Product Description
For over two decades, the award-winning poet and author Gary Soto has been offering his readers a vision that transcends the ordinary, making him one of today's most celebrated Chicano writers. New and Selected Poems includes the best of his seven full-length collections, plus over 23 new poems previously unpublished in book form. From the charged, short-lined poems of Soto's early writing to an unflinching look at poverty and hard labor in California's Central Valley to the off-beat humor in his longer, more recent work, New and Selected Poems is a timely tribute to a brilliant writer whose work confirms the power of the human spirit to survive and soar. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Gary Soto: New and Selected Poems
Excellent book, some of his work is on the CSET test for teachers.
Great poems for class work.
Book was delivered swiftly, ahead of time. Great!

The Trees That Change Our Lives
I had resolved to try a new approach to buying books - first borrow them from the library and only buy them if I think I would read them again. I happened on Gary Soto's compilation by chance at the library - and it's the first book I am going to have to buy following my rule.

These are poems that draw you immediately into their world, which they create by the simplest of means - the most telling nouns, the most pungent verbs. It's all here - the child, the outsider, the lover, the starving, the optimistic. These are poems crafted out of a spareness of cloth, a richness of spirit. Poems that continue talking long after they have been laid aside.

Buy This Book
A Review of Gary Soto's New and Selected Poems:

"Clearing a path / Through the forest / A path that closed / Behind them / As the day opened / A smudge of its blue / They were the first / To leave, unnoticed / Without words / For it no longer / Mattered to say / The world was once blue" ("The First," 29-40).

So eloquently representative of Gary Soto's New and Selected Poems as a whole, these lines capture the essence of the book's journey through growth and understanding.Deeply connected to his roots, Soto's poems are an intimate portrayal of his perception of the world.Unabashedly tackling some of life's greatest mysteries, the poems grapple not only with God and death, but with the meaning of life in general.Beginning with the contemplation of a young boy, Soto's readers grow with the poems, bond with the persona, and ultimately feel a part of the poetry itself.Through keen detail and the virtues of a true poet, Soto does not tell, but rather shows, his readers who he was, and more importantly, how he has come to be.
Making direct reference to the pivotal point in which his life was changed forever Soto writes, "And the moment our father slipped / from a ladderour mother / Reached the door / That opened into a white room / A white nurse / It was the moment / I came down from the tree" ("The Evening of Ants," 35-40).Describing the day his father died, a common theme throughout the work, he openly states, "It was the moment / I came down from the tree" (29-30), meaning that it was the day he lost his innocence. Later, reflecting on the death, he sates, "He fell / From the ladder with an upturned palm / With the eyes of watery light / We went on with sorrow that found no tree / To cry from" ("Another Time," 32-37).It is this frankness and overt display of emotion that so intimately welcomes the reader into the poet's self. Describing not the death itself, but the consequences and its psychological toll, one becomes transfixed with the struggle and often finds oneself questioning if not they would react in the same way.
Drawing from the incredible loss at such a young age, this theme is continued as Soto's journey progresses with questions about God, and about faith itself.In a reflection on Heaven he writes, "Maybe you sit in a chair / Maybe earth is far below / Or maybe the new home is much closer / Just above the trees. / A sea howl at the window / - or you're those hangers banging / Quietly when the closet door opens / Conjectures.Little clues / Really.But we're hopeful we'll wake. / The chair is for us" ("Heaven," 9-10, 14-21).Clearly seeking understanding, perhaps for a reassurance is not final, Soto ponders the question of faith.In a darker reflection we read, "By the time I was eighteen and in junior college / Religion was something like this: The notion / Of "project" is an ambiguous substitute for the notion / Of quiddity, and that situation is / An ambiguous substitute for the notion of an / Objective condition resulting from the causes / And natures interacting in the world" ("Home Course in Religion," 1-7).This disconnected jumbled confusion of faith greatly contrasts a younger description in which he writes, "I was a pretty holy third grader... / I sat in the front pew / Among old Italian women hunched together / Like pigeons, happy because it was only a matter / Of time before Monsignor would say, we are sinners / I would look at my shoes / And nod my head Yes. / I recalled my sins." ("Some mysteries," 1, 6-11).An ongoing discussion in a quest to understand faith, Soto displays both blind understanding and acceptance, and an intellectual pursuit for answers.Not reaching any specific destination, the quest is left to the reader to embark upon him/herself.As for God Himself, Soto writes, "God, I see is bringing out his book / His tongue black from licking his pencil / Again and again" ("Planet News," 22-24).This idea of providence seems important to Soto as he writes, "So I went on, did not / Look back, but thought / That God was testing me" ("The Journey," 28-30).With the hardships experienced as a youth and a troubled young adulthood, it seems fitting that Soto would describe his life as "a test," and sensible that it was made endurable through the belief that despite hardship, God was still there "with his pencil," and that He hasn't been forgotten.This revelation of how to cope leads directly into his understanding of life in general.
He states, "A friend says, be happy.Desire. / Remember the blossoms/ In rain, because in the end / Not even the ants / Will care who we were / When they climb our faces / To undo the smiles" ("Between Words," 30-36).Gruesomely stating the necessity to carpe diem, Soto's entire collection is a description of examples.Overcoming adversity and fighting life's most difficult quandaries, one of the most delightful aspects of his poetry is a continual appreciation of the small things.Whether is be oranges, sparrows, flowers, or family, a simple joy of life is never absent from the poetry.
In conclusion, I present this collection of poetry as highly recommended.The subjects are real and the writing is human.In this poet, it is easy to find one-self.For those tired of tongue-tied poems with obscure meanings, this collection is for you.Soto is clear, concise, and a poet you won't soon forget.As he says, "How strange that we can begin at any time" ("Looking Around, Believing," 10). Begin today by buying this book!

Great American poet
I find it sad that Gary Soto has been labeled by some as a "Mexican-American" poet. He is an American poet, or, better yet, a poet. From this book, I'd recommend these poems to be included in theWestern canon: "At the All-Night Cafe", "Drinking in theSixties", "Home Course in Religion", "Oranges","Some Worry", and "Taking the Movies to the Streets".

Mas poesia, por favor!
Thanks to Chronicle Books for bringing out Soto's New and Selected Poems!So much of the man's stuff (especially the early stuff that I first fell for - the poems fromWhere Sparrows Work Hard and The Elements of the San Joaquin) is sadly out of print.But now, here's most of it presented in a thoughtful collection that gives us the best of the past and lets us catch up on the latest.

I love Soto for his heart that beats through every line and for the warm humor that softens the heavy stuff he has to show us.His poems, my students tell me, tell it like it is.His poems, my poet friends tell me, say it like it should be.

I await now the Collected Poems by Gary Soto.Are you listening Chronicle Books? ... Read more

Product Description

Soto has a knack for particularly apt comparisons ("the sun rose pink as a scar," "laundry hung like the faded flags of defeated nations,"), which brings beauty and clarity to this dangerous world of cholos and cabrones (and if you don’t know what those are, there’s a glossary in the back). Aside from a couple plot points left dangling, The Afterlife offers a tangibly detailed portrait of a young life worth living. (Ages 13 and older)--Brangien Davis ... Read more

Customer Reviews (23)

disappointment, compared to other Gary Soto works
I teach high school English, and try to read as many y.a. novels as possible, so I can recommend books to students.I always recommend Buried Onions and Living Up The Streets. Both are a big hit among students, especially Buried Onions.However, The Afterlife, for the most part, bored me.My biggest issue with the novel is that I was never sure what Chuy's goal was.For a while he seems to want to stop his Uncle from avenging his death, but he seems to drop this issue for a good part of the novel as he finds himself falling in love.In the end, he has no impact on all on his Uncle's decision.Overrall, he's a good kid, who is loved by his family and has few amends to make up for before leaving this world.The one part I did find interesting was the story of these two kids falling in love, from very different backgrounds, but finding a common understanding in death.Otherwise, I found it to be a cliche story about someone killed way too early in life coming to terms with his own death.

a bore
I was really bored with *Afterlife*, despite the fact I was really looking forward to my first read of Gary Soto's.

