Reviewed by Mrs. Foley
Tenth-grader Sonia Rodriguez reveals secrets about her life and her Hispanic family while she studies hard so that she can be the first member of her family to successfully finish high school. - From library catalog record

This book is being considered for next year's Gateway Award list. I definitely think that students would want to read this one. I started it one day and then stayed up way too late to finish it. It is one of those "just one more chapter" books that you just don't put down easily. For a good part of the book, I was FRUSTRATED as her home situation was so unfair and I wanted her to do something about it! I do wonder how accurate the portrayal of the Latino culture is... By the end, I was satisfied though because I got the happy ending I wanted. (I'm a sucker for happy endings!)

Review from School Library Journal:
California-born Sonia Rodriguez, 15, the daughter of illegal Mexican immigrants, is determined to be the first high school graduate in her family. Her goal is nearly impossible to achieve when she is expected to cook, clean, and care for younger siblings while her pregnant mother lounges in bed watching telenovelas. Sonia's struggle is played out against a cast of stock characters, including her mother's obese, hyper-religious, and critical sister; her mother's alcoholic brother ("my drunkle"), who is frequently arrested and makes inappropriate sexual advances toward his niece; and her devoted, hardworking father, who seems oblivious to his family's exploitation of the daughter for whom he has high hopes. Sonia's awareness that her family's behavior reinforces negative stereotypes many Americans have about her culture strengthens her resolve to succeed. Despite her best intentions, the help of a sympathetic school counselor, and the wisdom she gains during a summer in Mexico with her grandmother, it seems that she will be defeated by her circumstances, but a surprising twist results in an uplifting ending. Sitomer, author of The Hoopster (2005) and Hip-Hop High School (2006, both Hyperion), in which Sonia appeared as a minor character, has a gift for capturing current high school culture and teen speak. ( )

The overall storyline is pretty harsh but, a reality for many female teens. Sitomer has created an inspiring story that will keep the teen reader engrossed in the main character's, Sonia, life of turbulence.

Sonia wants to be the first girl in her family to graduate high school. But her family is dragging her down. She does all the cooking and cleaning and caring for her younger siblings, as well as putting up with a mean aunt and a drunken uncle. Her father works long hours to support them, and her mother doesn't see why a girl needs an education. Sonia just wants to graduate and make something of herself. ( )

There were several times that I had to put this book down because I was frustrated ~ not frustrated *with* the book so much as I was frustrated *for* Sonia, and I had to walk away. This is a heart wrenching story of the difficulties of growing up as a first generation Latina immigrant who is trying to strike the balance between respecting her family and her cultural heritage, and respecting herself.

While I appreciated the characters in the book and was routing for Sonia in the most heartfelt manner, there were a few nagging things that kept me from enjoying this book completely. Sitomer's writing style skips large amounts of time with a single sentence or two, and while I understand the need to move the story along, I found the abrupt jumps slightly jarring. There were times, too, when I was strongly aware that I was reading a grown man trying to find a teenage girl's voice.

I also found the ending a little too fluffy, fairytale-happy. Don't get me wrong, I am glad that everything worked out for Sonia, but it wasn't very realistic. Sitomer spends so much time in gritty, gruelling details to make this story true to life, it felt like he took an easy out. I understand it was meant to be inspirational (as the sign in one of Sonia's classroom's states, "Good things happen to those who try"), but this was winning the 'good things' jackpot...

READ MORE: http://girlsjustreading.blogspot.com/... ( )

This is a quick pick for a reluctant reader, probably a girl and probably someone who is Latina or has some connection to Latino culture in the U.S. The language is simple, the story quick to read and easy to follow. I can see the appeal of this book, particularly for girls who want stories that reflect their lives and don't find it in volumes like "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants", etc.

I met this author when he signed my copy of this book at the ALA conference in Anaheim, CA in 2008. Alan was the California teacher of the year in 2007, and his presentation on how to deal with challenging students and reluctant readers was inspiring. I hesitate to give a higher rating for this book, primarly because I don't think men can tell a woman's/girl's story, particularly in this male-centered culture. I think this book will appeal to girls if there are few alternatives about the Latino culture in the U.S., but I'm hoping to read others, written by women, that allow them to share their voices.

Comment by daughter Emma -- the book spans over two years of her life and it can be difficult to follow the time period, because she focuses on specific time periods and skims too quickly over others. ( )