(4) 4-6 As Brown v. Board of Education is being argued in court, Silvy must confront bigotry closer to home: "Hughes Springs, Texas, does its level best to keep me and Mabelee apart," she thinks about her relationship with her African American best friend. The slice-of-life narrative can lose focus at times, but dialogue helps lend brutal authenticity to the tale.

Reviewer: Norah Piehl

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Robert Casilla. Because his papá is a migrant farm worker, Chico has attended numerous California schools, and he finds it difficult to be a new kid so often. However, on his first day in third grade, he uses his mathematical expertise to face down two fourth-grade bullies, and things begin to look up. A number of the illustrations are stiff, but Chico's victory is heartwarming.

Reviewer: Martha Sibert