Chuy tries to impress a girl at school.However, his attempt is not appreciated by another boy and is stabbed to death.

Throughout the remainder of the book, he, as a ghost, hovers around his loved ones to see them grieve for him and soon recognizes that he was loved by everyone.

At the same time, he soon meets a troubled girl, who is also a ghost.He soon realizes that he has fallen in love with her.

That's just about it, which is probably why it's such a short book.There's not much substance in it, conflicts and whatnots.

Nah, don't waste your time with this book.

The Afterlife by Gary Soto
I read this novel while studying Latino authors for a multicultural project. To begin with, this novel was the first one I read by Gary Soto and I really enjoyed it. The novel kept my attention and upon reflection I can see how Soto's love of poetry influences his writing.The Afterlife vivid imagery places the reader in the setting. The reader can almost expereince the smells and the sounds of the city. I believe the story started off strong but the conclusion of the novel is weak. Questions are left unanswered. Some of Soto's other works such as his short stories in Baseball in April offer stronger resolution and are more satisfying. Still, I recommend The Afterlife for young adult readers. The themes of friendship, compassion and romance will keep young readers interested in the outcome.

3 stars from me, 5 stars from my students...
Although I find _The Afterlife_ to be a somewhat mediocre (if unique) book, I have had several students in my classes read this and respond with much enthusiasm.It is important to keep in mind that adults are not the target audience here, and there is something that really grabs the interest of male adolescent readers, at least those in my classes who have read this book.

As a teacher of often reluctant readers, I am always keeping my eyes open for interesting new books, not just from lists of recommended reading, but by seeking input from my students as well.This is how I was first introduced to _The Afterlife_ by Gary Soto.One of my students read the book and began to recommend it to others.After reading _The Afterlife_, many students have responded that it is one of the best, if not the best book they have ever read.

Several students read the book, then I decided it was time to read it for myself.I was disappointed.However, after reflecting, I could see the appeal for my students. In order to attempt to define the appeal, I need to explain the basic plot.

The main character, Chuy, a young Latino, is stabbed and killed after complimenting another teenager's yellow shoes.His spirit leaves his body, and his spirit slowly begins to pass into the next world.However, he is still able to move around and observe his world without being seen.Along the way, he meets a young lady who has also left her body and become a spirit.

If all of this sounds fantastic, it is, but although it can be unusual, Soto never lets his book become sensational.

I believe the reason this novel holds the interest of my students is that it focuses on one of the deepest desires of teenagers: the desire to stand back and analyze their world without the world looking back at them, the desire to do good things without considering "image" or the disapproval of their peers, the desire to establish a relationship with a member of the opposite sex without the discomfort of their own body always getting in the way.In fact, although Chuy seems like a good guy before his death, he is better able to define his world, does some of his kindest acts, and forms more meaningful relationships after.

By the time we are adults, most of us have established a certain balance in our lives.It only stands to reason that a book like _The Afterlife_ appeals less to adults than those who are in the midst of a time in their lives that can seem very unbalanced at times. I give this book four stars based on the average between the three it would receive from me and the five it would receive from my students if they were writing this review.

The ''Afterlife''
"The Afterlife" by Gary Soto was a facinating, well written book. Chuy was murderd in Club Estrella. A man in yellow shoes who shares the same name as Chuy murders Chuy after a comment"I like your shoes" Chuy said. Then the man in yellow shoes just starts stabbinhg Chuy three times to his xchest and back. Chuy shares with us the experience he had being a ghost. He met a girl that was also a ghost and fell in love with her. Then he satrted to meet other ghost and try to comfort them about being a gohst which he thought was fun. H liked the idea of walking through people and buildings and making people feel his cold presence. He found it fun being a gohst and finds out his body is vanishing away. I loved this book sand recommend it for everyone. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (2)

YA writing at its best
Gary Soto always delivers stories with sympathetic characters and believable situations that are both hilarious and heartbreaking.This compilation of stories is no exception.Highly recommended.

Really Touching
This book is a collection of short stories about Mexican-American teens in California, but the themes and the things they do could apply to anyone. Reading this book, you watch their transition into adulthood, the loss of innocence and the pain that comes with it. The stories are all very different. There is the story of a girl who tries to buy back all the clothes of her mother's her father gave away when her mother died. There is the story of a hardworking, honest boy, and his cousin, who flees when the going gets rough, but comes back for the glory. But all the stories weave a complicated picture that will leave you sighing wistfully at the end. ... Read more

Product Description
In this unique collection of short stories, the small events of daily life reveal big themes--love and friendship, youth and growing up, success and failure. Calling on his own experiences of growing up in California's Central Valley, poet Gary Soto brings to life the joys and pains of young people everywhere. The smart, tough, vulnerable kids in these stories are Latino, but their dreams and desires belong to all of us.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

Baseball in April Mr. Martell's review
My 6th grade summer class and I decided to read Baseball in April in order to get to know Gary Soto's writing style a bit better. We were not disappointed.The students were able to choose from the 11 short stories which ones to read first.We started with "La Bamba;" it was an interesting story, particularly since most of my students are Hispanics.The students were able to identify with the most of the settings and characters. Other stories that the kids of any background will find interesting are:Two Dreamers--a story about a grand father and his grandson--; the girls will enjoy, Barbie and in fact all the short stories will connect with most adolescent. Gary Soto utilizes his Latino background to identify with his audience; in fact when he uses words such as "menso," the students would giggle and truly hear themselves calling a family member names. Bottom line, I fully recommend Gary Soto's Baseball in April, particularly if your students are a cultural diverse group.I assure you, they will thoroughly enjoy reading this collection of short stories.

Baseball in april,and other stories
Wow! Thats a lot of stories!Baseball in april has 11 differant stories. This book is about everyday things. It featuressports, love, school, and age. This book by Gary Soto is great in detail and strong emotion. Are you looking for a good book? Try this one!

Baseball in april and other stories
The book Baseball in april and other stories is a book based on different stories in it. I think that it's a fun book to read for us teens because if you find the first story boring or you not interested in the story, you can go to the next story. I think books like that have different stories that relate to each other(I guess. There were only about three (3) stories that I didnt like or it was just boring to me.

My favorite story was a story called "broken chain". I liked it because it relates to me in different ways. I think this book was written by different young kids that experienced something new and wanted to write about it. but I also think that a young kid wrote about different days and letting the readers know how well or bad was his day.

The part when he explains that he has a date with aq girl and he goes and tells his brother about it. That part reminded me of my brother and my cousin because they always have a habit that if they meet agirl, they tell each other about it how she looks etc.

In the story "broken Chain" the main character of the book states " please! I'll do anything for you" iI love that quote because when I want something from my brother I always use that line sometimes it works, but there be times that he doesn't fault for it (lol)

Many of the stories that are in this book relate to me every time i read i think of a time that the line had related to me. So read the book to see if it also realated to you, I hope you like it!

Great storytelling
I discovered Gary Soto's poetry in a public library in Nebraska. Then I read his short stories, my favorite being "Baseball in April." Like his poetry, these stories are beautiful in that they reveal a child's inner thought life; they also show the challenges that teenagers go through.

Soto takes us back to his childhood in California. The stories occur in sunny Fresno, which is in the Central Valley. The characters, dilemmas, and emotions that he evokes are so real that I often read them over saying, "Yes, I remember feeling like that."

