THESE STORIES TAKE the reader to meet mochos; cholos; Mr. and Mrs. Special; Manny with his mysterious phone calls; Melly, who dreams of being the first girl to take the Dive; Andy and Ruthie, who find that being "boyfriend-girlfriend" takes on new meaning the night of the prom; and Chuy, who seems determined to get kicked out of school. Each distinct voice shares secret thoughts that draw the reader into daily dramas of love, danger, loyalty, and pride. In the final story, a shocking tragedy reverberates through the barrio. "With this collection, Saldana makes a significant contribution to the field of Latino short stories for young readers."--"VOYA," Starred "These powerfully written, provocative selections have universal appeal and subtle, thoughtful themes."--"School Library Journal" "While much is revealed, just as much is implied, making the stories layered and rich while still rendering them accessible."--"The Bulletin" "From the Hardcover edition." Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.

In 11 intimate stories, readers enter Hispanic neighborhoods to meet adolescent heroes and heroines "finding their way" in the world. Salda¤a (The Jumping Tree) adroitly extracts meaning from quiet moments of reflection, illustrating the emotional states of his protagonists as they approach crossroads. In "Manny Calls," for example, the author poignantly expresses Manny's grief over his grandfather's death through Manny's compulsion to dial his grandfather's number, which is no longer in service, and talk (over the recording and subsequent "beepbeepbeep") as if his grandfather were listening. On the day a stranger answers the phone, Manny is faced with a moment of truth-but he still cannot find closure. Elsewhere, one character's decision to do nothing is as profound as another's choice to take action. In "The Dive," one of her grandmother's cuentos ("stories that somehow served as life lessons") subtly persuades Melly that she, unlike the local boys, does not have to make a dive from a bridge into a river in order to prove her maturity. A few tales may be obvious or moralistic, but the author's wisdom and sensitivity are at their pinnacle in the title entry, which studies a community's response to a teen's unsolved murder. Whether following a straight and narrow path to adulthood or taking some dangerous curves, the characters are conceived with such depth and observed with so much compassion that their experiences may help forge paths for the audience as well. Ages 12-up. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From: Reed Elsevier Inc. Copyright Reed Business Information

Gr 7 Up-Salda-a's collection of short stories and one brief novella offers snapshots of teens' lives. The outsider, or an unusual character, appears in a number of ways-as the new kid, as a drama teacher trying to instill in his students his own love of the theater, and as a boy making his way into the adult world. With a deft touch, the author creates a clear, concise picture of time and place (along the Texas border or Georgia) with characters who sound and think like today's teens. Reality is a strong point as both male and female characters act out what is important to them in their own worlds. Challenges, help, and hope can come from anywhere, including a disconnected telephone or a grandmother's kind words. "Chuy's Beginnings," "The Good Samaritan," and "Alternative" are first-person narratives relating incidents in three Hispanic males' lives. All are school stories, although much of the action takes place outside of the classroom. "Finding Our Way," an extended short story, deals with the death of a peer and the mystery of a runaway. These powerfully written, provocative selections have universal appeal and subtle, thoughtful themes.-Gail Richmond, San Diego Unified Schools, CACopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From: Reed Elsevier Inc. Copyright Reed Business Information

Gr. 7-12. Saldana follows The Jumping Tree (2001) with a new collection of short stories, this one featuring adolescents involved in dramas about family, first dates, going to the prom, and getting expelled from school. Themes of honor, love, loyalty, and pride are explored in tightly written, engaging stories ranging from intensely serious to light and funny. All of the stories share the theme of self-discovery, and protagonists often find their way out of serious situations with subtle guidance from adults in their lives. In Dive, Melly Otero has to decide whether to jump off a bridge, a rite of passage for youth in her town, and ultimately concludes that she has nothing to prove to anyone. In Alternative, Arturo is expelled from school and sent to an Alternative Center where he writes his autobiography and discovers other options for his life. An excellent collection of coming-of-age stories that will appeal to readers struggling to find their own way in life. EdSullivan. From: Syndetics Solutions, Inc. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.