Mentioned in The Boys in the Back Row by Mike Jung

Naomi (Marie) and Naomi E(dith) might have become friends on their own, but they resist being pushed together by their parents, who are dating. Neither girl clocks just how serious their parents are or why they're being forced into friendship (though readers might).

Naomi Marie's dad lives just a few blocks away, but Naomi E's mom is working as a costume designer in California (Naomi Edith's middle name is after Edith Head, who designed costumes for Audrey Hepburn), and Naomi E can't figure out why no one else realizes it's a huge problem for her mom to be gone for so long.

After several uncomfortable bumps in the road, the two Naomis do become friends - just in time for some big life changes. Almost painfully realistic. Narration alternates between characters every chapter.

Quotes

...and when parents look shifty eyed, it's because they did Something for Your Own Good That You Are Not Going to Like... (43)

I almost like her...But I really don't like the way Dad's pushing me toward her. At all. (81)

How can I keep not seeing my mother? How does anything think this is okay? (125)

I'm almost sure I don't have the right words for this, but really, I wish he could just know. That he didn't need me to explain. Why can't he get it, like Mom would? (142)

I want him to understand what I want without needing to explain it all the time. (145)

"Sometimes there's more room in our lives that we realize. We can grow and grow, and the world around us can too." (Naomi E's dad, 149)

I wish I could get credit for the things I think about going. Because up in my brain, I'm a really nice person....Someone who always thinks she can do the right thing. (153)

My feelings seem to be carrying on without me somehow. Maybe sometimes the sad sticks around longer than you think it should. (185) ( )

Beautifully told story about divorce. I loved the alternating POVs and the exploration of the very complicated emotions that arise when a family is going through such upheaval. Also, Rhuday-Perkovich must have been a librarian or know some librarians because all of those scenes rang soooooooooooooooo true. ( )

Recommended Ages: Gr. 4-6

Plot Summary: Told in alternating chapters by each Naomi, the girls share their perspectives of what life is like with divorced parents who are dating. Their parents want to surprise them when they meet for the first time and neither girl is happy about their parent dating or about having a kid they're forced to hang out with or with sharing their name! Things get even worse when their parents surprise them again and tell them they are signed up for a coding class. This ruins Naomi E.'s usual Saturday plans and she's not happy about it. Especially since she didn't even know where they were going until they were there. Naomi Marie plans to make the most of it, but she isn't too thrilled about it either. Will their partnership work? Will they find a way to deal with their divorced parents dating?

Setting: New York City

Characters:
Naomi Edith - wants her Saturdays to go back to normal, mom moved to California to be a costume designer and doesn't understand why others think it's ok for her not to see her for this long, skypes with her mom on Saturdays, plays a game? with her mom where they say exactly what mean and it's supposed to be funny?
Naomi Marie - mom is the librarian in her school, goes to the public library all the time, tries to start clubs but no one shows up, always wants to be the best, has an internal competition with the group of Teen Gamez Crew
Xiomara - Naomi E's best friend
Annie - Naomi's best friend
Tom - can't cook
Bri - Naomi Marie's younger sister

Recurring Themes: blended families, divorce, friendship, family, coding, sister

Controversial Issues: none

Personal Thoughts: I really wanted to like this book. It seems like my type of book because it's a family drama but I thought it was awful. It wasn't realistic -- would parents really throw them in these situations without talking to them? Especially after having conversations about not liking the surprise? Why aren't the parents talking to their kids more? Would the girls actually admit they enjoyed each other's company? Also, this book was the epitome of telling me rather than showing me. I wish I marked the one chapter in particular, but it was about Naomi talking to her mom in California. The book was just getting to the meat of the conversation -- she was talking to her mom about her dad's relationship, when it said something to the effect of "they finished the conversation." Why can't we know what happened in that conversation!? I really never knew which girl was which until one started using her nickname a bit more. A school bully seemed forgotten about until randomly mentioned in the last few chapters. It was really hard to get through without any character development but I did finish. I really, really, really wanted it to be better! Note: one Naomi is black and one is white. Besides occasionally calling her white Naomi, there is no other mention of race.

Genre: realistic fiction

Pacing: slow (see personal thoughts)
Characters: not well developed, couldn't keep them straight
Frame:
Storyline:

Activity: ( )