Overview

It all starts when Marisa picks up the wrong cell phone. When she returns it to Rene, she feels curiously drawn to him. But Marisa and Rene aren't exactly a match made in heaven. For one thing, Marisa is a chola; she's a lot of girl, and she's not ashamed of it. Skinny Rene gangles like a sackful of elbows and wears a calculator on his belt. In other words, he's a geek. So why can't Marisa stay away from him?

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9781624605062

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Reviews

Soto remains true to his community, painting a picture of Marisa's family, school, and neighborhood and interspersing Spanish language throughout this realistic romance between two young narrators learning to define themselves. -- VOYA Soto deepens this gentle romance between opposites with subtle, authentic glimpses of an uncertain world, where adults don't always provide protection and nurturing. With humor and insight, he creates memorable, likable characters in Marisa and Rene, who find support and love by valuing authenticity and sweetness over cool. -- Booklist Soto accurately depicts popularity and stereotypes in high school while conveying a melting pot of cultures. The teens' struggles shine through with simplicity and authenticity. Soto...successfully bridges gender and cultural issues that affect teens. -- Publishers Weekly [A] warmhearted, humorous novel...It's hard not to like spunky Marisa and appreciate the fresh point of view she brings. -- School Library Journal

Soto remains true to his community, painting a picture of Marisa's family, school, and neighborhood and interspersing Spanish language throughout this realistic romance between two young narrators learning to define themselves. -- VOYA [A] warmhearted, humorous novel...It's hard not to like spunky Marisa and appreciate the fresh point of view she brings. -- School Library Journal Soto deepens this gentle romance between opposites with subtle, authentic glimpses of an uncertain world, where adults don't always provide protection and nurturing. With humor and insight, he creates memorable, likable characters in Marisa and Rene, who find support and love by valuing authenticity and sweetness over cool. -- Booklist Soto accurately depicts popularity and stereotypes in high school while conveying a melting pot of cultures. The teens' struggles shine through with simplicity and authenticity. Soto...successfully bridges gender and cultural issues that affect teens. -- Publishers Weekly

Author Information

Gary Soto is the author of more than a dozen poetry collections for adults, most notably New and Selected Poems, a 1995 finalist for both the Los Angeles Times Book Prize and the National Book Award. He also writes young adult fiction and has received numerous awards, including the Human and Civil Rights Award from the American Education Association, the Literature Award from the Hispanic Heritage Foundation, and the PEN Center West Book Award for his young adult short-story collection Petty Crimes. Barrie Kreinik is an actor, singer, playwright, and voice-dialect coach based in New York City. Her audiobook narrations have earned an AudioFile Earphones Award. A graduate of the Brown/Trinity MFA acting program, she is a proud member of AEA and SAG-AFTRA.

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