Alma presses play
(Book)

Book Cover
Average Rating
Published
New York : Make Me a World, [2021].
Status
Aurora Hills - Teen Fiction
YF CANE
1 available

Copies

LocationCall NumberStatus
Aurora Hills - Teen FictionYF CANEAvailable

Description

A lyrical novel-in-verse that takes us through the journey of coming of age in New York during the 80s.Alma's life is a series of halfways: She's half-Chinese, half-Jewish; her parents spend half the time fighting, and the other half silent; and she's halfway through becoming a woman. But as long as she can listen to her Walkman, hang out with her friends on the stoops of the Village, and ride her bike around the streets of New York, it feels like everything will be all right. Then comes the year when everything changes, and her life is overtaken by constant endings: friends move away, romances bloom and wither, her parents divorce and--just like that--her life as she knew it is over. In this world of confusing beginnings, middles, and endings, is Alma ready to press play on the soundtrack of her life? 

More Details

Format
Book
Edition
First edition.
Physical Desc
324 pages ; 22 cm
Language
English
ISBN
9780593121146, 0593121147, 0593121155, 9780593121153

Notes

Description
Alma's life is a series of halfways: She's half-Chinese, half-Jewish; her parents spend half the time fighting, and the other half silent; and she's halfway through becoming a woman. But as long as she can listen to her Walkman, hang out with her friends on the stoops of the Village, and ride her bike around the streets of New York, it feels like everything will be all right. Then comes the year when everything changes, and her life is overtaken by constant endings: friends move away, romances bloom and wither, her parents divorce and--just like that--her life as she knew it is over. In this world of confusing beginnings, middles, and endings, is Alma ready to press play on the soundtrack of her life? --from Amazon.

Discover More

Author Notes

Loading Author Notes...

Similar Titles From NoveList

NoveList provides detailed suggestions for titles you might like if you enjoyed this book. Suggestions are based on recommendations from librarians and other contributors.
These books have the appeal factors moving, character-driven, and own voices, and they have the theme "coming of age"; the subjects "chinese american teenagers," "teenage romance," and "teenage girls"; and characters that are "authentic characters."
These books have the appeal factors moving, character-driven, and own voices, and they have the theme "coming of age"; and the subjects "chinese american teenagers," "teenage romance," and "teenage girls."
These books have the appeal factors own voices, and they have the theme "coming of age"; the subjects "chinese american teenagers," "teenage romance," and "teenage girls"; and include the identity "multiracial."
These books have the appeal factors moving, character-driven, and multiple perspectives, and they have the theme "coming of age"; and the subjects "chinese american teenagers," "teenage romance," and "families."
These books have the appeal factors moving, emotionally intense, and character-driven, and they have the theme "coming of age"; the subjects "teenage romance," "teenage girls," and "seventeen-year-old girls"; and characters that are "authentic characters."
We recommend Summer Bird Blue for readers who like Alma Presses Play. Both are moving coming-of-age stories about multiracial teenage girls who use music to deal with difficult times. -- Yaika Sabat
These books have the appeal factors moving, strong sense of place, and own voices, and they have the theme "coming of age"; and the subjects "teenage romance," "families," and "teenage girls."
These books have the appeal factors emotionally intense, and they have the theme "coming of age"; the subjects "jewish teenagers," "teenage romance," and "teenage boy-girl relations"; and include the identity "jewish."
These books have the appeal factors bittersweet, and they have the subjects "chinese american teenagers," "teenage romance," and "teenage girls."
Both moving and character-driven novels feature girls whose passion for music helps them fight against fatphobia (I'll Be the One) and sexism (Alma Presses Play). -- CJ Connor
American girls - Umminger, Alison
These books have the appeal factors moving and character-driven, and they have the theme "coming of age"; and the subjects "teenage romance," "teenage girls," and "fifteen-year-old girls."
These books have the appeal factors moving, emotionally intense, and own voices, and they have the theme "coming of age"; and the subjects "teenage romance," "families," and "teenage boy-girl relations."

