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City Girls
Readers of Lucky Broken Girl , Hurricane Child , and The House on Mango Street, will love this story of finding sanctuary with friends who understand the enormous changes life can throw you when you're 11.
What Elisa, Lucia, and Alice see–and judge–of each other from the outside is drastically different from how each girl feels inside. They attend the same classes in the same New York City middle school, but no one knows that Elisa is trying to navigate the bewildering asylum process having just arrived from El Salvador; or that Lucia, who also speaks Spanish and brims with self-confidence, is caught in the middle of her parents’ heartbreaking divorce; or that Alice, who appears to be a rebel in combat boots, carries the burden of her mother’s progressing cancer.
Narrated by each girl in alternating chapters, City Girls captures the vulnerability of being a middle schooler and the relief and joy of finding friendship where you least expect it.
What Elisa, Lucia, and Alice see–and judge–of each other from the outside is drastically different from how each girl feels inside. They attend the same classes in the same New York City middle school, but no one knows that Elisa is trying to navigate the bewildering asylum process having just arrived from El Salvador; or that Lucia, who also speaks Spanish and brims with self-confidence, is caught in the middle of her parents’ heartbreaking divorce; or that Alice, who appears to be a rebel in combat boots, carries the burden of her mother’s progressing cancer.
Narrated by each girl in alternating chapters, City Girls captures the vulnerability of being a middle schooler and the relief and joy of finding friendship where you least expect it.
128 pages, Hardcover
Published April 9, 2024
6 people are currently reading
97 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
February 19, 2025
oh this was so so cute ☹ was a little jump scared that they were 11 bc i didn't realize it was middle grade but wtv i loved it
January 29, 2025
I was impressed by how the author dealt with such heavy topics as seeking asylum, domestic abuse, implied sexual abuse, terminal illness, and infidelity of a parent in ways that were appropriate and approachable for middle schoolers. It was heavy, but stories like these are real and we need to be reminded of them, especially in the world today.
April 20, 2024
City Girls is a heartfelt, riveting story written by a young author who knows her craft. This beautifully crafted novel captures the essence of what it means to be an 11 year old outsider struggling to fit in. It gripped me from the beginning, and I'm not even the audience! Brava, Loretta Lopez. I hope we hear more from you.
September 20, 2024
soo sweet and emotional and touching. i really loved it and all of the girls!!
April 2, 2024
A sweet story, but one that could have been executed more effectively. It felt both spare and dense at the same time— spare in the almost affectless recounting of each girl’s story, and dense because there is so much packed into the 120 pages that’s just begging to be expanded a little more. I’m not sure who the target audience is for this.
April 17, 2024
City Girls is a gripping tale that delicately navigates the complexities of friendship, trauma, and resilience. Tackling tough topics with sensitivity, the author crafts a narrative that captivates from page one. The deep bond between the protagonists serves as a guiding light through hard times, making it a compelling read you won't want to put down until the very end. Highly recommended!!
April 5, 2024
City Girls by Loretta Lopez is a gem in the world of young adult fiction! This gritty tale strikes the perfect balance, delving into the realities of being a young member of a family with real struggles and finding support in friendship. As someone who interacts with young people, whether as a parent, educator, or mentor, this novel is a must-read. It beautifully captures the essence of adolescence, reminding us of the profound impact friends can have on our lives during those formative years. Moreover, for adults, it's a nostalgic journey back to our own tween years, where our friendships were our lifelines, influencing and inspiring us. City Girls for an unforgettable journey that resonates with both young readers and those who guide them through the tumultuous waters of growing up.
April 9, 2024
Lopez’s voice is genuine, fresh and powerful. Her captivating writing style makes this a page-turner. She effortlessly manages to illustrate the lives of three very different girls and their struggles while intertwining their complex stories. I highly recommend!
May 6, 2024
This one will be making my favorites of 2024 list!
I’m blown away by this tiny but mighty book! Coming in at around 100 pages Loretta has delivered a book about trauma, friendship and hope told through three very different young girls. Each dealing with their own problems and finding support through friendship!
Thank you to one of my fav bookseller…Ann…at my Independent Bookstore Beach Books for putting this on my radar
https://beachbooks37.com
Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Lyon.brit.A...
I’m blown away by this tiny but mighty book! Coming in at around 100 pages Loretta has delivered a book about trauma, friendship and hope told through three very different young girls. Each dealing with their own problems and finding support through friendship!
Thank you to one of my fav bookseller…Ann…at my Independent Bookstore Beach Books for putting this on my radar
https://beachbooks37.com
Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Lyon.brit.A...
