More to the Story is the CUTEST little middle grade adaption of Little Women. Although I’m not a Little Women superfan (unlike some folks I could name!) I quite liked this book. Hena Khan has a real gift for writing complex and believably young characters. The protagonist of her previous middle grade novel, AMINA’S VOICE, captured my heart with her tenderness and hesitations. Jameela is nothing like Amina, full of fire and anger and ambition that drives her headlong into arguments and schemes—but I love her too. Although this is a story about a Pakistani-American family, and cultural difference is a thing that the characters think about, if this is an issue book it’s actually a Cancer Book. There are a lot of feelings about cancer and the (possible) death of a family member, so beware! I may have cried at various points as I read due to cancer-related feelings. My feelings about the rest of the plot weren't so strong--there's a thing where some boy doesn't want to be friends with Jameela for a while, but I was so Team Jameela that I just felt impatient with him. I mean, this is the kind of book where you end up being on the team of the main character and wanting her to be safe and happy forever, so. It's good.
- kjoannerixon