Accidental Love [Hardcover]

Gary Soto (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2006

It all starts when Marisa picks up the wrong cell phone. When she goes to return it, she feels something she's never felt before, something a bit like . . . love.

But Marisa and Rene aren't exactly a match made in heaven. For one thing, Marisa is a chola, and she isn't petite; she's a lot of girl, and she's not ashamed of it. Skinny Rene, however, gangles like a sackful of elbows and wears a calculator on his belt. In other words, he's a geek. So why can't Marisa stay away from him?

Award-winning author Gary Soto deftly captures all the angst, expectation, and humor that comes with first love in this swift, lighthearted romance.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 6-10–A cell-phone mix-up leads to first love in this warmhearted, humorous novel. Marisa Rodriguez, 14, is an indifferent student at her run-down school, chubby from an excess of junk food, and too quick to express her anger with her fists. Still, she dreams of a better life. When she meets geeky Rene, love blossoms despite his highwater pants, white socks, and honking laugh. She is inspired to switch to a better high school, where she improves her grades, loses weight, and even gets a part in the school play. Obstacles present themselves, of course; Marisa's former classmates are threatened by her attempts to better herself, and Rene's domineering mother opposes their relationship. Soto's portrayal of Marisa's family, friends, and neighborhood–in a novel peppered with Spanish words and teen slang–is set in a world where poverty, drugs, and early pregnancy are acknowledged but don't dominate the story. Marisa is the most sympathetic character, while others are less fully developed. Occasionally stilted dialogue and clunky writing (She breathed in and out like a prizefighter) will distract some readers. However, it's hard not to like spunky Marisa and appreciate the fresh point of view she brings to what otherwise might be a typical teen romance.–Miranda Doyle, San Francisco Public Library
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Gr. 7-10. After a scuffle with the "sorry rat" who broke her best friend's heart, 14-year-old Marisa grabs the wrong cell phone. It belongs to Rene, a "muy wimpy" chess player who attends a magnet school across town. As they exchange phones, Marisa finds herself curiously drawn to Rene, a skinny, "genuine nerd," very different from the homeboys at her rough school. Inspired to make a change, and get closer to Rene, Marisa transfers to his school and is surprised to find herself transformed from "a moody shadow" in class to someone who "could bare her soul." As she and Rene progress to handholding and kisses, secrets emerge that threaten their academic possibilities and their affection. Soto deepens this gentle romance between opposites with subtle, authentic glimpses of an uncertain world, where adults don't always provide protection and nurturing. With humor and insight, he creates memorable, likable characters in Marisa and Rene, who find support and love by valuing authenticity and sweetness over cool. A glossary of the text's occasional Spanish words and phrases is appended. Gillian Engberg
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books; 1 edition (January 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0152054979
• ISBN-13: 978-0152054977
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,509,997 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Born in Fresno, California to Mexican American parents, Gary Soto learned the hard work ethic through his share of chores, including mowing lawns, picking grapes, painting house numbers on street curbs, and washing cars. His hard work paid off at California State University at Fresno, from which he graduated with an English degree, and later at the University of California at Irvine, where he earned a Masters of Fine Arts in Creative Writing.Gary Soto is an acclaimed poet, essayist, and fiction writer. The awards for this multi-talented author are many, ranging from the U.S. Award for International Poetry Forum in 1977 for his first published book of poetry, The Elements of San Joaquin, to a Before Columbus Foundation American Book Award in 1985 for Living Up the Street, his first published work of prose recollections. His short story collection Baseball in April, was named an American Library Association's Best Book for Young Adults. In 1993 Gary Soto received the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Children's Video for Pool Party, and in 1995 he was nominated for a National Book Award.His other credits include fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the California Arts Council. Gary Soto is also one of the youngest poets to appear in the Norton Anthology of Modern Poetry. Several of his books have been translated into French, Spanish and Italian.Too Many Tamales was named a Booklist Books for Youth Editors' Choices of 1993. Hazel Rochman of Booklist said, "Gary Soto is an accomplished poet and adult writer, and his children's stories are widely popular. His first entry into the picture book genre is a joyful success."When he is not writing, Mr. Soto serves as a volunteer English teacher at his church. He also enjoys eating at new restaurants, which he does often with his wife, Carolyn, and their daughter Mariko. Other members of the Soto household include their two cats, Corky and Sharkie. The Soto family resides in Berkeley, California.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A different kind of story., February 24, 2008

By 

Jennifer Dieleman "book worm" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Accidental Love (Paperback)

Accidental Love is a sweet book about two teens who end up with eachothers cell phones and fall in love. The thing I loved so much about this book was the style of writting. It is written in the same style as Star Girl. I enjoyed the way that Marrisa and Rene grow up. I think its neat that Rene made Marrisa want to become a better person. Overall this was a sweet love story with a different plot.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Young Couple Overcomes Hurdles, February 1, 2006

By 

Teenreads.com (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Accidental Love (Hardcover)

Marisa Rodriguez is a Latina with a hot temper. She goes to a rough school and is accustomed to solving problems with her fists. This is actually how she meets the boy who will end up changing her life. When Marisa gets into a fistfight with Roberto, the slimy boyfriend of her best friend Alicia, Roberto's nerdy math tutor Rene is there to break it up. During the scuffle, Marisa and Rene accidentally pick up each other's cell phones. Upon exchanging them, it is evident that there is an undeniable chemistry between the two.

They begin dating and become inseparable. Marisa ends up transferring to Rene's school and uses her aunt's address on her registration. They audition to be in Romeo and Juliet together, begin a fitness plan (Marisa wants to lose weight and Rene is determined to gain muscle), and each desire a personality makeover (Marisa would like to stop reacting so violently, while Rene wishes to be cooler).

Because their attitudes and personalities are so different, it's understandable that Marisa and Rene must deal with certain conflicts and pressures in their relationship. These are the kinds of problems that all teenagers will face at some point in their lives. As a result, readers will be able to relate to this young couple quite well; they will want them to succeed and be happy with each other.

Included at the end of the book is a glossary containing Spanish terms that are sprinkled throughout the pages. In no way do the presence of these words detract from the overall reading of the novel; most can be figured out easily from the context of the sentence they are in.

Through his outstanding story, Gary Soto demonstrates that young adults indeed are capable of overcoming various hurdles to become whatever it is they want to be. They can succeed and make better lives for themselves, just as Marisa and Rene have done in ACCIDENTAL LOVE.

--- Reviewed by Melissa A. Palmer

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazingly Good(:, October 16, 2011

By 

KayMayLuvzzYah :) (Queens, New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Accidental Love (Kindle Edition)

I really loved this book! It kept me intrested from the begining to the end. Gary Soto is a fantastic writer and i would recommend his books to anyone! Here's to Gary! :D