Collection
Publication
Puffin Books (2018), Edition: Illustrated, 336 pages
Description
Twelve-year-old María Luisa O'Neill-Morales (who really prefers to be called Malú) reluctantly moves with her Mexican-American mother to Chicago and starts seventh grade with a bang--violating the dress code with her punk rock aesthetic and spurning the middle school's most popular girl in favor of starting a band with a group of like-minded weirdos.
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Media reviews
A charming debut about a thoughtful, creative preteen connecting to both halves of her identity.
User reviews
LibraryThing member bookwyrmm
Great story about (not) fitting in with both your classmates and your culture. Not sure if zines are still a thing, though, among middle schoolers.
LibraryThing member Salsabrarian
A book to resonate with young square pegs who don't fit into round holes. Maria Luisa (or Malu) is half Mexican, makes zines and knows her punk music. But a move to Chicago with her "Supermexican" mother threatens her comfort level and her ability to be herself. Malu is a lively rebel with moments
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of insecurity like most kids. With her new friends, she finds a way to reconcile all her selves into a whole she can appreciate. The book is peppered with Malu's zine creations, likely to inspire readers to try their own. Backmatter includes zine-folding instructions. Show Less
LibraryThing member tartanlibrary
On day one of middle school, Malu inadvertently upsets the most popular girl and violates the school's dress code.
LibraryThing member ewyatt
Malu moves with her mom to Chicago for a temporary work assignment. She is not happy about it. When she starts a new school, she meets a mean-girl who refers to her as a Coconut (brown on the outside and white on the inside). She takes that and in punk fashion forms a punk band with some new
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friends which they name the Co-Cos. Malu makes zines and spends a lot of time arguing with her mom while thinking about what it means to be punk. The characters are likeable. The story reads at a quick clip. Show Less
LibraryThing member lindamamak
Had this book in my read soon pile but kept pushing it aside as I have to say I judged the book by its cover, thought it had a youngish look. Big mistack wished I had read soon it would have been one of summer reading selction. Maria Lusia believes she more than the Mexican heritage her Mom wants
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her to follow she belives she is more Punk like her American Father. A move to Chiciago and she finds out what it important in her life. Love this book Show Less
LibraryThing member acargile
Yes, it looks like an elementary book. I was hesitant about giving it a chance because I try to purchase books for the library that are more advanced than elementary. I thought the book was adorable and very appropriate and geared to middle school. I still think a different cover would be more
Malu loves her life in Florida. Her father owns a record store, and she’s learned all about punk from him. There always has to be a catalyst to a story--well, Malu’s mom gets a job in Chicago, so they’ll be there about two years. Malu is NOT happy. She always references her mother as Super Mexican because her mother tries to teach her the Mexican culture. Malu is half-Mexican and is more interested in punk with her dad. Oh well, it’s still off to Chicago.
Malu finds a new life in Chicago. At school, she immediately ends up on the “bad” list, a new thing for her. The principal doesn’t like her dyed hair; the queen bee of the school makes fun of her; and, she can’t speak Spanish as well as others. She’s not a shy girl who goes home and cries. She records her ideas/feelings/knowledge into zines (short for magazines--self created small zines). She also decides to create a band; she figures that they can figure it all out. She actually does get some real musicians. These four people are determined to play at the fiesta; of course, the judges have to select them. If there’s anything to remember about Malu, it’s that she doesn’t fit the mold.
I found the book a lot of fun. Malu and her mother do get closer through another parent who is more like Malu. Most books have characters grow. Malu grows as she is unafraid of jumping in and she grows in the knowledge of her culture. Don’t let the cover fool you--it’s a fun novel.
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advantageous.Malu loves her life in Florida. Her father owns a record store, and she’s learned all about punk from him. There always has to be a catalyst to a story--well, Malu’s mom gets a job in Chicago, so they’ll be there about two years. Malu is NOT happy. She always references her mother as Super Mexican because her mother tries to teach her the Mexican culture. Malu is half-Mexican and is more interested in punk with her dad. Oh well, it’s still off to Chicago.
Malu finds a new life in Chicago. At school, she immediately ends up on the “bad” list, a new thing for her. The principal doesn’t like her dyed hair; the queen bee of the school makes fun of her; and, she can’t speak Spanish as well as others. She’s not a shy girl who goes home and cries. She records her ideas/feelings/knowledge into zines (short for magazines--self created small zines). She also decides to create a band; she figures that they can figure it all out. She actually does get some real musicians. These four people are determined to play at the fiesta; of course, the judges have to select them. If there’s anything to remember about Malu, it’s that she doesn’t fit the mold.
I found the book a lot of fun. Malu and her mother do get closer through another parent who is more like Malu. Most books have characters grow. Malu grows as she is unafraid of jumping in and she grows in the knowledge of her culture. Don’t let the cover fool you--it’s a fun novel.
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LibraryThing member NML_dc
I added this book to the mix of YA material that describe some aspect of my high school experience (Eleanor & Park, Perks of Being A Wallflower, Nick & Norah)
LibraryThing member bookbrig
Super believable and relatable characters, with great art. I love love loved all the fashion descriptions in particular. My only nitpick: I feel like the mom/daughter relationship in this book was realistic, but also a little too pat. Like, mom will never understand me, even though we've fought and
On the other hand, I loved unicorn house dress wearing Oralia, because yes. (I was super hoping she'd end up with purple hair by the end. SADLY, no.)
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made up and fought and made up, because mom is MOM. It's not necessarily a bad thing, but as a non-teen reader I think that dynamic falls a little flat. (As a grown up, I was like: maybe your mom is grumpy because she ALSO is stressed out about teaching at a new school and moving somewhere she hasn't lived before and she has to deal with you being stompy and angsty about it on top of that. And, obvs, I get that a tween isn't necessarily attuned to that, but as an adult reader I was all: man, I'm glad I'm not parenting a tween right now.)On the other hand, I loved unicorn house dress wearing Oralia, because yes. (I was super hoping she'd end up with purple hair by the end. SADLY, no.)
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LibraryThing member reader1009
middlegrade fiction (Lu is in 7th grade); new school/making friends/being half Mexican and liking punk music and zines but maybe not fitting in with the mostly Mexican kids.
LibraryThing member quirkylibrarian
Trope-y with a twist. All the middle school mean-girl and finding a way to fit in to a new school treated with a refreshing update, weaving in Hispanic heritage, punk rock as a metaphor for expression, openness and bravery. Terrific offering for middle grades.
LibraryThing member jennybeast
I thought this was going to be a graphic novel, but no! Even, better, the main character is into zines, and they appear throughout! Great story that happens to include a whole lot of exploration of identity -- what does it mean to come from an immigrant culture, but feel on the outside of it? How
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do you find and be your most true self without alienating all the people who love you? It turns out that Malu is pretty great at navigating this thorny path, even when she doesn't realize it. Show Less
ISBN
0425290425 / 9780425290422