I’ve
been meaning to read Matt de la Pena’s books for years it seems. I finally got
around to it a few weeks ago, and I still cannot believe that I didn’t try
reading any of his books earlier.
Danny
has always felt alienated. He doesn’t speak Spanish like the rest of his
father’s family, and he’ll always be the one Mexican boy in his all-white
private school. And his dad hasn’t been around in years. So he figures he doesn’t
really have much of a reason to talk. Like every other summer, he’s living with
his father’s family. Only this year, he’s decided to earn enough money to visit
his dad in Mexico; the only issue is that he has to find a way to earn that
money, since the only thing he’s really good at is baseball. Uno needs money
badly too, so he can leave his mother and stepfather to live with his dad’s new
family. When the two boys meet, at a home run derby, they couldn’t be farther
from friends. But their love of baseball brings them together, and they become
best friends. And although they don’t realize it at the beginning, both will
grow because of it.
I
don’t usually enjoy “sports” novels, which was why I was a bit hesitant to read
this book, but after a few chapters, I realized that this book was not just a
sports novel. A large part of the book is centered around baseball, but so much
more is based around Danny and Uno’s relationships with their families and
friends and their own personally growth. You can’t help but love both of them
by the end, and wish to hear more, even though the story ends very well and
feels very complete.
I’d
strongly recommend Mexican WhiteBoy by Matt de la Pena, as well as his other
books. Check out his website, and stop by the festival in May to see him!
Happy
reading!
Elizabeth
