Mr. Dash may not have a pedigree (he can count five different breeds of dogs as family), but from his furry head to his wagging tail, he is a gentleman. His fine manners make him a perfect companion to Madame Croissant. Their life together is graceful and civilized, what with walks in the park, stamp-collecting, and a passion for flowers. But the well-ordered household is turned on its head whenever Madame Croissant’s granddaughter, Daphne, comes to visit. She’s as wild as Mr. Dash is courtly, and she makes the poor dog’s life miserable. But when she finds herself in real trouble, Mr. Dash proves that he is not only well-mannered but as brave as any knight.
Realistic Fiction
Realistic Fiction genre
Amigas #2: Lights, Camera, Quince!
Four friends. One quince. Miami is heating up! Amigas Incorporated is officially open for business! Alicia, Jamie, Carmen and Gaz managed to throw an amazing quince for their new friend Sarita. But now that they are sophomores AND in the quince planning business, things are going to get more complicated. There is competition to deal with, not to mention pushy fifteen year olds and their overbearing mothers. Luckily, one of their own is having a quince. Carmen is turning fifteen and the rest of the friends are determined to throw her the best party ever. But in Miami, the heat is always on–and so is the drama. When the group agrees to be part of a reality show competition featuring young and upcoming party planners, Carmen begins to feel like her quinceanera is no longer in the spotlight. Will the friends find a way to balance everything? Or, will Amigas Inc go off the air?
The F Factor
Javier Avila has a feeling tenth grade is going to be interesting. Forget the fact that everybody says sophomore year is so dull even the teachers get bored, and that at St. Peters High School sophomores are considered nobodies. But not Javier, because hes chosen against his will to be the first anchorman for the schools new program to televise school announcements. Javier wants the Media Broadcasting elective on his schedule to be a mistake. Hes a busy honor student who has spent years trying to live up to his smart-guy reputation, and he doesn’t have time for a useless class. And besides, who would choose to look stupid in front of the whole school every morning? And to make matters worse, the unconventional media teacher pairs Javier with Pat Berlanga, a guy who’d rather nap than talk. Javier is afraid to fail publicly, especially when he works so hard to hide his flaws from his friends and family. When everybody watches Javier Avila on the screen, will they see the face of a fraud?
Adios, Anna (Friends And Amigos)
Saying goodbye for the summer to her Spanish friend, Anna, who is going away on vacation, Sarah plans to use a special library book to learn Spanish, but her plans are thwarted when the book is inadvertently left locked in Anna’s house. Original.
The Crossing
Thirteen-year-old Manny, a street kid fighting for survival in a Mexican border town, develops a strange friendship with an emotionally disturbed American soldier who decides to help him get across the border.
Paint the Wind
A photograph, a box filled with toy horses, and a fractured memory are all that Maya has left of her mother. Now, in Grandmother’s house in California, she lives like a captive, until a shocking event changes everything. A world away, in Wyoming, a wild Paint horse, called Artemisia, runs free. In a land where mountain lions and wranglers pose an ever-present threat, Artemisia must protect her new foal, until a devastating act separates them from their bond. Maya’s and Artemisia’s lives will ultimately intertwine. And together, they hold the key to each other’s survival.
Mexican Whiteboy
Sixteen-year-old Danny searches for his identity amidst the confusion of being half-Mexican and half-white while spending a summer with his cousin and new friends on the baseball fields and back alleys of San Diego County, California.
A Sunburned Prayer
As he makes a 17-mile pilgrimage to the Santuario de Chimayo that he hopes will save his grandma from cancer, 11-year-old Eloy is joined by a friendly dog that helps him keep going.
My Name Is María Isabel
Third grader Maria Isabel, born in Puerto Rico and now living in the U.S., wants badly to fit in at school; and the teacher’s writing assignment “My Greatest Wish” gives her that opportunity.
The Good Girl’s Guide To Getting Kidnapped
Fifteen-year-old Michelle Pena, born into a powerful Mexican American gang family, tries to reconcile her gangster legacy with the girl she has become–a nationally ranked runner and academic superstar.