By Victor Martinez
For Manny Hernandez, life is no walk in the park. He lives in the projects with his family, including his unemployed, often drunk dad. His bitter but resigned mom spends all of her time cleaning their apartment, his older brother loafs around drinking and not holding jobs. Manny also has two sisters--a toddler who he accidentally almost shoots with his dad's rifle, and an older sister who gets pregnant but loses her baby in their bathroom.
Somehow Manny's family sticks it out and sticks together, despite hard times. Manny is beginning to learn about racism in his small town, growing up in a mixed-race community in the 1950's. He tries to find friends but struggles with self-confidence and fitting in. He loves his family and tries to understand the battles he witnesses between his mom and dad, and between his mom and older sister. And Manny sometimes gets bullied, even though his brother is tough and protective.
Desperate to meet girls and fit in, Manny decides to join a gang in a neighboring community and go through their initiation rites--getting beat up by the other gang members. Then he must face decisions about breaking the law to keep his new "friends". Ultimately Manny has to figure out if that's the kind of life or friends he really wants to have.
Victor Martinez, the author, grew up in Fresno but until recently lived in the Mission District in San Francisco. He died earlier this year. His novel about a Chicano boy's coming-of-age is a serious but sometimes funny fictional account of his own life experience.
(ISBN: 0-06-026704-6)
Sounds like this book might be a good fit for kids dealing with substance abuse or other risky behaviors. Thanks for posting!
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