I mostly read adult literature but have been reading a lot in young adult literature, because I often forget what it was like to be a young boy. Soto has a gift for recalling these events and making them come alive again. I've read this collection three times and have read all of Soto's poetry. I hightly recommend "Baseball in April," as well as the poetry collection "Black Hair."


Also recommended: How to Lose Your Faith in Divinity School

good
The reason that I think this book is very good is because,of various reasons. One reason i think this book is very good is cause in the book the kids sound like they are having fun and its very realistic ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (4)

Surprising couple
This book has a fun premise questioning what would happen if the tough girl falls for a nerd. During one of her scuffles Marisa and the person she is fighting with has a tutor with him. His tutor and Marisa accidentally get their phones mixed up. This sparks their romance. In addition, Marisa is ready for a change and transfers to his school, so they get to know each other even more.

This was a fun book to see how the two would get to know each other's perspectives and both inspire each other to step out of their comfort zones. An example of their funny relationship is that Marisa tells him that he wears the pantalones, but she gets to pick them out. This tells a lot about their "accidental love".

Adapted from my blog post: http://mrsvsreviews.blogspot.com/2009/02/accidental-love.html

Accidental Love
Accidental Love by Gary Soto is a witty novel that follows a teenage girl named Marisa. When Marisa accidentally switches phones in a hospital with a nerdy boy named Rene, she soon finds herself in love with this unlikely match. She has a fresh start when she transfers to a new school, and encounters even more inner conflict. Gary Soto brilliantly relates his characters with real problems and situations that teenagers face. Many adolescence struggle with their bodily images, similar to the inner battle that Marisa faces throughout the novel. The main reason why I enjoyed this novel is the way that Gary Soto seamlessly introduces the reader to Spanish words and phrases. In much of the dialogue, Soto includes words such as mi'ja and tía to indirectly characterize the Latino heritage of Marisa and other characters in the novel. One particular example of excellent detail in that characterization is when characters use elements of Spanish grammar that are not correct in the English language. The most evident in this novel is the use of double negatives in much of the dialogue. Soto uses colloquialisms and vernacular dialogue to keep the mood of the story refreshing and amusing. Overall, this is a delightful story to read, one I would highly recommend.

A different kind of story.
Accidental Love is a sweet book about two teens who end up with eachothers cell phones and fall in love. The thing I loved so much about this book was the style of writting. It is written in the same style as Star Girl. I enjoyed the way that Marrisa and Rene grow up. I think its neat that Rene made Marrisa want to become a better person. Overall this was a sweet love story with a different plot.

A Young Couple Overcomes Hurdles
Marisa Rodriguez is a Latina with a hot temper. She goes to a rough school and is accustomed to solving problems with her fists. This is actually how she meets the boy who will end up changing her life. When Marisa gets into a fistfight with Roberto, the slimy boyfriend of her best friend Alicia, Roberto's nerdy math tutor Rene is there to break it up. During the scuffle, Marisa and Rene accidentally pick up each other's cell phones. Upon exchanging them, it is evident that there is an undeniable chemistry between the two.

They begin dating and become inseparable. Marisa ends up transferring to Rene's school and uses her aunt's address on her registration. They audition to be in Romeo and Juliet together, begin a fitness plan (Marisa wants to lose weight and Rene is determined to gain muscle), and each desire a personality makeover (Marisa would like to stop reacting so violently, while Rene wishes to be cooler).

Because their attitudes and personalities are so different, it's understandable that Marisa and Rene must deal with certain conflicts and pressures in their relationship. These are the kinds of problems that all teenagers will face at some point in their lives. As a result, readers will be able to relate to this young couple quite well; they will want them to succeed and be happy with each other.

Included at the end of the book is a glossary containing Spanish terms that are sprinkled throughout the pages. In no way do the presence of these words detract from the overall reading of the novel; most can be figured out easily from the context of the sentence they are in.

Through his outstanding story, Gary Soto demonstrates that young adults indeed are capable of overcoming various hurdles to become whatever it is they want to be. They can succeed and make better lives for themselves, just as Marisa and Rene have done in ACCIDENTAL LOVE.

--- Reviewed by Melissa A. Palmer ... Read more

Product Description
Gary Soto writes that when he was five "what I knew best was at ground level." In this lively collection of short essays, Soto takes his reader to a ground-level perspective, resreating in vivid detail the sights, sounds, smells, and textures he knew growing up in his Fresno, California, neighborhood. The "things" of his boyhood tie it all together: his Buddha "splotched with gold," the taps of his shoes and the "engines of sparks that lived beneath my soles," his worn tennies smelling of "summer grass, asphalt, the moist sock breathing the defeat of basesall." The child's world is made up of small things--small, very important things. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Great shipping
The book was required reading for my daughter, and it was shipped immediately and in the condition that we expected.

A Little Boy, A Big World
I read Gary Soto's "A Summer Life" while I was writing my first book in order to educate myself in the creation of vibrant, evocative scenes that come out of ordinary, every day experiences. For example, in Soto's essay, "The Shirt," he shows how the tragic, post-Korean War existence of Uncle Shorty seemed magical and special to a young Soto who covets his uncle's shirt: "I used to slip it on when he was asleep, and at the age of five I knew the smell of a man who went and came back from war....It was the shape of muscle, the anger of a tattoo panther hiding behind cotton, the hair in the collar, the small hole where a bullet could have entered and exited without his dying." Or, with the simple first line of "The Weather," Soto can set the stage for the mysteries of climate: "January doesn't show its true face until you can scratch a cold window with a finger."This little book will make you smile (and sometimes wince) as it brings back your own personal memories of growing up. This is a wonderful collection that offers everyone, including new writers, a chance to enjoy and learn from beautifully crafted essays.

A Summer Life por Gary Soto
A Summer Life explores a young boys life as he grows up in Fresno, California.In a three partbook, broken into thirteen short chapters in each part, Gary Soto covers everything from "TheColors", to "The Chicks", to "The Computer Date". (names of chapters). Mischeivness wasdefinitely a part of this boys life, just as it is for most young boys.In just the first chapter, "TheBuddha", the boy killed ants with his Buddha toy, and ran underneath a moving semi-truck.The boy would do such silly things as taking old bicycle handle bars and imagining that they would slow him down and keep him from reaching a high, uncontrollable speed.He would also put bottle caps on the bottom of his shoes, then he would kick the cement to make an "engine of sparks" come from beneath his feet. Throughout the story the boy has a few problems with his siblings.When his sister chewed Bazooka bubble gum and saved the proof of purchases to send in and get a locket, he wanted her to get the binoculars instead. As the boy has these experiences with his family and his surrounding, he matures from age five to seventeen, and is confronted with events that teach him lessons about life.Gary Soto definitely shows his poet style of writing in A Summer Life.There is rarely a detail missed. This was truly a great book and I recommend it to readers who enjoy real life situations, a sly sense of humor, and a realist style of writing.I would give "A Summer Life" three thumbs up if I had another hand! -RmP

Amazing!
This book was first read to me when I was in fifth grade.Years later I can still remember being in California with the characters in the book -smelling, seeing, touching everything that they smelled, saw and touched. Wow. ... Read more

Product Description
In thirteen stories full of wit and energy, Gary Soto illuminates the ordinary lives of young people. Meet Angel, who would rather fork over twenty bucks than have photos of his naked body plastered all over school; Philip, who discovers he has a "mechanical mind," whatever that means; Estela, known as Stinger, who rules José's heart and the racquetball court; and many other kids, all of them with problems as big as only a preteen can make them.
Funny, touching, and wholly original, Local News is Gary Soto in top form.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Another excellent installation by Soto
Middle schoolers love these stories because they realistically depict the equal hurt and triumph of adolescence.Adults love them for the same reason-- they bring back those painful, wonderful days. Fantastic!

