Hi everyone, this week’s review is a teen read that had caught my attention when I was diving into the world of diverse reads, especially those written by Meg Medina. Although this was one of her earlier works for teens, it sure packed a punch with it’s award-winning story line. Hope you find it as interesting as I did!!
Title: Yaqui Delgado wants to kick your ass
Author: Meg Medina
Genre: Fiction – contemporary
Publication details: Candlewick Press; Sommerville, Mass, 2013
ISBN: 9780763658595 (Hardcover)
What this book is about: “Yaqui Delgado wants to kick your ass.” That’s what some girl tells Piddy Sanchez one morning before school. Too bad Piddy doesn’t even know who Yaqui Delgado is, let alone what she’s done to piss her off. All Piddy knows is that Yaqui hates her – and she better watch her back because Yaqui isn’t kidding around. At first Piddy just focuses on trying to find out more about the father she’s never met and how to balance honours courses with her weekend job at the neighbourhood hair salon. But as the harassment escalates, avoiding Yaqui and her gang starts to take over Piddy’s life. Is there any way for Piddy to survive without doing herself off and running away from her problems? In this poignant and all-too-realistic story from award-winning author Meg Medina, Piddy is forced to decide exactly who she is vs who others are trying to make her become – and ultimately discovers a rhythm that is all her own.
My review: This story is not for the faint of heart as there is some fairly graphic writing. Yaqui Delgado is painted as a very nasty bully in the Queens high school our young heroine, Piddy Snachez has started in. Meg Medina’s debut novel for young adults tells an amazing story of Cuban youth and their struggle to overcome hurdles in life to become someone. I found Piddy to be a character that is truly remarkable along with her mother and Lola. Despite the graphic content, this story is truly deserving of the Pura Belpré Award for narrative in 2014. Better suited for older teens.
My rating: 4 ⭐
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