5Q, 3P. This novel on verse tells the story of a migrant worker teen whose father leaves him and his mother for another family. He begins getting into a lot of trouble and can't seem to pull himself out of it. This is the first novel in verse I've ever read and I was surprised how much I enjoyed the format. I think it made César's story very powerful. I gave the book a 3P because I think teens unfamiliar with novels in verse may not gravitate to it with a little pushing. That being said, I think this books is a great one for introducing teens who like urban fiction to other formats.

Although the character of Cesar is portrayed in some steretypical ways, the interesting use of poetry to tell his story is innovative. Teens who are looking for something different, a light read, those interested in poetry or Mexican literature should check this out.

Susan says: Cesar lives in Fowlerville, California, and lives only with his mother. His high school is full of gangs, people trying to beat each other up to show power over each other. The Mexicans fight the Hmongs who are all condescending to new immigrants. Even though this book is told in verse, it is still raw and edgy. Cesar falls in with a bad crowd who begin to teach him to get high, to skip school and get into trouble. After going to an alternative high school after getting kicked out for jumping someone who was his friend, Cesar, his friend Sammy and his friend Carolyn are high on drugs when there is an accident that claims Sammy's life. This causes Cesar to look around and begin to start over again, really trying this time. There is a jarring contrast between Cesar’s drug gang lifestyle which feels very out of control, and some of the poetic phrasing Herrera uses. I wonder if this book would really be attractive to the teenage boys who would relate to the story. It took me a long time to get into it, and I rushed through it, so I'm not sure it would be a successful book for teens. ( )

High school can be tough, just ask Cesar. This novel written in verse tells of his struggles at school. His father left years ago and he lives with his mom. An interesting look into the life of a Mexican-American teen.

Other books to try: Bronx Masquerade, Foreign Exchange, Make Lemonade, Esperanza Rising, Parrot in the Oven

Other books by this author: Calling the Doves, Laughing Out Loud, I Fly ( )

Noted poet Juan Felipe Herrera paints a devastating, yet ultimately hopeful portrait of Cesar Garcia, a 16-year-old Mexican teen growing up in the American high-school culture of Fowlerville, California. In a series of free-verse poems, Herrera describes the alienation of a teen who has been left with a struggling mother when his father returns to Denver to live with and support his second family. Cesar is the classic example of America's throwaway teen, a young man constantly in the wrong place at the wrong time who, because of his language and cultural differences, becomes more and more marginalized. It is also the story of an educational system that can occasionally make a difference in both teens' and adults' lives and futures. The book is not for the fainthearted. It's a complex narrative poem full of cruelty and despair that condemns a system that almost certainly guarantees failure. It explodes with rage; but, at the same time, it's a roller-coaster tour de force, remarkable for its ebullient portrait of hope and survival. A must purchase. (Frances Bradburn (Booklist, February 1, 2000 (Vol. 96, No. 11))

Won: Americas Award for Children's and Young Adult Literature Winner 1999