Castan, Mike The Price of Loyalty

Castan, Mike      The Price of Loyalty    

 Holiday House     2011  150p  $17.95      978-0-8234-2268-5 

 secondary   VG      Realistic Fiction 

   Peer pressure, parents living across the border in Mexico, and social convention drive young Manny into the Conquistador gang. However, events have Manny questioning who are really his friends, and what becomes the right thing to do.       

    A well written book about the lack of choice that many young, Hispanic males have regarding whether or not to join a gang. The author clearly believes, and presents in this book, his viewpoint that gangs are not the correct or good choice for anyone. The author does a very good job of portraying the many downfalls of gang life -- violence, drugs, vandalism, playing them against the gang viewpoint of loyalty over all.                   Lyn Fisher