Andrew Baltazar reveiw
The book "local news": collection of stories," By Gary Soto was a very interesting book the story is like a Mexican language, but also English book.
The background is about a young family who argues and shared some love. The theme of the story takes place in the house, park, and different holidays. The biggest problem was that the two sons were always fighting and most of the time they did get along.
When you read every chapter of "local news" you will imagine pictures about the book.
If you love reading on family and adventure you will enjoy every chapter.

A great book told from a refreshingly different perspective
It is so very difficult to find books that Latino youth can relate to.The short stories in this book give the reader a glimpse into life in immigrant communities without harping on problems.I brought a copy of this book into my sixth grade class last year and it changed many of my students' perspectives on reading.Many of them read a chapter book for the first time in their lives, and continued reading for pleasure for the rest of the year.I will never forget the looks of surprise on their faces when I read a chapter out loud.They were in shock that there were books in which the characters talked like their families and dealt with subject matter they encountered in their lives.They gobbled up (and fought over) every Gary Soto book I brought into the classroom from then on, and eventually became interested in reading a wide variety of books.Their end of year exam scores improved dramatically, and I believe that at least some of this improvement was because of this book.

While there are some good children's books that touch on the experiences of immigrants and Chicanos, they usually just include characters named "Pedro" and toss in a few Spanish words.By unapologetically including Chicano slang and themes common in immigrant communities, this book validates the existence of young Latinos/Chicanos/Mexicanos and gives them a reason to WANT to read.While it does not fill it completely, it begins to fill a tremendous gap that exists in children's literature.Every 5th grade+ literature teacher working with Latino children should definitely have at least one copy in their classroom libraries.Even non-Latinos should enjoy Soto's entertaining method of telling stories.

Local News Review
In Local News, each chapter is a different story, where each main character has a different message to tell. Although the messages are pretty clear, some you have to do a little thinking for .It's like each chapter is a mini story.
Some of the more interesting stories are: "Blackmail", " The Raiders Jacket", " The Mechanical Mind",and " New Year's Eve.
In Blackmail, a boy named Angel was innocently taking a shower after a hard day of playing baseball in 90 degree heat in a Mexican American communtiy in Fresno. It doesn't seem all that dangerous, but when you have an evil older brother, who has years of a mean streak, every shower is potentially rep-threatening. When his brother( cleverly nicknamed Weasel)snapshots him naked in the shower, and threatens to use it as Blackmail, Angel will literally give his right arm to get it back.
In the Raider's Jacket, a girl named Lorena livs in Fresno with her BFF, Guadalupe. Lorena likes this guy named Eddie, and aparently, he likes her too! She knows this because he gave her his jacket. Lorena is too busy day-dreaming in Biology, that she accidentally leaves the Raider's Jacket there over the weekend! When she returns for it, i tis gone! This starts the beginning of a frantic chase to get the prized jacket back.
In the Mechanical Mind, a guy in Fresno(in case you haven't figured out that they all take place in Fresno)named Phil thinks he has a mechanical mind when he goes on a winning streak of fixing things. But does he know that he is a little too ahead of his game?
In all, this book was ok, not great but not horrible.It was short, easy reading at about a 5th of 6th grade level.

Local News
Recently, I gained the privilege to read a book that was written by Gary Soto.The book that I read was entitled, Local News.Throughout this short book, Gary describes 11 different situations that are common for teenagers growing up in Hispanic neighborhoods.I will give a brief, yet detailed description of five of my favorite stories.

Chapter #1: Blackmail Blackmail was about a dispute between two teenage brothers.The setting takes place in a primarily Hispanic neighborhood located in California.Angel, who was the younger brother, found himself being picked on by his older brother named Javier.(Javier's nickname was Weasel)One day while Angel was taking a shower, Weasel snuck into the bathroom and took a picture of Angel, who obviously was bare-naked.Weasel threatened to show the picture to all of the girls at school if he did not give him $20.00.Angel, who was extremely angry yelled, `You punk, I'm going to get you!'His threat was worthless though.His older brother had absolutely no fear of him.Angel was very nervous because he didn't have $20.00 to give him, nor would he want to waste that much money on such a stupid joke.Finally, when Weasel realized that Angel wasn't capable of paying the ransom, he forced him to do his chores instead.Although Angel resented doing his brother's chores, he accepted the job.In the end, Weasel began to feel sorry for his younger brother and gave him the picture back.

Chapter #3:First Job

This chapter was about a 13-year-old boy named Alex.The setting took place on a hot summer day.Alex, who was the main character, had an older brother and sister and one younger brother.Both of his older siblings had jobs and were making money, which made Alex jealous.One day, Alex was asked to rake and burn some leaves for a woman named Mrs. Martinez.She offered him one dollar therefore he accepted the job.After Alex was finished raking the leaves in a pile, he lit a match and started the pile on fire.Just then, he realized that he had left his younger brother alone at home.Therefore, he decided to run home to make sure he was content.While he was away from the fire, it spread to Mrs. Martinez's deck.This event added some suspense to the story.When Alex returned to her house, a neighbor was already there and had the fire under control.Due to the fire, Mrs. Martinez was very angry and refused to pay Alex for the job.Unfortunately, that was Alex's first experience of having a job.

Chapter #4:El radio This chapter was about two teenage girls who had a small party together.The event took place in Patricia's home on a Friday night; her parents were not home.The other character, who was named Melinda, came over to listen to the radio with Patricia.As the two girls listened to the radio, they started to act crazy.Consequently, they spilled a bucket of popcorn and made a mess.When their parents returned home they were angry with the two girls.Finally, the girls were able to cheer up their parents by doing something very unique.You will have to read the story to discover what happened.This chapter possessed an exiting theme because it described the friendship of two girls.

Chapter #5:Push-up Push-up was the name of Carmen's new kitten.Carmen was a young girl living in a Spanish-American community.Her new kitten was very cute and was always receiving the family's attention.That made their other cat jealous.Therefore, it always fought with Push-up.One day, Carmen brought her kitten to school with her to protect him from the other cat.I thought that was an extremely risky idea.Therefore, I feel that this story contained a high level of suspense.When she and her kitten arrived at school, she secretly placed it in the ball container.Carmen felt bad for the kitten and said, `It will be ok, it is for your own good.'As the day passed by, Carmen struggled keeping the kitten a secret.In order to learn what happened to her and her cat, I suggest that you read this story.

Chapter #10:Nickel-A-Pound Plane Ride The main character of this story was Araceli.Araceli was a twelve-year-old with skin the color of brown sugar.Her dream was to fly in an airplane.One day, she finally got her chance.When she climbed into the plane's passenger area, she noticed that the engine was very loud.Therefore, she became a little nervous.As the plane began to take off, she became even more nervous when it rocked back and forth.She gradually began to feel unsafe.After the ride was over, she realized that flying was not all that she hoped it would be.The theme of this story was sad.The setting was on a cold rainy day, which gave the story a gloomy effect.When Araceli realized that she did not like flying, I was disappointed because it was her dream to fly.

