Review: My Life in Dioramas by Tara Altebrando

My Life in Dioramas

by Tara Altebrando

from the publisher's site: 

Kate Marino knows very well that home is where her heart is, and if she had any say in the matter, her heart would stay put in Big Red. The old, rambling farmhouse has withstood the test of time with her family, but now Kate’s parents have decided to sell it from under her feet.

The preventative solution: sabotage the realtor's tours with the help of best friends and a plan that has maximum stinkage potential. 

The back-up plan: hang on to at least a little bit of life at Big Red by creating shoebox dioramas of each room. 

But even with a full-scale assault, will her mission be a success? And if not, what will the diorama of Kate’s future look like?

my thoughts: 

I read through this book in two sittings. I was hooked on Kate's emotional journey and I really needed to know that everything was going to be okay. While I never went through the kind of move that Kate deals with in this story, I really identified with her. I loved the scenes from dance class and the preparations for competition. It took me right back to my dancing days when I was the same age as Kate. 

I think Kate is someone we can all identify with; we all go through multiple changes throughout childhood, and we all deal with it in our own way. Kate's way of coping is through her dioramas and through dance. Aside from her family's impending move, Kate is also dealing with changes at school and in her relationships with her best friend and her parents. She gets hit with a lot all at once, and while as an adult reading this story, I can understand that her parents are doing the best they can with the situation, I also understand Kate's anger and fear and frustration. 

This is definitely an emotional read, and one that I highly recommend for fans of realistic fiction or for anyone looking for a book to help a middle schooler deal with change. There are moments of humor, like when Kate decides to stink up the house to keep anyone from buying it, but for sensitive souls like myself, you may want to keep the tissues handy. 

This book is totally worth checking out. Read My Life in Dioramas by Tara Altebrando soon!

how I acquired this book:

I borrowed it from the library where I work.