Life, After by Sarah Darer Littman

Publisher: Scholastic
Release Date: July, 2010
Pages: 288
BOOK DESCRIPTION: Everything changes when a terrorist attack kills Dani’s beloved aunt and unborn cousin.
MY REVIEW: There are so many different types of books and from each one our reading experiences vary. When I read the blurb for Littman's LIFE, AFTER I knew the subject matter would be heavy. It was, but this book was special. 
Dani, 16, is the main character. For her there are two different forms of life: the first is Before, when her dad owned a tailor's shop and their middle class existence in Buenos Aires, Argentina, was good. In 1994 terrorists bombed the AMIA building and Dani's aunt is killed. To make her death worse, she was eight months pregnant so Dani lost not just a beloved aunt but her unborn cousin. With this senseless act of terror life drastically changed. The second existence is what Dani refers to as "After";  following the bombing is "The Crisis" and families just like hers--comfortable, content, happy--are suddenly struggling to provide food for their loved ones.
Dani's mom works to pay the rent and buy some food, but it is her father who withdraws into a world of depression. While out with her boyfriend one afternoon she spots her dad leaving a church building with a bag of groceries. Embarrassed, she doesn't tell her boyfriend what she's just seen and she runs home in shame. When she arrives the blinds are drawn and the television is on. Her dad has withdrawn and when she asks about the food he lies. Many nights she goes to sleep with her little sister, Sarita, her stomach grumbling and her parents arguing.
Life becomes increasing harder and many families are forced to leave the country. Dani's family relocates to the U.S. to New York. Suddenly Dani is thrust into being the new kid at a new school in a new place with a new language. Some kids make fun of her and her old boyfriend becomes more distant. For many a young girl they would become depressed and hide in a shell. Dani has more strength than she knows. She befriends one of the teasing mean girls, Jessica, and a boy, Brian, and discovers the three of them share one important thing--they have all lost a loved one, except her new friends grieve for family killed on 9/11.
LIFE, AFTER could have been a sad novel filled with heavy meanings and messages. It wasn't. The themes I found were universal--loss, grief, healing, love, prejudice. Dani could be any one of us, a friend, a neighbor, or a relative. Her outlook on life and how she handles her situations is so realistic. I felt I really knew her. She's honest, scared, strong, and yet she is still able to be funny (the bully scene is great). The author's writing flowed so nicely I didn't want to take a break from reading. I found the book reaffirming and I took a new look at all of the things I take for granted in my own life. This is recommended reading and Ms. Littman is an author I'll keep a look out for to make sure I read her other novels.
COVER COMMENT: The blue hand drawn flowers are so pretty, symbolic and appropriate for this story.
RATING: ++++
FOR FANS OF: Well written stories.
BOOK SOURCE: Traveling ARC Tours.
REVIEWED BY: Meghan and Laurie