Becoming Naomi Leon was an amazing, heartfelt book. I absolutely loved reading this book. At times I found it hard to put down because I wanted to know what was going to happen next. I thought that the author did a wonderful job of writing this book. She paced the plot and events in the story just right. All girls Naomi's age face a lot when growing up. Society can make us view ourselves "as nobody special." Throughout the story Gram, really did a wonderful job of helping Owen and Naomi feel special and proud to be who they were. I really liked how the author incorporated their heritage into this book. She was able to throw in a lot about the Mexican culture without making the reader feel they were reading a boring informational text. Another aspect I liked was how the culture was never viewed in a negative or derogatory way. It was their heritage after all that became Naomi, Owen, and Gram's saving grace. Again, the story was written in a manner so that just when everything seemed hunky dory something would pop up and interfere with everyone's lives. A lot of children this day and time are raised by their grandparents and even some by their great-grandparents because their parents didn't want to or couldn't raise them for some reason. The author incorporates the many questions children have when growing up without their parents and the many emotions that they face. When their parents do show and want their children for purposes other than love and only for monetary or other reasons it can make a child feel unwanted or insecure. However, Gram always found a way to ease Naomi and Owens fears. I also like how this book makes Owen the happy, jolly kid instead of the depressed kid because he is unique. It shows children that just because your different doesn't mean you can't do what everyone else can, just sometimes in a different way. Overall, I felt this was an excellent multicultural book that any upper elementary child would love to read. As the quote I used says that Naomi has "many layers." She started off shy as a turtle but blossomed into a brave, curious, and talented lion.