(Spoiler Alert)
Quintero, I. (2014). Gabi: A girl in pieces. TX: Cinco Puntos.
Recommended age: 14+
Summary: Gabi Hernandez is a senior in high school. As a Mexican American girl, she struggles with her relationship with her mother and who her mother and her culture tells her she should be. Gabi has so many things going on in her life. Her father is a meth addict, who is in and out of her family's home. He even overdoses (dies), and Gabi finds him. Gabi has weight issues, but loves food. Her two best friends also bring in major issues. One is raped and gets pregnant. The other is gay. He comes out to his family and is kicked out of his home. Gabi faces her own ideas of sexuality and relationships. She wants to go to college, but doesn't believe she is good enough. Her poetry and friendship/relationships help her to gain confidence in the end. At the end of the book, she has been accepted to the college of her choice, Berkeley. She is in love with a wonderful guy, who she loses her virginity to on prom night. Gabi is finally hopeful for her future and has gained self confidence.
Response: This book holds nothing back. It hits just about every controversial issue it can: teen pregnancy, rape, drug addiction, being gay, abortion, relationships (boy/girl, boy/boy, mother/daughter, friend/friend), family dynamics, religion, being overweight, self esteem... It also shows how writing, poetry in particular, can be an outlet for the stress and struggles of growing up. This book would be useful to see the perception of a Mexican American teen. It would also be useful in the classroom to tie in poetry, journal entries, and fiction stories together for a unit of study.
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