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Audiobooks >  > I Wanna Be Your Shoebox
I Wanna Be Your Shoebox (Unabridged) Audiobook, by Cristina Garcia Play Audiobook Sample

I Wanna Be Your Shoebox Audiobook (Unabridged)

By: Cristina Garcia
I Wanna Be Your Shoebox (Unabridged) Audiobook, by Cristina Garcia Play Audiobook Sample
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Read By: Zinnia Su Publisher: Listening Library Listen Time: at 1.0x Speed 3.17 hours at 1.5x Speed 2.38 hours at 2.0x Speed Release Date: September 2008 Format: Unabridged Audiobook ISBN:
3.13084615384615 out of 53.13084615384615 out of 53.13084615384615 out of 53.13084615384615 out of 53.13084615384615 out of 5 (3.13) - 130 listener ratings
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Publisher Description

Because Yumi Ruíz-Hirsch has grandparents from Japan, Cuba, and Brooklyn, her mother calls her a poster child for the 21st century. Yumi would laugh if only her life wasn't getting as complicated as her heritage. All of a sudden she's starting eighth grade with a girl who collects tinfoil and a boy who dresses like a squid. Her mom's found a new boyfriend, and her punk-rock father still can't sell a song. She's losing her house; she's losing her school orchestra. And worst of all she's losing her grandfather Saul.

Yumi wishes everything could stay the same. But as she listens to Saul tell his story, she learns that nobody ever asks you if you're ready for life to happen. It just happens. The choice is either to sit and watch or to join the dance.

National Book Award finalist Cristina García's first middle-grade novel celebrates the chaotic, crazy, and completely amazing patchwork that makes up our lives.

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"I liked this book a lot more than I thought I was going to. It's about a multiracial girl (part Russian Jew, Japanese, Guatemalan, and Cuban) who's having a hard time in life. Her parents are divorced, her dad's depressed, her mom's got a new boyfriend, they're getting kicked out of their beachfront apartment, her grandfather is sick, one of her guy friends has a crush on her, and, to top it all off, the orchestra she plays in at school is getting cut. The author ably weaves these different things together into an interesting story that makes you feel for the main character. My primary criticism revolves around the author's handling of an international adoption that the main character's aunt has in the story ... you just can't go online and pick out a healthy baby from an orphanage's website. Some basic research would have brought this fact to life. And then the author has the aunt cram stuffed animals in the baby's crib ... they are a serious health hazard and can suffocate the baby. These problems aside, which aren't front-and-center to the storyline, it's an interesting book that will appeal primarily to girls in middle school."

— Terry (4 out of 5 stars)

I Wanna Be Your Shoebox (Unabridged) Listener Reviews

Overall Performance: 3.8 out of 53.8 out of 53.8 out of 53.8 out of 53.8 out of 5 (3.80)
5 Stars: 4
4 Stars: 8
3 Stars: 8
2 Stars: 0
1 Stars: 0
Narration: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 (0.00)
5 Stars: 0
4 Stars: 0
3 Stars: 0
2 Stars: 0
1 Stars: 0
Story: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 (0.00)
5 Stars: 0
4 Stars: 0
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1 Stars: 0
Write a Review
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " It was okay, but I found myself waiting for it to be over. The reader read too fast and mispronounced a lot of words. "

    — Amy, 12/21/2013
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " Well-written with a super endearing main character. Yumi is part Cuban, part Japanese and part Russian Jew, but this book isn't really about that...it's more to do with her relationships with her family, friends, and how the heck to save the school orchestra. Although I really liked this book, I have a feeling this may be one that appeals more to adults than to kids. "

    — Katie, 12/13/2013
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " Sweet, funny story about family and big changes in one punk-rock-loving surfer girl's life. "

    — Ms., 11/8/2013
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " Currently reading for my monthly book reviews. "

    — Lori, 10/28/2013
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " Funny book. I read it once but I totally forgot about the story line so i read it again :) "

    — Ngoc, 10/22/2013
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " In this book,the character Yumi is strong because she goes through many changes in her life like her grandpa dying and her moving.She doesn't like this change.Yumi handles this kind of badly but survives the prblems.I would recommened this book to anybody because it can prbably relate to anybody. "

    — Karla, 10/2/2013
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " This book was happy and sad. "

    — Mallory:), 9/2/2013
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " It took me a little but to get into the story but once I did I really enjoyed the relationship between Yumi and her grandfather. "

    — Kelsi, 8/1/2013
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " I am not a big fan of realistic fiction, but I enjoyed this one. When I finished though all I could think was, "this is the most well adjusted 13 year old around." "

    — Jessica, 8/1/2013
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " Yumi Ruiz-Hirsch is a clarinet-playing, punk-rock-loving surfer girl trying to keep her school's orchestra alive, and listening to her grandfather Saul's life story. Nice middle-school read. "

    — Kris, 5/29/2013
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " If you r wondering, I have not put this book in read because it so awesome ive read 4 times. Read it. "

    — Patrisha, 3/19/2013
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " Yumi is a mixed bag of Cuban, Japanese, and Jewish. She loves music, her grandpa. This book takes us thru her 90+ year old grandpa's last year of life, as he tells his story to Yumi and encourages her to think about what you want to bring to the party (life). Great read! "

    — Vicki, 2/14/2013
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " I love the description this book has. N. & A. "

    — Horace, 9/20/2012
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " One of the first I've ever read that deals with issues of being multi-racial and multi-religious - a more and more common experience, but grounded in a strong story, great characters and lots to make it a wonderful read! "

    — Charlene, 12/19/2011
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " This book was extremely entertaining and had a nice message. I definitely recommend it! "

    — Meredith, 10/26/2011
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " It was okay, but I found myself waiting for it to be over. The reader read too fast and mispronounced a lot of words. "

    — Amy, 5/16/2011
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " It took me a little but to get into the story but once I did I really enjoyed the relationship between Yumi and her grandfather. "

    — Kelsi, 4/22/2011
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " If you r wondering, I have not put this book in read because it so awesome ive read 4 times. Read it. "

    — Patrisha, 11/13/2010
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " I am not a big fan of realistic fiction, but I enjoyed this one. When I finished though all I could think was, "this is the most well adjusted 13 year old around." "

    — Jessica, 1/15/2009
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " Currently reading for my monthly book reviews. "

    — Lori, 11/16/2008