Sunday, September 23, 2012

Crossing the LIne by Malin Alegria-OPTIONAL


Alegria, Malin, Bordertown: Crossing the Line. Point, 2012. Pgs. 192. Language: G, Violence: G, Sexual Content: PG

Long the center of Dos Rios High School’s popular kids’ scrutiny and jokes, Fabiola Garza has long since accepted the enmity she has towards them and their troublesome ways. On the first day of school, the popular kids seem to stoop to a new level and start befriending her younger sister, Alexis. Soon her sister, Alexis starts dating Dex Andrews, a boy that’s not only popular, but a bad egg. When Chuy, an immigrant from Mexico, gets mugged and Fabiola’s cousin, Santiago gets accused of committing the crime, Fabiola can’t help but believe Dex is behind it. When she overhears him bragging about the mugging to his friends, Fabiola becomes determined to prove her cousin’s innocence and save her sister from this bad boy. Will she succeed?

A good urban fiction novel for readers who like books with urban settings. The characters aren’t that well-developed, but they’re likable. The plot moves fairly quickly and has some depth to it. The writing style is smooth and easy to follow. The author also does a great job of interspersing Spanish words and phrases without confusing the readers. The chapters would probably be too long for reluctant readers, but people who like realistic fiction, urban stories, and books with class tensions will probably enjoy reading this book. EL (5-6), MS. OPTIONAL. Reviewer: Kira M, Youth Services Librarian, WHI Public Library.

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