May 4, 2024
This was a really well done book. I loved the three different parts written about Elisa, Lucia, and Alice. All of them felt so realistic and relatable. I loved how they intertwined and how the girls connected with and reacted to one another in such common middle school ways. I appreciated it being a short book and a quick read. I can’t wait for this author to write another book!
May 12, 2024
The story of these girls is as conflicting as the city they live in: a place of tragedy and despair, filled with an air of optimism and hope. Loretta Lopez takes you on a fun journey into young minds experiencing loss, friendship, trauma, and self-discovery in the complexity of the modern world — a New Yorker must-read.
April 21, 2024
Love this book! A beautiful story about friendship and what is happening behind the people we see everyday. I loved the way they feel their feelings. Wish I could have read this when I was in school!
July 29, 2024
I absolutely loved this book! Lopez’s writing takes us right to the heart and minds of the young girls she speaks for.
I think that as we grow older, we sometimes forget how intuitive young girls are. How just as we are grappling with how to interpret the world around us, girls are too. However, the difference is that oftentimes they lack the vocabulary and trust in themselves to articulate how they feel. By granting us a mixture of first + third person perspectives of each of the girls, Lopez forces us to reckon with how one’s appearance and actions can be misleading as to what one’s internal state may be.
As an older sister, I find myself understanding the parents as well: the anger and frustration they feel when they do not understand their child’s behavior, especially when the child themself refuses to explain it. However, as Lopez demonstrates, this lack of explanation is not because the child is “evil” or “selfish” as Aunt Marnie may say, but simply because the child deeply judges their own thoughts and feelings and is unsure how their thoughts may be reacted to by friends, caregivers, and other adults. Over and over we see the ways the adults in this story dismiss these girls’ feelings without realizing. “City Girls” is a reminder to hold your girls close (even when they push you away), to listen to girls, and to remain a constant prescence in their life, providing unconditional love and support even when you don’t fully understand each other.
I also found the investigation of privilege to be interesting between the girls, particularly through Elisa and Lucia’s relationship. Aside from differences in social-economic status, these girls also differ in their citizenship status, their Spanish fluency, and how they connect to their Latinx heritage. For example, Elisa grew up in El Salvador while Lucia feels connected to Mexico because of summer trips there and her relationship with her Tita.
I enjoyed seeing this dynamic between the girls play out because it is not quite so often Latinx families with differing socio-economic/citizenship/language fluency backgrounds are put in conversation with one another in literature. It helps deconstruct the idea that we as Latines are one monolith who experience life and are connected to our heritage in the same way.
That being said, I am curious about Lucia’s decision to write about Elisa’s story. While on the one hand I see that Lucia is trying to help uplift Elisa’s voice, I cannot help but wonder:
1) Where is Elisa’s consent?
2) Why the interest in telling a story that is not your own?
3) Is this a way for Lucia to feel closer to her Latinx heritage (feeding into problematic ideas of collectivism within Latinidad)? Or a way to be closer to Elisa?
Is this a conversion about appropriating stories that are not your own? Or, is this an act of vulnerability from a girl whose only wish is to feel closer to her best friend and have a little more stability in her life?
Overall, an absolutely incredible book. My heart breaks over and over, reminding me of all the darkness young girls hold in their hearts. By the end, I just want to give them the biggest hug and tell them: you are not alone, you are loved, you are perfect just the way you are.
I think that as we grow older, we sometimes forget how intuitive young girls are. How just as we are grappling with how to interpret the world around us, girls are too. However, the difference is that oftentimes they lack the vocabulary and trust in themselves to articulate how they feel. By granting us a mixture of first + third person perspectives of each of the girls, Lopez forces us to reckon with how one’s appearance and actions can be misleading as to what one’s internal state may be.
As an older sister, I find myself understanding the parents as well: the anger and frustration they feel when they do not understand their child’s behavior, especially when the child themself refuses to explain it. However, as Lopez demonstrates, this lack of explanation is not because the child is “evil” or “selfish” as Aunt Marnie may say, but simply because the child deeply judges their own thoughts and feelings and is unsure how their thoughts may be reacted to by friends, caregivers, and other adults. Over and over we see the ways the adults in this story dismiss these girls’ feelings without realizing. “City Girls” is a reminder to hold your girls close (even when they push you away), to listen to girls, and to remain a constant prescence in their life, providing unconditional love and support even when you don’t fully understand each other.
