Lucky Broken Girl

Ruthie and her family have recently immigrated to New York from Cuba.  Her father loves America and the freedoms of New York, but her mother is homesick for Cuba, her beloved home before it was ruined by Castro.

As for Ruthie, she knows she's smart, but she is in the "dumb" class at school because she is learning English.  She is working hard to learn English, and she is so excited when the time finally comes to move up to the "smart" class.

Then disaster strikes, Ruthie's family is in a terrible accident that destroys their brand new car and leaves her with a broken leg.  When she wakes up in the hospital, she is in a full body cast that goes all the way up to her chest!  The doctor says it is so one leg won't grow longer than the other, but all Ruthie knows is she will be stuck in bed for months.

Over the months of recovery, Ruthie struggles with loneliness, anger, and depression, but she also finds new friends in unexpected places and new talents in herself.

This semi-autobiographical book by Ruth Behar is based on her real experiences as a bedridden child.  By the end, I really enjoyed this book.  The tone is just a little younger than I expected, so it took me a while to readjust.  Additionally, I would not recommend the audiobook.  It is read by the author, and she reads everything a strange sing-song voice that is difficult to listen to.  So, read the book for a story about the immigrant experience and overcoming challenges, but skip the audio!