Soto, Gary. Hey 13!

Soto, Gary.  Hey 13!  Holiday House, 2011.  197p  16.95     ISBN 978-0-8234-2395-8 ms/jr  VG-BN Realistic Fiction

     Thirteen short stories revolve around realistic situations that middle-school-age children face in their everyday lives.  The main characters are all HIspanic.   These stories have just enough tension, humor, and realism to appeal to middle-school age students who are looking for shorter reads and less commitment than a novel requires.  In one story, an honor student gets to tour a local college and see some of her stereotypes about university life challenged.  In another, a pretty girl on a long-distance bus ride obsesses over her looks and wallows in the knowledge that men and boys find her attractive.  In yet another, two altar boys get into trouble with the law for stealing a couple of motorized scooters and taking them for a joy ride.  Each story will provide food for thought and classroom discussion.  Gary Soto’s ear for the way kids think and speak to each other is perfect, and he has a keenly observant eye as well.

Carol Kennedy