I also found the investigation of privilege to be interesting between the girls, particularly through Elisa and Lucia’s relationship. Aside from differences in social-economic status, these girls also differ in their citizenship status, their Spanish fluency, and how they connect to their Latinx heritage. For example, Elisa grew up in El Salvador while Lucia feels connected to Mexico because of summer trips there and her relationship with her Tita.
I enjoyed seeing this dynamic between the girls play out because it is not quite so often Latinx families with differing socio-economic/citizenship/language fluency backgrounds are put in conversation with one another in literature. It helps deconstruct the idea that we as Latines are one monolith who experience life and are connected to our heritage in the same way.
That being said, I am curious about Lucia’s decision to write about Elisa’s story. While on the one hand I see that Lucia is trying to help uplift Elisa’s voice, I cannot help but wonder:
1) Where is Elisa’s consent?
2) Why the interest in telling a story that is not your own?
3) Is this a way for Lucia to feel closer to her Latinx heritage (feeding into problematic ideas of collectivism within Latinidad)? Or a way to be closer to Elisa?
Is this a conversion about appropriating stories that are not your own? Or, is this an act of vulnerability from a girl whose only wish is to feel closer to her best friend and have a little more stability in her life?
Overall, an absolutely incredible book. My heart breaks over and over, reminding me of all the darkness young girls hold in their hearts. By the end, I just want to give them the biggest hug and tell them: you are not alone, you are loved, you are perfect just the way you are.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 28, 2025
City Girls is written by Loretta Lopez. Lopez has a background as a therapist focusing on childhood trauma, mental illness and patients navigating the refugee and immigration systems. This work heavily informs the content of City Girls, her first book. This book came out in 2024, a time when greater diversity in children’s and young adult literature was becoming a bigger priority for many educators. The renewed attention to issues such as mental illness and immigration also gives this book a contemporary sensibility.
City Girls is about three girls in the same 6th grade class at a Manhattan middle school, confronting various issues in their lives inside and outside of the classroom. One of the girls, Elisa, is navigating the asylum system while becoming reacquainted with her mother, who left her with her abusive grandmother in El Salvador for seven years before sending for her. She uses drawings to overcome the trauma of this abuse. Lucia, meanwhile, must decide what to do when discovering her father’s infidelity, while simultaneously grappling with the death of her grandmother. Alice, the third girl, is the class clown who frequently misbehaves, in part due to the toll her mother’s battle with cancer takes on her. The book is divided into three sections, which are first-person accounts narrated by each girl.
I feel like the audience for this book is a very broad one, but City Girls would probably be a good read for middle school-aged kids. While the plot isn’t intimidating, the book grapples with real-life issues and complex topics that will keep young readers interested. While schools that have a lot of immigrant students may want to keep this book stocked for Elisa’s immigration-centric story, the book also addresses more common and relatable themes such as navigating divorce, death and illness. The first person narrative makes the story more approachable, and its conversational style is convincing for an 11-year-old girl. The issues are presented wryly, but not in an overwhelming fashion.
I think City Girls would make a great addition to any middle school classroom library. Lopez does a great job of keeping the plot moving without making it seem bland or cliché. Even though the girls are young, they have loads of personality and their thoughts are fleshed out in a detailed fashion. As a Manhattan native myself, this book reminds me of the various types of people I went to school with over the years. There were definitely plenty of Alices, who didn’t quite fit in and had a knack for trouble, plenty of Lucias, who were good at school and stayed out of trouble, and plenty of Elisas, who were artistically talented and had great senses of humor. This book accurately conveys life in the city, as well as the troubles and challenges of adolescense, and was a truly enjoyable read.
City Girls is about three girls in the same 6th grade class at a Manhattan middle school, confronting various issues in their lives inside and outside of the classroom. One of the girls, Elisa, is navigating the asylum system while becoming reacquainted with her mother, who left her with her abusive grandmother in El Salvador for seven years before sending for her. She uses drawings to overcome the trauma of this abuse. Lucia, meanwhile, must decide what to do when discovering her father’s infidelity, while simultaneously grappling with the death of her grandmother. Alice, the third girl, is the class clown who frequently misbehaves, in part due to the toll her mother’s battle with cancer takes on her. The book is divided into three sections, which are first-person accounts narrated by each girl.
