Color Me In meets I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican
Daughter in Everything Within and In Between, a deeply honest
coming-of-age story about reclaiming a heritage buried under assimilation, the
bonds within families, and defining who you are for yourself.
For Ri Fernández’s entire life, she’s been told, “We live in
America and we speak English.” Raised by her strict Mexican grandma, Ri has
never been allowed to learn Spanish.
What’s more, her grandma has pulled Ri away
from the community where they once belonged. In its place, Ri has grown up
trying to fit in among her best friend’s world of mansions and country clubs in
an attempt try to live out her grandmother’s version of the “American Dream.”
In her heart, Ri has always believed that her mother, who
disappeared when Ri was young, would accept her exactly how she is and not try
to turn her into someone she’s never wanted to be. So when Ri finds a long-hidden
letter from her mom begging for a visit, she decides to reclaim what Grandma
kept from her: her heritage and her mom.
But nothing goes as planned. Her mom
isn’t who Ri imagined she would be and finding her doesn’t make Ri’s struggle to
navigate the interweaving threads of her mixed heritage any less complicated.
Nobody has any idea of who Ri really is—not even Ri herself.
Everything Within and In Between is a powerful new
young adult novel about one young woman’s journey to rediscover her roots and
redefine herself from acclaimed author Nikki Barthelmess.