After reading Local News by Gary Soto, I now have a better understanding of what a typical teenager's life was like in Spanish-American communities.Although this book was simple and easy to read, I feel that I have benefited from reading it because Gary Soto did an outstanding job of displaying each character's styles and traits in their everyday environment.If you are interested in learning about Spanish-American communities, I recommend reading this book. ... Read more

Product Description
A collection of short prose pieces by the author of A Summer Life describes the author's boyhood growing up in the barrio in the 1950s and 1960s, his experience on the Little League team, and his parochial school life. Reprint. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Living up the Street
Living up the Street (Book Review)


A boy growing up without a father.The only thing Gary knew was violence.By the age of five he was already stealing, beating people up, and trying to set houses on fire.He'd get into fights with his brother just for the fun of it.Gary lives in a bad neighborhood with a lot of Mexicans.He's always getting into trouble by his mom and never listens to anybody.His Family have been living here for a long time ever since their mom and dad was a little girl.After a while Gary, surprisingly,tries to look for work.He doesn't really earn that much money but he still does it for a long time.Then his mom decides to send Gary to a catholic school because she said he was a little devil and needed to go to church.At first it didn't change him but slowly but surely he began to change.He became less mischievous and more polite.He didn't get into much trouble anymore and instead just entered in arts and crafts at the park where a coach taught them.Gary liked sports and he and his brother tried out for the little league baseball team.They tried out three times and never had they made the team.They thought they were going to make it but unfortunately they didn't.Gary eventually got on a baseball team but it wasn't little league.It was a recreation al league that only had two teams.Gary's team always lost to the same opponent over and over.Gary was a growing boy so eventually the hormones of puberty started to kick in.One week he would like one girl and the next week he would like another.When he was about sixteen he volunteered to help little kids at the playground kind of like a new coach.Even though he was a teenager he made lots of friends.The kids played with him like he was one of them.In high school Gary joined the wrestling team.He wasn't that bad at wrestling but he wasn't the best.During the summer he decided to work at his moms work that actually paid very well even though they were harvesting crops in the fields.His brothers and sister eventually joined him because they needed money for school clothes.One day Gary and his friend were being stupid and decided to rob a house.They did but had to leave town to not get caught.Their own guilt eventually lead them to return all of the valuable merchandise.Some while later Gary got married to a girl named Carolyn.They moved to Mexico and didn't make very much money.They still lived happily and that's the thing that counts.I recommend this book to people who like autobiographies and like adventure.This book is a fun to read book that a lot of people can relate to.

The first reason I enjoyed this book was because of the detail in all of the events.For example when Gary tried to set the house on fire.It explained how all the kids were fascinated with fire and how fire basically hypnotized them.How the angry fire made them crazy and want to set everything on fire.The TV did the same thing.They would just sit there as lifeless that anybody could be when they're alive.The book explained how they would bring a bowl of chips to eat during the movie and by the time they finished watching the bowl was untouched.Last example is during the arts and crafts session.The book told how Gary enjoyed doing arts and crafts for the coach and how he wanted to win badly.Gary also thought he was the best of the best of arts and crafts.

The next reason why I liked the book was the suspense.When Gary and his friend robbed the place they stayed longer than they expected.The whole time I thought they were going to get found out but noone came.They even left blood at the crime scene so I definitely thought they were going to get found out then.Even when they left something had to go wrong.A branch got caught under the car and made a whole lot of noise.Another time the book was suspenseful was when Gary's mom heated a fork red hot and threatened to poke them with it.I thought she was actually going to do it because of all the bad things that Gary had already done.She sounded like she was pretty close to doing it because she already whooped all the others for trying to burn the house down.The final example would be when Gary was about to ask a girl out.He was walking back and forth because someone had told him that she liked him.He was walking up to her to ask her out but then his friend came up to him and told him that she liked another Gary.

Last but not least the final reason I liked the book was because of the action.One day when Jimmy was at the playground the playground bully told Gary to play with him or else.So they got into a fight that Gary lost and received a bloody nose.Surprisingly afterwards they made friends with each other even after the huge fight.Next would have to be when Gary was in the sixth grade.He created a gang called the "Mexicans" that consisted obviously all of them were Mexican.They lived by a code that was that you had to hate the "surfer" people.The "surfers" consisted of seventh grade wannabe surfers who probably have never seen the ocean before.One day both groups got into a huge fight that was only stopped because teachers were spotted.The "Mexicans" lost because they were way smaller and a lot weaker than a lot of the seventh graders.Finally the last event was when Gary tried out for the baseball team.He messed up a lot and didn't play his best but there was still action.Whenever he tried to catch the he'd have to dive or jump to get it.When it was his turn to bat he hit several fly balls but a lot of them were foul balls.

People who like autobiographies will love this book.It's fun to read and very exciting.Even though Gary's life wasn't perfect he got around obstacles big and small.This book can teach a lot people out there to appreciate their own life because they are very lucky.Gary didn't turn out perfect but he tried as best as he could and that's better than most people out there.Gary didn't even have a father when he was young and he still turned out to be a very polite and honorable gentleman.So enjoy life because if Gary can do it then you can.

D. Bennett

Book Review
Living Up the Street is one of many autobiographies written by Gary Soto. It tells of the ups and downs throughout his childhood, adolescence, and even adult life. This realistic book is enjoyable to read because many people can relate to one of his experiences one way or another. Though the book it without plot, sequence, or continuity, it is interesting from the very first chapter you read. This autobiography is mainly about Gary Soto, and his poor Mexican family, growing up in Fresno, California, in the 60's and 70s'. It is fun to read because it is as if you are reading and viewing someone as they grow up and mature. Through Gary's mistakes, he's learns valuable lessons for life on his own. To give you a better understanding of the book, knowing some events that occurred in the beginning will help you know how interesting it is. In the introduction, the three main characters are presents, who also happen to be all siblings. Rick, who is 6, Gary 5, and Debra 4.Most of the beginning shows the everyday family struggles they had growing up and how when the Mom, when she was angry enough, hit them with a belt after they acted up. One of the first events which happened, is when the Mom had somewhere to go and left the children home alone unattended accidentally.Since the kids loved playing with fire, they managed to burn a few items on fire inside the house and have fun with a tomato fight also, ruining the entire living room and kitchen. This is just one of many events that took place in this novel.

Don't judge a book by it's cover,fools!
I had to read this nutjob of a book with the class as a freshman this year and the cover and plot review on the back of the book made it look like bird scratch but right when you start reading you'd notice it's pretty damn good. This is on of those rare books that start o be interesting from the very beginning chapter and have small chapters so you feel optimistic about reading alot of sections of the book and feel a sense of almost finished.

Living up the Sreet
Living up the Street
by Gary Soto
Peer Review
Living up the Street is an autobiography by Gary Soto.Those who love autobiographies will love this novel.One of the reasons I liked this book is because Gary has some very interesting events that occur in his life.Sometimes those events can be quite hilarious, and other times he makes you wonderwhyhe was doing the crazy things he did.Gary not only learns from his mistakes, he also applies what he learns to other problems he encounters throughout his life.
I generally like reading autobiographies because I get to see what another person's life was like and I get to see what problems they faced in life.Then I try to figure out how I can use their problem and solution to make my life better.Another thing I like about reading autobiographies is that it can be fun learning what happened on another person's life.For those of you who hate autobiographies, I think you will still like this novel because Gary's life is very interesting.
The difficulty level was not very high at all because he rarely used highly sophisticated words in his writing.He randomly used Spanish words throughout the book.That increased the length of the book for me because there were some words I did not know the meaning to.Overall, I would say that the novel is not very long and it is very intriguing.

Good one for teen summer reading
Its a good book for teens to read if they can't find any other good book on their list but this book. I think that basically covers the idea. ... Read more

Product Description
In Japan for the summer to practice the martial art of kempo, Lincoln sometimes feels like little more than a brown boy in a white gi. Yet with the help of his Japanese brother, Mitsuo, Lincoln sees that people everywhere, whether friend or kempo opponent, share passions much like his own--for baseball, family traditions, and new friendships.
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Customer Reviews (5)

Pacific Crossing
My 95% Hispanic charter high school students (both male and female) enjoyed this book.They liked Lincoln and Mitsuo and said they'd like to go to Japan if given the opportunity. They thought the summer was best time,because they said they'd be scared that school would be too hard there. Two English as a Second Language students are anxiously awaiting the copy in Spanish read to be sure that they didn't miss anything crucial in the novel.I ordered it in December and it hasn't arrived yet.

pacific crossing
Pacific crossing

I recommend this book to the people that like karate and people that like books about things that they do in China.In this book there are two friend named Lincoln and Tony. They live in San Francisco. Their principle asked them if they wanted to go to Japan, and they said that they would go. So they got on a jet and met two families that they will be live with for a little bit. When they got there they met the families and then got to work in the family's land. There was one other boy with Lincoln named Mistuo. They were friends for a long time. They learned many things about Chin. And their way of life they also went to school there and after 6 weeks, the two boys went back to their families.