Similar Authors From NoveList

NoveList provides detailed suggestions for other authors you might want to read if you enjoyed this book. Suggestions are based on recommendations from librarians and other contributors.
These authors' works have the subjects "teenage romance," "teenage girls," and "sixteen-year-old girls."
These authors' works have the appeal factors own voices, and they have the subjects "teenage romance" and "teenage girls."
These authors' works have the subjects "teenage romance" and "teenage boy-girl relations."
These authors' works have the subjects "jewish teenagers," "teenage romance," and "east asian people"; and include the identity "asian."
These authors' works have the appeal factors character-driven and own voices, and they have the subjects "teenage romance," "teenage girls," and "private schools"; and characters that are "authentic characters."
These authors' works have the appeal factors emotionally intense, and they have the subjects "teenage romance," "east asian people," and "sixteen-year-old girls"; and include the identity "asian."

Published Reviews

Booklist Review

It's 1982 in New York, and Alma Rosen, a half-Chinese, half-Jewish 13-year-old, is struggling to find her way. Her parents' marriage is falling apart, and her group of friends is changing, along with her mind and body. Alma leans on her one constant: listening to music on her beloved Walkman as she searches for meaning and resilience. Alma's stream-of-consciousness-like thoughts, conveyed through unpunctuated poems, comprise the majority of the passages. This provides deep insight into her mind as she navigates racism, homophobia, menstruation, grief, and more. The poems, which sometimes begin with a definition or song lyrics, are interspersed with lists and letters. Details of the time period and location are sprinkled throughout, creating a strong sense of place. While some characters feel underdeveloped, the complexities of Alma's relationships with her parents and grandparents shine, and her guidance counselor is sensitive to both Alma's struggles and those of her age group at large. Readers who appreciate free-verse novels with a loose narrative arc will enjoy the story's historical details and wide range of topics.

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Powered by Syndetics

School Library Journal Review

Gr 6--9--It's 1982, and Alma Rosen is 13 years old. She is in her final year of middle school and can feel her world changing around her. Her parents are on the cusp of divorce, she just started her period, and she can see her friendships growing and changing. Alma spends her days listening to music on her Walkman, riding her bike through the East and West Villages of NYC, and eating candy. This novel-in-verse is filled with interstitials such as lists, postcards to family and friends, and letters to her Grandma Miriam who passed away but whom she misses dearly. Alma is Jewish on her paternal side and Chinese on her maternal side, and both of these facets of her identity have deeply influenced the way she walks in the world. All the characters, from primary to tertiary, are fully developed. Alma's relationships with her grandparents, her parents, her friends, and even her school social worker are important to her and shine throughout the story. Additionally, Cane brings 1980s New York City to life with organic references to the music, books, and media Alma consumes. There is a strong sense of her neighborhood through the friends she spends her days with and landmarks she roams to on her bicycle. VERDICT This beautifully written, emotionally charged look at growing up and moving through life's changes is a great addition to upper middle grade collections looking for detailed and nuanced coming-of-age stories.--Kristyn Dorfman, Friends Academy, Locust Valley, NY

(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Powered by Syndetics

Kirkus Book Review

1982 is a year of change for 13-year-old New Yorker Alma Rosen. Her parents seem destined for divorce, and her friend group is changing. Her body and mind are changing too; she gets her period and her first kiss. Alma's also starting to notice the inequitable treatment of women in her community and in literature. By leaning into her love of music and creating her own brand of resilience, she learns that while change is constant, she can decide how she responds to it. Unpunctuated poems in a stream-of-consciousness style make up the bulk of this verse novel. Some poems start with a word and its definition, some with song lyrics, and others take the form of lists or letters. Books, movies, music, and TV shows, as well as historical details of the time period and Greek mythology, are common touch points. It can be challenging to grasp all of these threads while also following the narrative arc. However, the poems that focus on a small moment or idea stand out for their captivating emotional complexity. Alma identifies as half Chinese and half White; her life is influenced by her Jewish paternal grandmother and her Chinese maternal grandparents. Although the backgrounds of Alma's latchkey kid friend group are described with specific racial and cultural markers, socio-economic situations, and family dynamics, at times their voices lack distinction. A coming-of-age story for readers who appreciate a strong sense of place. (Verse novel. 12-14) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Powered by Syndetics

