A powerful collection of short stories telling the tales of a Mexican-American childhood ideal for fans of Gary Soto

Welcome to Southern Texas.
Meet Loco, a dog with a passion for firecrackers. And Pedro, an altar boy forced to lean a hard lesson from two of the toughest, oldest men ever to serve the Lord. Jordan and Todd are two boys from California who don't know what they're in for when they push their Texas cousins a little too far.  Loosely based on the author's own childhood as a Mexican-American boy in south Texas, this story collection is a moving whirlwind of humor and insight--brash, tender, and full of the unexpected. " Rice's work also deserves praise for presenting a slice of Mexican-American life that is neither over-romanticized, operating as a veiled and vitriolic social commentary, or tainted with easy nostalgia." --The Austin Chronicle

"Nine slice of life stories, told from multiple points of view and in different voices, resonate with the sounds and sights of a Mexican-American childhood spent in South Texas."-VOYA

"Rice...blends humor and precise detail, creating believable imperfect, complex characters that are once rowdy, subversive, and devoted to family and tradition."-Booklist

"A powerful collection that should enjoy a wide audience." --School Library Journal
 

An ALA Best Book for Young Adults
2001 PEN USA Children's Literature Award Finalist