(2) YA "This is a victim impact statement." Readers immediately learn the victim is thirteen-year-old Lizzie but not the precise circumstances of her situation. What is known is that Lizzie spent the summer in the Adirondacks with Uncle Davy and her friend Matias, who has proportional dwarfism. Cliffhanging chapter endings hint there's always more to be told, as Lizzie's voice, alternating between stream-of-consciousness and emotional outbursts, invites readers to participate in structuring this powerful narrative.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2018

(2) YA Illustrated by Carlos Alfredo Morataya. Gretchen (who has PTSD since being attacked and robbed) and Phoenix (who is in the U.S. awaiting a hearing for asylum after being forced to join a gang back in El Salvador) help each other heal from trauma. Alternating first-person chapters relate their (mostly) non-saccharine romance. Phoenix's story is especially compelling, avoiding stereotypes about immigrants, poverty, or Latin Americans. Occasional drawings add texture and verisimilitude.

Reviewer: Sarah Hannah Gomez | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2017

(4) YA After getting into a drug-dazed gang fight, Azael wakes up in a detention facility unlike any he has been to before. Denied all contact with the outside world, Azael spends his days observing an unfamiliar female inmate, Lexi, and trying desperately to remember what occurred during the incident. Although the gritty voice and intriguing story builds suspense, the clichéd revelation is disappointing.

Reviewer: Randy Ribay

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Carl Angel. Based on a true incident in San Francisco's Mission District, this bilingual story is written by Salvadoran-American poet Argueta. The acrylic, colored-pencil, and photo collage illustrations bring this long story about the dreams of one Salvadoran-American family to life. This is a fine example of what a book with a bilingual text can and should be.

Reviewer: Tim Wadham

(3) 4-6 In some Latino cultures, girls celebrate their fifteenth birthday with a ritual ceremony called la quincea±era. King accompanies a Mexican-American girl and a Salvadoran-American girl through their preparations for this rite of passage. The color photos of the bride-like dress, cake, and honor court are complemented by historical information and Spanish vocabulary deftly introduced in its context. Also available in Spanish.

Reviewer: Elena Abos Alvarez-Buiza

(4) 4-6 Translated by Dolores M. Koch. In some Latino cultures, girls celebrate their fifteenth birthday with a ritual ceremony called la quincea±era. King accompanies a Mexican-American girl and a Salvadoran-American girl through their preparations for this rite of passage. The color photos of the bride-like dress, cake, and honor court are complemented by historical information. The Spanish text could use some editing. Also available in English.

Reviewer: Elena Abos Alvarez-Buiza