I feel like the audience for this book is a very broad one, but City Girls would probably be a good read for middle school-aged kids. While the plot isn’t intimidating, the book grapples with real-life issues and complex topics that will keep young readers interested. While schools that have a lot of immigrant students may want to keep this book stocked for Elisa’s immigration-centric story, the book also addresses more common and relatable themes such as navigating divorce, death and illness. The first person narrative makes the story more approachable, and its conversational style is convincing for an 11-year-old girl. The issues are presented wryly, but not in an overwhelming fashion.
I think City Girls would make a great addition to any middle school classroom library. Lopez does a great job of keeping the plot moving without making it seem bland or cliché. Even though the girls are young, they have loads of personality and their thoughts are fleshed out in a detailed fashion. As a Manhattan native myself, this book reminds me of the various types of people I went to school with over the years. There were definitely plenty of Alices, who didn’t quite fit in and had a knack for trouble, plenty of Lucias, who were good at school and stayed out of trouble, and plenty of Elisas, who were artistically talented and had great senses of humor. This book accurately conveys life in the city, as well as the troubles and challenges of adolescense, and was a truly enjoyable read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 28, 2025
City Girls is the fantastic debut novel written by Loretta Lopez, a Mexican-American author and therapist specializing in youth psychology. Having been published recently in April of 2024, the story feels modern and with-the-times. Additionally, it somehow avoids falling subject to the pitfall of having preteen characters whose speech feels dated and are clearly written by adults, likely in part due to Lopez’s experience working with youth. Overall, City Girls is an intelligent, well-placed novel reflecting the inner struggles of three different girls’ lives and how they come together to work through those struggles.
The story follows the lives of three young preteen girls, Alice, Elisa, and Lucia, living in New York City and attending the same middle school. All three girls have their own difficulties navigating their respective hardships, from seeking asylum in the U.S. to parental marital issues, to the process of losing a loved one. The alternating narrative style of the story allows the reader to access the ways in which each of the girls is processing their struggles internally/individually alongside their leaning on each other through their blossoming friendships during their difficult times. It is a heartwarming, relatable story that feels very grounded in reality and socially-conscious, especially surrounding the underrepresented group of young latina girls.
Despite the protagonists of City Girls being middle-school aged and the intended audience seems to be young girls in around the same age group, I can’t help but feel a little conflicted about if I would recommend this book for a sixth-grade classroom. While it is realistic that many students in this age-range would be able to digest the themes of this novel, I would argue that shifting the audience just a little bit to 8th-10th graders would make the most sense. This is primarily due to the fact that I feel that this story may be a bit too low-level for older high-school students, but would fit nicely into the aforementioned age range’s curriculum and ensure that the students have just a few additional years of life experience, perspectives, and maturity to discuss, digest, and interpret some of the more difficult topics explored by Lopez throughout this book.
Overall, while it would be a bit of a stretch to claim that City Girls is a never-before-seen, groundbreaking story; Loretta Lopez is able to convey a beautiful story grounded in the reality faced by many young girls every day. It is inarguable that this book would be a great resource for young girls who may be struggling and potentially for adults who frequently work with the population highlighted in this story as a reminder that hardships do not discriminate.
The story follows the lives of three young preteen girls, Alice, Elisa, and Lucia, living in New York City and attending the same middle school. All three girls have their own difficulties navigating their respective hardships, from seeking asylum in the U.S. to parental marital issues, to the process of losing a loved one. The alternating narrative style of the story allows the reader to access the ways in which each of the girls is processing their struggles internally/individually alongside their leaning on each other through their blossoming friendships during their difficult times. It is a heartwarming, relatable story that feels very grounded in reality and socially-conscious, especially surrounding the underrepresented group of young latina girls.
Despite the protagonists of City Girls being middle-school aged and the intended audience seems to be young girls in around the same age group, I can’t help but feel a little conflicted about if I would recommend this book for a sixth-grade classroom. While it is realistic that many students in this age-range would be able to digest the themes of this novel, I would argue that shifting the audience just a little bit to 8th-10th graders would make the most sense. This is primarily due to the fact that I feel that this story may be a bit too low-level for older high-school students, but would fit nicely into the aforementioned age range’s curriculum and ensure that the students have just a few additional years of life experience, perspectives, and maturity to discuss, digest, and interpret some of the more difficult topics explored by Lopez throughout this book.
Overall, while it would be a bit of a stretch to claim that City Girls is a never-before-seen, groundbreaking story; Loretta Lopez is able to convey a beautiful story grounded in the reality faced by many young girls every day. It is inarguable that this book would be a great resource for young girls who may be struggling and potentially for adults who frequently work with the population highlighted in this story as a reminder that hardships do not discriminate.
