend from the previous furlough. Although Lisa generally includes her in activities, Cristina feels like an outsider, unable to find anyone who understands or cares about the things that are important to her. Uncertain of the latest styles or slang, she often feels foolish at school. Nevertheless, she is drawn to Jason, whose part-Korean ancestry makes him stand out too though in appearance rather than behavior. Together they face the attacks of the “in” crowd and discover that there are positive things about being “between two worlds.”
Despite its somewhat cheesy title, this is a really enjoyable and relatable read. It even shows how different TCKs from the same family can react to moving and goodbyes differently. The story is a little older so social media and cell phones aren’t part of the teenage world in “Between Two Worlds” but the dynamics of US American public school are still relevant.