Stork, Francisco X. Disappeared.

Stork, Francisco X.  Disappeared. Scholastic/Arthur Levine     2017     326p.  $17.99  ISBN 978-0-545-94447-2    hs       Realistic Fiction          E-BN

Sara Zapata is an up-and-coming reporter in Ciudad Juarez invesigating the Desaparacidas, young women kidnapped and trafficked by the ruling drug cartel.  The story is personal, as her best friend Linda disappeared over four months ago.  When she receives an encrypted message threatening both her life and that of her family, she decides to intensify her digging to save Linda and uncover the truth. 

Her brother Emiliano is a high-school soccer star and the boyfriend of Perla Rubi, the wealthy daughter of one of the cartel’s lawyers who offers entrepreneurial Emiliano financial security, but with a hefty cost to his conscience. 

This fast-paced thriller takes place in one eventful week when Sara discovers the whereabouts of her friend Linda, and the identities of her captors, Emiliano’s new business associates.  This forces Sara and Emiliano to flee Mexico, pursued by the cartel.
 
This timely, beautifully written, harrowing story vividly depicts how Mexico’s poverty, corruption, and violence forces young people like Sara and Emiliano to risk illegal and unsafe border crossing in hopes for not only a better life, but life itself.  This is YA literature at its best.                                     

Summary: Siblings Sara and Emiliano Zapata must escape their home in Ciudad Juarez after they are targeted by the ruling drug cartel for Sara’s exposé about the cartel’s involvement in trafficking.          

Drug trafficking-Fiction, Mexico-Fiction             --Lisa Teixeira

Stork, Francisco X. Disappeared

Stork, Francisco X.     Disappeared  Scholastic/Arthur Levine     2017   326p   17.99  978-0-545-94447-2            hs        Realistic Fiction          E-BN            

Siblings Sara and Emiliano Zapata must escape their home in Ciudad Juarez after they are targeted by the ruling drug cartel for Sara’s expose about the cartel’s involvement in trafficking.       Sara Zapata is an up and coming reporter in Ciudad Juarez invesigating the Desaparacidas, young women kidnapped and trafficked by the ruling drug cartel.  The story is personal, her best friend Linda disappeared over four months ago.  When she receives an encrypted message threatening both her life and that of her family, she decides to intensify her digging to save Linda and uncover the truth. 

Emiliano is a high school soccer star and boyfriend of Perla Rubi, the wealthy daughter of one of the cartel’s lawyers who offers entrepreneurial Emiliano financial security, but with a hefty cost to his conscience. 

This fast-paced thriller takes place in one eventful week when Sara discovers the whereabouts of her friend Linda, and the identities of her captors, Emiliano’s new business associates, forcing them to flee Mexico pursued by the cartel.

This timely, beautifully written, harrowing story vividly depicts how  Mexico’s poverty, corruption, and violence forces young people like Sara and Emiliano to risk illegal and unsafe border crossing in hopes for not only a better life, but for life itself.  This is YA literature at its’ best.                          Teixeira, Lisa

Irises

Stork, Francisco X.     Irises       

Scholastic/Grolier/Childrens Press/Watts  2012  288p  $17.99      978-0-545-15135-1       ms/hs   VG-BN    Realistic fiction

This is a multi-layered and nuanced novel dealing with ethical issues, faith, and the bond between two sisters.  Following the death of their father, the denial of his insurance claim, eviction from their parsonage home, and questions about how to deal with their mother, who is in a persistent vegetative state, Kate and Mary must navigate the financial and ethical dilemma in which they find themselves.  Kate has been accepted to Stanford University, but attending will put an undue financial burden on the sisters.  The proposal from her boyfriend and an attraction to the ambitious new minister pose another problem for Kate.  Mary, a talented artist who is wishing for a miracle happen that will save their comatose mother, has not been able to paint since the accident.  But a reluctant gang member with a talent for art provides the spark for Mary to think about art again. 

As they navigate legal, financial and ethical problems, each sister grows in strength and maturity.  Stork has, once again, given readers memorable characters and a thought-provoking plot.  A compelling read for upper middle- and high-school readers.         

VG-BN Pat Naismith      Sisters, Death of a parent, Grief, Coma, Ethics