One more freebie from ALA, this time in audio. This is an award winning young adult book about bullying, a bright Latina trying to make it at a new school. Piddy Sanchez and her Cuban mother move to a new apartment, which means moving to a new school, where she is told someone she doesn't even know wants to "kick her ass." We see Piddy start struggling in school under this pressure and her hard working mother, who wants her daughter to succeed and have a better life, but can't understand what is going on. I really like mom's best friend Lila, in whom Piddy can confide, who gets her a part time job at her hair salon, takes her shopping and teaches her to dance. The close knit Latino community helps Piddy work things out. There was also an interesting boy that she grew up with in her old apartment. They had asked each other which was worse, growing up without a father or one that was a drunk. Powerful teen book, deserving of the award.