Exciting Martial Arts Adventure
A Review by Geoff

This book is about a boy named Lincoln and his friend Tony. They are two Mexican-American teenagers who live in San Francisco and get the opportunity to go to Japan on a foreign-exchange student program. Lincoln stays withMr.Ono and his family and he studies martial arts with their son Mitsuo. Lincoln is very good and is trying to become a black belt. Lincoln and Tony have an amazing experience in Japan and they have a lot of fun. Lincoln and Mitsuo have lot's of fun and they both work hard in the families fields.

The first thing that I liked about this book was that it's really fun and the book has a fast pace so you don't get bored but it's not too fast so that you don't get lost. The second thing that I like about this book is that Mr.Ono is a big funny man who gives the book some good comic relief. The third thing I liked about this book were the characters because all of them seem so real like they are real people in some far off place in the east. The characters help paint a vivid picture of Japan.

I think that this book would appeal to people who want to enjoy a good martial arts foreign action book.

Boring!
It is a really good concept for a book - two boys spending the summer in Japan and if some of the ideas had been expanded, Crossing Pacific could have been a very interesting book.But instead it just skims over the surface, with no details to really interest the reader.There are no conflicts between Lincoln and his host family - they manage to speak impecable English.He teaches them American slang and practices kempo.There is no development of Mitsuo's interest in baseball or how they can all speak English so well.It might be interesting for younger students looking for a quick read, but if you want more details about a summer spent in Japan, look elsewhere!

Extremely Entertaining
I liked this book because it gives a sense of true being and grace.A Great read ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (2)

Great short stories!
I have used this book for three years now as a teacher of Spanish.My students of Spanish 3 and I read a few stories every year as part of a day of reading that we do every week the second half of the year.The students enjoy the stories because they are similar to their own experiences with school, family, and social events.I enjoy using this book every year.

una excelente colección chicana de cuentos adolescentes
Esta colección de cuentos adolescentes es excelente para enseñar literatura a los estudiantes nativos en los cursos intermediatosde la escuela elemental o la 'escuela media'. Los temas son reales para el mundode muchos alumnos. El lector puede identificarse con los personajes en lashistorias puesto que vienen del mundo del inmigrante, del joven. Tomanlugar en Fresno y sus alrededores pero no son muy específicos al lugar. Haytemas tanto para las jovenes como para los jovenes. Aunque fueron escritasen inglés la traducción es bastante buena y el sabor es latino.Gary Soto esun autor latino que debe llegar más a los jovenes latinos tantos los quenacieron en los EE UU como los que acaban de llegar de otras tierras. Mealegro muchísimo que han traducido esta obra para dar una visión deladolescente latino a todos los lectores hispanoparlantes. Es una imagenmucho más real de lo que se ve en el mundo latino que exportamos fuera denuestras fronteras através del cine o la televisión. La acogida que tuvo enmi clase es mejor que mucha literatura anglosajona que se presenta entraducciones del inglés. ... Read more

Product Description

There is no tidy closure--certainly no happy ending--to this bleak novel.But that is exactly what gives Buried Onions its strong, acidicflavor. Teens with a low tolerance for any type of pretense will appreciateGary Soto's honesty in not trying to force a fairy-tale ending. In sparebut always striking prose, Soto has written an unrelentingly grim storythat teens will savor because it rings true. (Ages 13 and older) --Jennifer Hubert ... Read more

Customer Reviews (41)

A stereotype is still a stereotype in grim disguise
This was assigned summer reading for all freshmen at my son's assigned huge high school, where there are some 55 gangs, many predominantly Hispanic, already roaming the halls.Lock downs are common and the police have a constant presence on campus.Kids here think the military IS "the" way to get to college, instead of working for grades and earning scholarships, even though all state residents with a 2.5 GPA get free tuition at state schools.I found myself wondering if the schools were offering this as a primer to students.

I grew up poor, a minority, and went to BAD schools.There was violence.There were drugs. We had armed National Guardsmen keeping the peace in my elementary school, and undercover narcotics officers in junior and senior high.I am NOT naive by any long stretch of the imagination.

Gary Soto's character's are, to me, just about as flat and predictable as can be, and the "choices" made are not choices at all.They are the path of least resistance, per usual, that every kid in a tough place will take unless they are given other examples and other stories to guide them.

If this is a cautionary tale, great. To say it is great literature giving voice to something unique?? NO WAY.It is a pile of stereotypes, full of gross mis-characterizations (fair or not depending on one's point of view) and the usual sad ending.Kids have enough of this in life as it is.Let's get something else to read as "required summer reading."

I was really lucky -- At the last minute my son won a lottery spot in a small, culturally diverse, charter high school.It's a public school without the huge public high school problems, and without this book as required reading!

Gang Life Versus College / A Real Page-Turner
Gang Life Versus College Life - Gary Soto's book Burled Onions is a book basically about separation and relatives.It involves this Hispanic male named Eddie who is the protagonist.Eddie has a dream of finishing high school and going to college. Eddie lives in Fresno, California maintaining his goal to go to college. Eddie is trying his hardest to avoid his gang-banging cousin, Jesus, who is the antagonist. Jesus is the Antagonist because he is trying to jump his own cousin Eddie into the gang. Eddie witnesses his own cousin Jesus being shot and killed in a drive-by gang-related moment.

This book that is authored by Gary Soto involves words that are translated into Spanish such as primo which means cousin and canal which means homie or brother. This is a good book to read--not because it is gang related, but because it talked about goals.Eddie can finally choose the best way to live his life--either he can follow in Jesus's footsteps and became a gang-banger or he can follow his dreams and go to college and have a bright future, what path will Eddie take?

J.C. Harmon High School, Kansas City, Kansas - Mrs. Brown's 1st Hour Advanced Reading Class Review

A Real Page-Turner - Buried Onions written by Gary Soto is a book that is written very well and is very exciting. You will want to keep on reading this book after every chapter.Every chapter in this book is really intense and entertaining. The chapters in the book are not that long but they are certainly worth reading. The setting of the book is located in Los Angeles. The cultural setting between the characters is that they are involved in gang activity. Los Angeles is a good setting for the characters and their gang activity. The protagonist of the story is a young teenager named Eddie. Since we know a lot about this character and he is involved in everything throughout the story that makes him a round character. In this novel we go through the life of Eddie. We witness all the ups and downs of his life. You will not be disappointed with this book. Read the book and follow Eddie's adventures throughout Fresno and experience what it is like to be in his shoes.
J.C. Harmon High School, Kansas City, Kansas - Mrs. Brown's 3rd Hour Advanced Reading Class Review

Life is challenging
A very good book.A very different perspective.I have recommended this book to the media specialist in my school and to several of the teachers.

