By: Justine Larbalestier,
on 3/1/2008
Another review of First Kiss (Then Tell) edited by Cylin Busby and here’s my story’s mention:
Hands down favorite for sheer grossness (it was so gross it was funny!) was Justine Larbalestier’s “Pashin’”, a tale of her friend’s first kiss.
I am the grossest of them all.
Posted on 4/25/2007
Cecilia’s Year
Author: Susan Gonzales Abram and Denise Gonzales Abram
Publisher: Cinco Puntos Press
ISBN-10: 1933693029
ISBN-13: 978-1933693026
Cecilia’s Year covers the life of a 14 year old Mexican-American girl who lives on a ranch in New Mexico during the Depression era.
Cecilia is smart, bookish and determined in her quiet way to follow her dreams. One of those dreams is going to high school instead of marrying and being a stay at home wife and mother as is expected of girls in that era. The book is set up with each chapter dedicated to a different month on the ranch with rich cultural details and a profound sense of community. The family and friends Cecilia has surrounding her are all very definite personalities and each feels real and true.
Cecilia’s Year has a down home feel to it with a strong Mexican flavor. Even though I grew up decades after Cecilia did and in the city, most of the core values, the family she lives with, the dichos (sayings) and food they eat is much like what I grew up with in my Mexican home. Some things always remain the same. The book really resonated with me for those reasons as well as being a great and engrossing story. You just have to love Cecilia and root for her. You hope she gets everything she dreams of and that’s the magic of reading a book like this – you end up really caring about the characters. They become real to you. Cecilia’s story is heartfelt and lovely.
The book is a tribute to the author’s mother and a note at the end tells what happened to the real Cecilia. Sepia toned photos are included as well as a glossary of Spanish dichos.
By: Gina MarySol Ruiz,
on 4/24/2007
Cecilia’s Year
Author: Susan Gonzales Abram and Denise Gonzales Abram
Publisher: Cinco Puntos Press
ISBN-10: 1933693029
ISBN-13: 978-1933693026
Cecilia’s Year covers the life of a 14 year old Mexican-American girl who lives on a ranch in New Mexico during the Depression era.
Cecilia is smart, bookish and determined in her quiet way to follow her dreams. One of those dreams is going to high school instead of marrying and being a stay at home wife and mother as is expected of girls in that era. The book is set up with each chapter dedicated to a different month on the ranch with rich cultural details and a profound sense of community. The family and friends Cecilia has surrounding her are all very definite personalities and each feels real and true.
Cecilia’s Year has a down home feel to it with a strong Mexican flavor. Even though I grew up decades after Cecilia did and in the city, most of the core values, the family she lives with, the dichos (sayings) and food they eat is much like what I grew up with in my Mexican home. Some things always remain the same. The book really resonated with me for those reasons as well as being a great and engrossing story. You just have to love Cecilia and root for her. You hope she gets everything she dreams of and that’s the magic of reading a book like this – you end up really caring about the characters. They become real to you. Cecilia’s story is heartfelt and lovely.
The book is a tribute to the author’s mother and a note at the end tells what happened to the real Cecilia. Sepia toned photos are included as well as a glossary of Spanish dichos.
congratulations!
Ahhh! Why do none of the bookstores in this city have it??! Grrrr.
I think I’ll have to order it.
Gross? You? No! No one would EVER think YOU could be gross, Justine. I mean, I’ve seen some pretty disgusting pictures but I assumed they had all been photoshopped by your near and dear.
I feel sick now. Sick, I tell you!
John O’Grady - First proper kiss. I nearly died of shock when he stuck his tongue in my mouth. The teddy I’d practised long and hard on had never done that. He also tried to cop a feel through a duffle coat, school jumper, shirt and vest (Yes - although 14 I still wasn’t developed enough for a bra). I didn’t eat for three days afterwards (only tonsillitis has put me off my food for that long since) and I never spoke to him again. Ah embarrassment can make a girl very unfriendly.
Glad to say it didn’t put me off kissing though!
I can’t wait to read it. I won the contest over on Cecil Castellucci’s blog. *happy dance* None of the book stores near me have it either.