Booklist Reviews

It's 1982 in New York, and Alma Rosen, a half-Chinese, half-Jewish 13-year-old, is struggling to find her way. Her parents' marriage is falling apart, and her group of friends is changing, along with her mind and body. Alma leans on her one constant: listening to music on her beloved Walkman as she searches for meaning and resilience. Alma's stream-of-consciousness-like thoughts, conveyed through unpunctuated poems, comprise the majority of the passages. This provides deep insight into her mind as she navigates racism, homophobia, menstruation, grief, and more. The poems, which sometimes begin with a definition or song lyrics, are interspersed with lists and letters. Details of the time period and location are sprinkled throughout, creating a strong sense of place. While some characters feel underdeveloped, the complexities of Alma's relationships with her parents and grandparents shine, and her guidance counselor is sensitive to both Alma's struggles and those of her age group at large. Readers who appreciate free-verse novels with a loose narrative arc will enjoy the story's historical details and wide range of topics. Grades 7-10. Copyright 2021 Booklist Reviews.

Copyright 2021 Booklist Reviews.
Powered by Content Cafe

School Library Journal Reviews

Gr 6–9—It's 1982, and Alma Rosen is 13 years old. She is in her final year of middle school and can feel her world changing around her. Her parents are on the cusp of divorce, she just started her period, and she can see her friendships growing and changing. Alma spends her days listening to music on her Walkman, riding her bike through the East and West Villages of NYC, and eating candy. This novel-in-verse is filled with interstitials such as lists, postcards to family and friends, and letters to her Grandma Miriam who passed away but whom she misses dearly. Alma is Jewish on her paternal side and Chinese on her maternal side, and both of these facets of her identity have deeply influenced the way she walks in the world. All the characters, from primary to tertiary, are fully developed. Alma's relationships with her grandparents, her parents, her friends, and even her school social worker are important to her and shine throughout the story. Additionally, Cane brings 1980s New York City to life with organic references to the music, books, and media Alma consumes. There is a strong sense of her neighborhood through the friends she spends her days with and landmarks she roams to on her bicycle. VERDICT This beautifully written, emotionally charged look at growing up and moving through life's changes is a great addition to upper middle grade collections looking for detailed and nuanced coming-of-age stories.—Kristyn Dorfman, Friends Academy, Locust Valley, NY

Copyright 2021 School Library Journal.

Copyright 2021 School Library Journal.
Powered by Content Cafe

Reviews from GoodReads

Loading GoodReads Reviews.

Citations

APA Citation, 7th Edition (style guide)

Cane, T. (2021). Alma presses play (First edition.). Make Me a World.

Chicago / Turabian - Author Date Citation, 17th Edition (style guide)

Cane, Tina, 1969-. 2021. Alma Presses Play. New York: Make Me a World.

Chicago / Turabian - Humanities (Notes and Bibliography) Citation, 17th Edition (style guide)

Cane, Tina, 1969-. Alma Presses Play New York: Make Me a World, 2021.

Harvard Citation (style guide)

Cane, T. (2021). Alma presses play. First edn. New York: Make Me a World.

MLA Citation, 9th Edition (style guide)

Cane, Tina. Alma Presses Play First edition., Make Me a World, 2021.

Note! Citations contain only title, author, edition, publisher, and year published. Citations should be used as a guideline and should be double checked for accuracy. Citation formats are based on standards as of August 2021.

Staff View

Loading Staff View.