From Publishers Weekly
Diaz and Gongora give Soto's heartfelt collection just the right spark of Latino flavor in this sharp audio production. From Jesse, a nine-year-old struggling to improve his baseball skills in "Baseball in April" to Veronica, who is crushed when her new, much cherished Barbie doll is ruined, Soto introduces vivid characters who struggle with the longing, hope and acceptance that are part of everyday life. Soto's accessible writing voice and poetic language permeate these 11 tales of first dates, worries about one's looks and the difficulties of dealing with idiosyncratic family members. With the help of solid performances (and crisp pronunciation of the smattering of Spanish words and phrases) by Diaz and Gongora, listeners will take away a real sense of what it was like for many Mexican-American kids growing up in California's Central Valley (including Fresno, Soto's hometown) not so many years ago. Ages 10-up. (Jan.) Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From School Library Journal
Grade 4-7-- Insightful about the characteristics of early adolescents, Soto tells 11 short stories about everyday problems of growing up. Latinos in central California are the focus of the stories, but the events are typical of young teens anywhere in the United States. The main characters try out for Little League teams, take karate lessons, try to get the attention of the opposite sex, and are embarrassed by their grandparents' behavior. These day-to-day events reveal the sensitivity, humor, and vulnerability of today's young people. The descriptions and dialogue are used to advantage, helping to create and sustain the mood. A glossary of Spanish terms is included. Young readers should easily identify with the situations, emotions, and outcomes presented in these fine short stories. --Janice C. Hayes, Middle Tennessee State University, MurfreesboroCopyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.


Los Angeles Times Book Review
[Soto's] sensitivity to young people's concerns and his ability to portray the world as it is perceived by children is nothing less than remarkable.


The Boston Globe
A fine collection of stories that offers a different cultural perspective about feelings common to all teenagers. Soto writes well and with tremendous insight into the process of growing up.


From AudioFile
Gary Soto, fiction writer and award-winning poet, captures the everyday life of Latino young people and their families and friends in these 11 stories. Soto explores issues that are important to young people, like failure, honesty and love. Diaz and Gongora do a good job capturing the emotions of young people and skillfully reflect the confusion, frustration and joy of the characters. Both readers have "young" voices that convey an appropriate vulnerability. Each cassette is clearly marked with the stories it contains. P.B.J. (c) AudioFile 2000, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine


Book 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.



Card catalog description
A collection of eleven short stories focusing on the everyday adventures of Hispanic young people growing up in Fresno, California.


From the Publisher
A contemporary classic about the pitfalls and triumphs of the teenage years is given a fresh new look for its tenth anniversary.

ANNOTATION

A collection of eleven short stories focusing on the everyday adventures of Hispanic young people growing up in Fresno, California.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Awards and Citations:
Parenting Reading Magic Award
An ALA Best Book for Young Adults
Booklist Editors' Choice
Horn Book Fanfare Selection

SYNOPSIS

A contemporary classic about the pitfalls and triumphs of the teenage years is given a fresh new look for its tenth anniversary.

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.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

Diaz and Gongora give Soto's heartfelt collection just the right spark of Latino flavor in this sharp audio production. From Jesse, a nine-year-old struggling to improve his baseball skills in "Baseball in April" to Veronica, who is crushed when her new, much cherished Barbie doll is ruined, Soto introduces vivid characters who struggle with the longing, hope and acceptance that are part of everyday life. Soto's accessible writing voice and poetic language permeate these 11 tales of first dates, worries about one's looks and the difficulties of dealing with idiosyncratic family members. With the help of solid performances (and crisp pronunciation of the smattering of Spanish words and phrases) by Diaz and Gongora, listeners will take away a real sense of what it was like for many Mexican-American kids growing up in California's Central Valley (including Fresno, Soto's hometown) not so many years ago. Ages 10-up. (Jan.) Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.|

Children's Literature - Lois Rubin Gross

A short story collection that resists the stereotypes of troubled Latino kids, although the children are unmistakably part of their Mexican-American community. The characters that populate this book are bright, motivated youngsters trying to sort out the problems that all young people have with family, school, and friends. From the girl who is given more freedom than she is ready for, to the boy who begs to enroll in expensive karate classes and finds them to be less valuable than he had thought, these are children experiencing universal emotions that will easily speak to readers of all ethnicity's. 1998 (orig.

The Horn Book

Will strike chords of recognition in readers of all ages.

The Boston Globe

A fine collection of stories that offers a different cultural perspective about feelings common to all teenagers. Soto writes well and with tremendous insight into the process of growing up.

Los Angeles Times Book Review