Looking at things through other eyes
A teacher using this for oral reading in her class for discussion in other areas of life different from the students he has.

buried onions by rm
I can easily say that "Buried Onions" is one of the best books I've ever read in my entire life. This book was written by Gary Soto. This book to me was meant for people that like to read good books in a short period of time. WARNING the following paragraph may contain some sentences that might spoil your reading.
This book is about Eddie a young adult trying to find a good future for himself. He juggles with multiple ideas like going to the military, college, or he could just stay in the same life dragging himself to survive. I recommend this book to all people in general because this is such a good book everyone will like it. Thanks for reading this review and I hope to see you reading "Buried Onions" by Gary Soto in the future.
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Customer Reviews (1)

Courtesy of Teens Read Too
FACTS OF LIFE is a collection of short stories presenting a variety of adolescent views on growing up. Moving from childhood to adulthood is a completely unique experience, special to each individual. Gary Soto takes readers into the minds of ten teens and pre-teens and a defining moment in each of their lives.

There is Lisa Torres, who suddenly realizes what her world of poverty really looks like to others. She learns that her personal fascination and appreciation of nature and the works of John Audubon may not be shared by those around her.

Ana Hernandez finds her world turned upside down when another Ana Hernandez appears at her school. The new Ana is admired and worshipped, while the old Ana is lost in the crowd. She learns about the importance of popularity the hard way, by losing it.

In other stories from the collection, readers will meet Hector, who must suddenly decide which of his divorcing parents' homes he will call his own. Rachael experiences the "wild side" when a new babysitter shows even less maturity and responsibility than Rachael's little seven-year-old brother. In "Citizen of the World," Laurita is exposed to the controversy of the illegal immigrant situation, and in "D in English" Ryan realizes it is time to take the world around him more seriously and become a young man instead of a little child.

Together, these stories merge to form a touching and honest look at what it means to take the giant step toward being an adult. The confusion, the disappointment, and the challenge of taking this step are evident as Gary Soto masterfully creates his characters and their true-to-life experiences.

Reviewed by:Sally Kruger, aka "Readingjunky"
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Customer Reviews (1)

I really enjoyed hearing and learning spanish in this book.
I liked the book because he used spanish and the Mexican kids can read some of it.He wrote about one thing and it always turned out to be another thing. That's why I liked this book. ... Read more

Product Description
Maria was feeling very grown-up on Christmas Eve as she helped her mother prepare the tamales for Christmas dinner. When she slipped her mother's diamond ring onto her finger, she only meant to wear it for a minute. But suddenly, the ring was gone, and there were 24 tamales that just might contain the missing ring. "A warm family story that combines glowing art with a well-written text to tell of a girl's dilemma."--School Library Journal, starred review.Amazon.com Review
Maria is feeling so grown-up, wearing her mother's apron andhelping to knead the masa for the Christmas corn tamales. Hermother even let Maria wear some perfume and lipstick for the bigfamily celebration that evening. When her mother takes off her diamondring so it won't become coated with the messy masa, Maria decides thatlife would be perfect if she could wear the ring, too. Trouble beginswhen she sneakily slips the sparkly ring on her thumb and resumes herkneading. Uh oh. It is not until later that night, after all thetamales have been cooked and after all her cousins and relatives havearrived, that Maria suddenly realizes what must have happened to theprecious ring. Ed Martinez's warm oil paintings celebrate the richesof South American Christmas colors--adobe reds, dusty gold, laceywhites, and rain-forest greens. Martinez also has a gift for capturingchildren's animated expressions, especially when Maria begs hercousins to help her find the missing ring by secretly eating theenormous stack of steaming tamales! Gary Soto's delightfulChristmas-spirit closure will relieve young readers who empathize withthe negligent Maria. Grown-ups, too, will appreciate this playfulreminder about the virtues of forgiveness and familytogetherness. (Ages 4 and older) --Gail Hudson ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

LOL!
Just looking at the picture on the cover, you can imagine how the story is going to go.

Poor Maria. SUCH a big girl - helping out, wearing lipstick, a dab of perfume... why not wear her mother's ring as well?

Why not? Because when you can't find it, you'd BETTER find it. And yes, she tries to find it in the only way possible. By eating every. single. tamale.

Even for a picture book, I refuse to spoil the ending. But the ring does (eventually) get found, and the family has a happy holiday regardless.

Great short story
This a fun book for children; it gives them a warm story to use in order to better appreciate moms and grandmothers.

Great!
I got the book in a short amount of time and it was just as described.Thanks!

Great story!
I echo the review from "A Customer".
In addition...
I'm a preschool teacher and the kids definitely understood the story.It's a great addition to a multi-cultural program and can open up conversation about culture.
As for the book, I enjoyed the illustrations!

My daughter loves this book!
I bought this book for my three year old daughter. She absolutely loved the story. Now when she plays in her kitchen she makes me homemade tamales. :-) ... Read more

Product Description
Lincoln is in a jam when his basketball team at his new school--where the students are rich and mostly white--faces his old team from the barrio on the boards. How can he play his best against his friends? No matter who wins, it looks like it will be lose-lose for Lincoln.
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Customer Reviews (35)

Book Review
This book is a great book for teaching discrimination and assumptions made by others of different races.Rather dry at times but to the point.

Taking Sides: Taking to Another Level

Taking Sides Taking it to Another Level

The book I read was Taking Sides, by Gary Soto. This book is one of my favorite books. I definitely recommend people from the age of 12 and up. This book is very descriptive and well written. This book contains a little Spanish, so when you read it might be hard for you to understand. When you read this book it makes you feel as you're there.
One of my favorite part from the book is when he gets to play his old school against his school that he is now in a basketball game. So if you want to find out who wins you must read this book and find out for your own! The main characters in this story are Lincoln, James, Tony, Monica, and Lincoln's Mom. This story takes place in Sycamore, California.
If you really enjoy basketball books I really recommend you to read this book. This book is one of the best books I've read, and if you also love Gary Soto's book's you'll love this one. Taking Sides is a book full of excitement and mysteries.

read this book
"I'd rather be playing for Franklin then Columbus" Lincoln says. Lincoln is the main character in the book "Taking Sides" by Gary Soto. If you want to know what this quote means keep on reading.
Lincoln is an athletic boy who just moved to a small rich town from living in a poor town where things are always stolen. He had to leave all his friends behind and his girl-friend. His passion is playing basketball. Now he has to play an important game against his old team. The worst part is that he is losing his best friend for playing on the other team. Will he play hard with his new team or will he throw away the important game to keep his best friend?
This is for both boys and girls that are interested in athletics. Also for people who like competition. Would you try to win the game or would you throw the game away? If you want to find out what happens in the end read this interesting book.

Good book with some loose ends
I liked the book, but it never addressed who was the burglar.Was thesame person or persons that broke in their old neighborhood home the same guy who broke into their new home?Could he have been the boy's father or the mom's ex-boyfriend and that's why the dog didn't bark?How did the stolen TV end up at the thrift store?

The best basketball book
This excellent and appealing story deals with cultural differences,moving,and basketball. An eight grader,Lincoln mendoza and his mother have just moved from barriot to sycamore,due to a robberie.Lincoln misses his old neighborhood and old dirty freinds.He also misses the fights that would occur in barriot.The reason i gave this book four stars was becuase it had good parts.My favorite part in this book was the part when he played against the other team because it was all his freinds.The arthur desribed this book so great.At his new school he is playing on there basketball team which happens to play against his old school franklin he is very nervous and why does his coach dislike him????? ... Read more

Product Description
Miata is horrified when the folklorico skirt she brought to school to show off, and which belonged to her mother when she was a child in Mexico, disappears, and she must locate the skirt before an upcoming dance recital. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

TRUTH....or Consequences
Fourth grader Miata learns the importance of friendship and the need to act responsibly when she realizes that she has left her mother's prized folklore skirt on the school bus.Since she needs to wear it for a Sunday performance, she sets about to break into the bus-encountering various difficulties.Gradually she realizes what a tangled web she has woven once she chose to deceive adults, instead of requesting their aid. Soto understands and explains the lifestyle of Hispanic-Americans, but he lets his protagonist do it on her own, skirting the truth.Without a confession to relieve her private torment, Miata never makes things right with her parents, who remain in suspicious ignorance.This short story might send a divisive message to children trying to make their way in the adult world.

