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.
