Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass by Meg Medina

I devoured this book in a day. It's so realistic. I think all parents should read this and get a better grasp of what their kids face when they go to school. I don't doubt a word of it, because I was placed in similar situations growing up.


This book tackles so many issues at once, all well done and all thought evoking.

Being Latina, but not "brown enough" or not fitting into the stereotype is one issue. People mold themselves into stereotypes to avoid conflict such as this, to fit in. Piddy doesn't mold herself that way. Piddy is Piddy. The result: the Latina gang wants to kick her a**.  She doesn't "fit in" anywhere in her new school.

There's a nun-like mother who is quick to judge as a result of her own experiences. I don't know if I was intended to get this impression or if it's just me, but the sideline story involving a former neighbor boy whose father beats his mother left an impression on me. I couldn't help but notice how Piddy's mom was quick to label the boy. "Like father, like son..." but in the end, it was other girls who beat up on Piddy, not that boy. To me, this story line was a reminder not to automatically label and judge others, because too often we are far from the truth in our assessments.

It's a story of angst, fitting in, and bullying. It also brings to the light, the absolute worthlessness of the school system in fighting it. Bullying is a serious problem and it seems you get no relief from reporting it or ignoring it. No matter what you do, it's there.

I felt Piddy came out strong in the end. She TOLD and that's not easy. What she goes through is beyond humiliating. I felt her fear and shame every step of the way.

Wonderful read that is not only full of morals and education, but also Latina culture and humor. 

5 bikes. I received this from Amazon Vine.