The Secret Story of Sonia Rodriguez Paperback – Illustrated, February 9, 2010

love this book!

Every teenage girl I have given this book to take home and read has returned in a day or two with positive responses. They always give it a high rating and make comments like, "This book is so true." or "I cried at the part about her uncle." Teenage girls have so much on their plate these days. Sonia is an inspiration. If you have reluctant readers in your class, discover Alan Sitomer's amazing stories about teens surviving urban, California life. I have a whole class set of Homeboyz, another Sitomer must read. The class settles into the book and reads in silence for the rest of the in-class reading time. Reluctant readers are hooked by Sitomer's stories.

As an English teacher in a predominantly Hispanic high school, I read this novel 2 years ago and just had to have my own students read it. My students (and I) immediately had issues with the author's/Sonia's use of stereotypes of her ethnicity. HOWEVER, as they continued to read, they learned that Sonia tries desperately to rise above the stereotypes that plague her ethnicity, her age group, and her gender. The more my students read it, the more they identified with Sonia. The novel does have a tendency to get a bit telenovela-ish (especially towards the end), but it is highly entertaining, educational, and encouraging.

Why did I choose this rating: Because this book can inspire millions of Hispanics,Latinios, etc. This book has many lessons tht come from a single person that struggled to graduate from high school. I recommend this book to the people who like Mexican, American (Chicano) culture books. This would be a great book to read and inspire yourself.

Eventhough this is not a true story, it can be anyone of my students. Sonia is a high school student with a set of conflicting educational values.

i am always looking for novels that I can relate to. that have my cultural background woven in the words. This book is one of them.

Book was in perfect shape when I got it! It was also an excellent book!

What a great book for young girls! It hits just how powerful family can be, both good and bad aspects!