April 15, 2024
City Girls is an engaging set of intertwined narratives by an author uniquely qualified to shed light on what life is like for a class-spanning cross-section of middle-school girls growing up on the Upper West Side. López's background as a therapist and immigration advocate shines through her accessible prose, demonstrating a keen awareness of what it's like to try to make sense of today's world as a tween. And, as someone who also works with juvenile asylum seekers, I can affirm that Elisa's story is an accurate depiction of that harrowing process. Kids from any background will no doubt find this provocative but should come away with enhanced empathy for their peers and, indeed, for themselves.
April 28, 2025
The book is fiction, but it is rooted in the real experiences of countless immigrant children. Elisa's asylum process is laid out in detail—her therapy sessions, her interviews, her fears and small victories—giving readers a glimpse into the human face of immigration that is both unusual and powerful. The book's strength is Elisa's voice: honest, witty, brave, and heartbreaking. If anything, it's that the book's emotional resonance will be overwhelming for more sensitive readers, but this is precisely what makes it so vital. City Girls is a very, very moving book that deserves space on the classroom and library shelves—a not-to-be-missed story told with compassion, truthfulness, and oodles of heart.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 9, 2024
“City Girls” by Loretta Lopez is a beautiful, educational, and highly important coming-of-age story that transcends age boundaries, offering valuable lessons on navigating life's challenges, such as trauma, grief, love, strength, and perseverance. Its ability to foster compassion and understanding across different backgrounds makes it a powerful tool for readers of all ages, especially children learning about diversity and empathy. Whether you’re an adult or still in middle school, get your tissues ready and be prepared to look at others around you with newfound kindness.
April 7, 2025
Novella about 3 girls who go to the same school on the UWS; although their backgrounds are different the 1 thing they have in common is their love of family. Elisa is from El Salvador with a past no young girl should have at that age. Lucia seems to have it all but holds a secret that could dissolve the happiness that she seems to have right now. Then there is Alice; who is a rebel and wants to be seen as well as heard . Yet will hurt anyone in her path so she doesn't have to deal with the pain
April 21, 2025
One of my faves from my multicultural children/ya lit class. Some of the best child POV writing I've encountered, feeling these big emotions through the characters was both heartbreaking and heartwarming. I loved the way they talked about each other, and their perspectives on a sensory/descriptive level were great as well. I think maybe everyone in child dev/education should read this. Its not even 130 pages! Just do it!
April 30, 2024
This book changed my life. I felt more empathy and understanding of immigrants and people in New York City than ever before. Literally I fell in love with the characters and was swept away by the magical storytelling, but this book also didn't avoid the tough topics that make life meaningful.
Recommended for all Middle Grade and adult readers!!!!! What a promising first novel. 🤩
Recommended for all Middle Grade and adult readers!!!!! What a promising first novel. 🤩
September 5, 2024
The stories of Elisa, Lucia, and Alice are interwoven through first person accounts and letters to provide a basis for lasting friendship from three very different girls who are living very different experiences. I found the character development of each girl interesting, but confess to enjoying the first-person accounts more than the letters.
March 14, 2025
Enjoyed the books but confused by the age of the characters. Girls read older than the characters age in the book. I feel like the characters should be a little older with the problems they were experiencing. Loved the character voices telling their distinct stories and interacting with others. Overall great book.
April 28, 2025
Loved it, very sweet and engaging- the children talk like children and it has a wonderful lesson about compassion and being kind to people, as you never know what's happening in their lives. I love how it blended psychology and sociology. The cover is honestly very strange though... I don't know who the woman is, but she looks thirty, not thirteen like the characters??
April 30, 2024
This is the best middle grade book I've read in the past twenty years.
It will change your life.
What a brilliant debut and we're looking forward to more Loretta Lopez!
P.S. love the author photo on the back inside book jacket. Really good photographer.
It will change your life.
What a brilliant debut and we're looking forward to more Loretta Lopez!
P.S. love the author photo on the back inside book jacket. Really good photographer.
May 29, 2024
an interesting story told from three distinct perspectives. i thought each felt incomplete. i would have liked Elisa's story to have been the sole story told because i wanted to know more about her and how she saw the world.
April 5, 2024
Exquisitely crafted story about girls whose stories are rarely told. Lopez is the Mexican Amy Tan.
April 9, 2024
A must read!
May 12, 2024
I just loved it even if the stories of these three girls just broke my heart.
May 14, 2024
what a book!! if you want to read this and you get the chance to listen to the audiobook please do. it is so so good.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews