Realistic Fiction

Realistic Fiction genre

Yo, Naomi Leon

Naomi Soledad Leon Outlaw has had a lot to contend with in her young life, her name for a start. Then, there are her clothes (sewn in polyester by Gram), her difficulty speaking up, and her status at school as “nobody special.” But according to Gram, most problems can be overcome with positive thinking. And with Gram and her little brother, Owen, life at Avocado Acres Trailer Rancho in California is happy and peaceful…until their mother reappears after seven years, stirring up all sorts of questions and challenging Naomi to discover who she really is.

Spanish title: Yo, Naomi Leon

Naomi Soledad Leon Outlaw ha tenido que enfrentarse a mucho en su corta vida, empezando por su nombre. Tambien esta el problema de su ropa (hechas por su abuela en tela de poliester), su timidez y la fama que tiene en la escuela de no ser nadie especial. Pero segun su abuela, la mayoria de los problemas se solucionan con mentalidad positiva. Y su vida, junto a su abuela y su pequeno hermano, Owen, en el parque de casas moviles Avocado Acres, es tranquila y feliz… hasta que su mama aparece luego de siete anos, creando confusion y retando a Naomi a que averigue quien es.

What The Moon Saw

Fourteen-year-old Clara Luna spends the summer with her grandparents in the tiny, remote village of Yucuyoo, Mexico, learning about her grandmother’s life as a healer, her father’s decision to leave home for the United States, and her own place in the world.

My Diary from Here to There/Mi Diario De Aqui Hasta Alla

A young girl describes her feelings when her father decides to leave their home in Mexico to look for work in the United States.

Jungle Crossing

Kat can think of dozens of good reasons not to go on a boring family vacation to hot, grungy Mexico. Number one: missing her friend Fiona’s minicamp. If she’s not there, she’ll begin eighth grade as a social reject. Despite her reluctance, Kat ends up on a teen adventure tour where she meets Nando, a young Mayan guide (who happens to be quite a cutie). As they travel to different Mayan ruins each day, Nando tells Kat his original legend of Muluc, a girl who lived in the time of the Ancient Maya. The dangerous, dramatic world in which Muluc lives is as full of rivalry, betrayal, and sacrifice as Kat’s world at school. And as she makes new friends and discovers treasures in Mexico, Kat begins to wonder: Is she willing to keep sacrificing her self in exchange for popularity?

Cuba 15 (Readers Circle)

Violet Paz has just turned 15, a pivotal birthday in the eyes of her Cuban grandmother. Fifteen is the age when a girl enters womanhood, traditionally celebrating the occasion with a quinceañero. But while Violet is half Cuban, she’s also half Polish, and more importantly, she feels 100% American. Except for her zany family’s passion for playing dominoes, smoking cigars, and dancing to Latin music, Violet knows little about Cuban culture, nada about quinces, and only tidbits about the history of Cuba. So when Violet begrudgingly accepts Abuela’s plans for a quinceañero–and as she begins to ask questions about her Cuban roots–cultures and feelings collide. The mere mention of Cuba and Fidel Castro elicits her grandparents’sadness and her father’s anger. Only Violet’s aunt Luz remains open-minded. With so many divergent views, it’s not easy to know what to believe. All Violet knows is that she’s got to form her own opinions, even if this jolts her family into unwanted confrontations. After all, a quince girl is supposed to embrace responsibility–and to Violet that includes understanding the Cuban heritage that binds her to a homeland she’s never seen. This is Nancy Osa’s first novel.

From the Hardcover edition.

Selavi: A Haitian Story of Hope

The story of Selavi celebrates the triumphs of children who face some of life’s most difficult challenges. In these pages, you’ll meet Selavi, a homeless child who is befriended by other children living on the streets in Haiti. They look out for one another, sharing food and companionship. Together they find the voice to express the needs of Timoun Lari, the children who live in the streets. With a caring community they are able to build a shelter, and from there to create Radyo Timoun, Children’s Radio, a station run by and for children, which is still in operation today. At Radyo Timoun, the questions and suggestions of children are broadcast for all to hear. The story takes place in Port-Au-Prince, Haiti, a country which has a long history of resistance and struggle. Haiti is the birthplace of Toussaint L’ouverture and many others whose dedication to justice led to Haitian independence from slaveowners. Haiti is perhaps best known as the island which orchestrated the first successful revolt by enslaved peoples in the western hemisphere in 1804. Haitian author Edwidge Danticat adds an essay at the end of the story of Selavi.

This book has been included in WOW’s Kids Taking Action Booklist. For our current list, visit our Boolist page under Resources in the green navigation bar.

Featured in Volume I, Issue 2 of WOW Review.

El circo

Description in Spanish: Alicia siempre ha querido ser trapecista y su sueno se hace realidad cuando el circo llega a su pueblo. Entre mil colores, payasos, acrobtas, moniytos, caballos, y elefantes, Alicia logra lo que se propone.

Vejigante Masquerader

Determined to look his best for the upcoming celebration, a young Puerto Rican boy makes a special costume so that he can be a vejigante, or masquerader, in a book that includes a Spanish-English glossary, chants, and instructions for making a vejigante mask.

An Island Like You: Stories of the Barrio

A collection of stories captures the lives of different teenagers growing up in the barrio, including Rita, who goes to live with her grandparents in Puerto Rico; Luis, who spends his days working at his father’s junkyard; and Sandra, who tries to rediscover her natural Latino beauty.