Piecing Me Together is a novel about a young girl called Jade who is a poor, overweight African girl facing the difficulties of being black in a predominantly white private school. Away from her family and friends she deals with life at school and at home, all the while trying to reach towards her dreams of travelling abroad and finding herself in the process.

Forced to join a mentorship program for ‘at risk’ students, Jade meets Maxine, her mentor who is also her opposite. Rich, beautiful but also black, Jade envies her until they learn that they both have problems and learn to accept one another. While Jade deals with her new bus buddie who seems to have stolen Jade’s one and only dream, she learns more about herself and how she can impact others.

I highly recommend this book to anybody who has ever felt like giving back to the world, or strives to be a better person. Watson’s writing style is so personal that I got absorbed and couldn’t stop reading. The book also incorporates Spanish, starting each chapter with a Spanish word and its given meaning instead of a title, which enticed me to read on.

Reviewed by Iyanuoluwa, Year 10
Penrhos, Perth WA
Age Guide 13+