The Mexican Skirt//By:Esther grade 6
This book is a great book because it teaches you some lessons because Miata Ramirez lost her skirt and she was going to wear it the next day for her dance called folklo'rico. But her mother told her not to take it out of her closet because the skirt was important. I reccomend the book the teachers to read it to their class so they could enjoy the book like I did. Miata Ramirez was upset and scared because she thought she had lost the skirt forever! But she didn't she found it in a public transportation bus! She almost got in trouble because the skirt was in the bus and the bus was closed. Her father almost found out that she had lied to him about the skirt because she told her mom and dad that she was going to her freinds house But she didn't she went to look for her special skirt. Gary Soto is a great author because hr writes interesting books.Read his books because they are creative. Almost all of his books that I've read are Mexican folk storys. Read it Please!!!!!!!!

Excellent for Classroom!
If you know Soto's work, then you can rest assured this is another excellent example of the magic he creates with the written word.The Hispanic family is representative of the culture and values.Fifth graders (even though the reading level is lower) in my classroom, and especially my ESL students, enjoy the book.Soto has packed the book with colorful similies and this lends well for Writing Worshop. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (13)

Boring Book
I picked this book up thinking it would be good (yes, I judge books by the covers).It was awful...I am not sure why I even kept reading it all the way through.There is no action or anything. He and his brother are poor, his brother gets girls (he doesn't)...boring..boring.I don't even know what the author was trying to communicate with the audience.If you don't want to waste your time, don't read this book.

School assignment
This was a school assignment for my son.I read the book first so I could quiz him on it.It is in my top 5 of the worst books ever!Don't waste your time...unless it's a mandatory school assignment.

Jesse
In the book Jesse by Gary Soto there are two boys, Able and Jesse. They have to chop cotton until they get better jobs. They make bad mistakes, but they fix them. They decided to chop cotton instead of becoming doctors. They were happy when their cousin, Leslie, came back from Vietnam.

Able saw a girl named Glenda and fell in love. Glenda let him come in her house and then Abal saw a crib and said "Do you have a baby"? Then she said "Yes". Next, Able said "Oh".Then they became good friends.

The book is good and tells that when you get older life is hard. It tells that sometimes what you think will happen does not come true when you're older.

Jesse
The book, Jesse, by Gary Soto is about a Mexican boy and his brother Abel who are tryinng to go to college and pass.This a completey believable book.It has real life situations that would really happen to mostly Mexican families.They have an abusive stepdad who just drinks and thinks less of his kids, Jesse and Abel.They are trying to get to college and when they do it seem like the whole world is against Jesse, in love,work and college. In fact he notices that society is against the Mexicans in general for work and education.And during these hardships he has to get through somehow.

This book relates to me because of the hardships Mexicans and all immigrants are going through now because of prop HR4437.
In general the prop represents the people in the book Jesse.
just like the prop the people are against Mexicans. Somehow he will get through and so will we against prop HR4437.

A review of Jesse
Jesse is a story about a young Mexican American boy who moves out into the world with his brother Able. The story takes place during the time of the Vietnam War. The book discusses many challenges that Mexicans living in America face, even today. Jesse gets his money for junior college and food by working in the fields on the weekends, and also selling what other people consider garbage.Jesse is seventeen and is tired of his alcoholic stepfather and life at home, so he moves into an apartment and splits the rent with his brother. Jesse faces plenty of problems with school, girls, bullies, and more. However, throughout the book, Jesse remains a kind and deeply religious with a love of the beach, art, and his older brother. ... Read more

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THIS EDITION IS INTENDED FOR USE IN SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES ONLY. Misunderstanding his wife's instructions, an old man sets out for a party with a door on his back. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (5)

Wonderful!
I love this book!The poems and the illustrations are fabulous!I have really enjoyed reading these poems with my 8 year-old son, he especially likes the one about "Pablo's Tennis Shoes".These poems are sweet and funny and great to read out loud.I highly recommend this one!

a charming collection
This is a delightful collection of odes to ordinary things, in the tradition of Neruda, but written in language much more accessible to elementary and/or middle school students and accompanied by charming woodcut designs.This book would be useful in introducing poetry, especially to native Spanish speaking students, in that most of the vocabulary is fairly unintimidating and many of the subjects spring from experiences as universal as eating snow cones in the summer, watching fireworks, tennis shoes, and visiting the library.Also useful is the short glossary of terms for the Spanish-impaired ;-)

great for teachers!
I love this book for so many reasons! The poems are great and students will be able to relate to them. Teachers will have so many ways to incorporate these and should be able to come up with great activities to do with the poems. The papel picado-like artwork is great, too!

A great book to use in the classroom when teaching poetry.
This book was a fantastic support when teaching 5th graders to move beyond "recipe" poetry.The ode structure helps them find the poetry in their day to day experiences.They thoroughly enjoyed listening to GarySoto's odes, and were eager to write their own.

A great book to use in the classroom when teaching poetry.
This book was a fantastic support when teaching 5th graders to move beyond "recipe" poetry.The ode structure helps them find the poetry in their day to day experiences.They thoroughly enjoyed listening to GarySoto's odes, and were eager to write their own. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (46)

novio boy book review
I like Novio boy, it's alright. I like all the challenging,
Spanish words. They make the book more fun to read. This book has two main characters, Rudy and Patricia. They are best friends.One of the best parts of the book is when Uncle Juan sang one of his songs with a rap like beat it goes something like this:

Tort pushed Frijoles on my plate
Shouting "TAKE THIS TAKE THAT."
Frijoles, our piping brown brother,
Got mad and said, "meet you outside homie!
I'm gonna gas you up!

There is a little more but it too much to type. I liked the end of the book the begging was good to. I would recommend this book to another student, because it's a good book.

omg its a book
Alright my class has just finished this book it's pretty good. This book is about two main characters. One's a boy named Rudy and his in the ninth grade. The other's a girl in the eleventh grade. There are a lot of other characters in it like Rudy's mother and his best friend.

Ok now I'll tell you more about this book. The book is about this two high school kids going out to lunch together, and on the way to the day they go out it tells about the other people in the story and how the two people started going out. The book starts out with Rudy and his friend Alex talking about what he should say and ask about on his first date.

Last I'm going to tell you the things I liked and disliked about the book. First thing I liked was that it had my name in it, and the second thing was I learned some more Spanish. The one thing I disliked is that it was written like a play.

Flashback 06
This book started in a place called Southern California. It's about Rudy's parents, friends, and Patricia's parents and friends giving advice for their first date. Their parents and friends are giving them tips so they can be happy together. I liked this book because it relates to my life. It relates to my life because my parents and friends were giving me advice for my first date.

Book Review of Novio Boy
Novio Boy is a play written by special author Gary Soto. This story takes in Southern California, with two boys name Tito and Rudy. They both were trying to get girlfriend. Well one of them was trying to get a girlfriend that was two grades higher than him, is Tito. Rudy on the other hand trying to get a girlfriend too, but he's getting help from his friend, Rudy. Later in the book Rudy finally get his date like he wanted since he saw her face.

Novio book review
Novio boy takes place in Southern California and it is about two boys who are trying to get girlfriends one of them is trying to get a date with someone two grades higher then him. Rudy the one trying to get a date with Patricia but doesn't have the money to take her out.Sooner or later they start selling apples five for a dollar. Then later on after they sold the apples Rudy finally gets a date with Patricia at a hamburger restaurant called "Steaks, Steaks y Más Steaks.

If you asked me if I liked it the answer is yes because it was funny and acting is fun.
... Read more