Finding Our Way [Library Binding]

Jr. Rene Saldana (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 11, 2003

THESE STORIES TAKE the reader to meet mochos; cholos; Mr. and Mrs. Special; Manny with his mysterious phone calls; Melly, who dreams of being the first girl to take the Dive; Andy and Ruthie, who find that being “boyfriend-girlfriend” takes on new meaning the night of the prom; and Chuy, who seems determined to get kicked out of school. Each distinct voice shares secret thoughts that draw the reader into daily dramas of love, danger, loyalty, and pride. In the final story, a shocking tragedy reverberates through the barrio.

“With this collection, Saldaña makes a significant contribution to the field of Latino short stories for young readers.”—VOYA, Starred

“These powerfully written, provocative selections have universal appeal and subtle, thoughtful themes.”—School Library Journal

“While much is revealed, just as much is implied, making the stories layered and rich while still rendering them accessible.”—The Bulletin


From the Hardcover edition.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 7 Up-Salda-a's collection of short stories and one brief novella offers snapshots of teens' lives. The outsider, or an unusual character, appears in a number of ways-as the new kid, as a drama teacher trying to instill in his students his own love of the theater, and as a boy making his way into the adult world. With a deft touch, the author creates a clear, concise picture of time and place (along the Texas border or Georgia) with characters who sound and think like today's teens. Reality is a strong point as both male and female characters act out what is important to them in their own worlds. Challenges, help, and hope can come from anywhere, including a disconnected telephone or a grandmother's kind words. "Chuy's Beginnings," "The Good Samaritan," and "Alternative" are first-person narratives relating incidents in three Hispanic males' lives. All are school stories, although much of the action takes place outside of the classroom. "Finding Our Way," an extended short story, deals with the death of a peer and the mystery of a runaway. These powerfully written, provocative selections have universal appeal and subtle, thoughtful themes.
Gail Richmond, San Diego Unified Schools, CA
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 7-12. Saldana follows The Jumping Tree (2001) with a new collection of short stories, this one featuring adolescents involved in dramas about family, first dates, going to the prom, and getting expelled from school. Themes of honor, love, loyalty, and pride are explored in tightly written, engaging stories ranging from intensely serious to light and funny. All of the stories share the theme of self-discovery, and protagonists often find their way out of serious situations with subtle guidance from adults in their lives. In "Dive," Melly Otero has to decide whether to jump off a bridge, a rite of passage for youth in her town, and ultimately concludes that she has nothing to prove to anyone. In "Alternative," Arturo is expelled from school and sent to an Alternative Center where he writes his autobiography and discovers other options for his life. An excellent collection of coming-of-age stories that will appeal to readers struggling to find their own way in life. Ed Sullivan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Library Binding: 128 pages
• Publisher: Wendy Lamb Books (March 11, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385900775
• ISBN-13: 978-0385900775
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.7 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #903,842 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Finding Our Way, July 26, 2004

By 

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

This review is from: Finding Our Way (Hardcover)

Whether they take place in a Georgia town or in Texas on the Mexican border, the short stories in FINDING OUR WAY will introduce readers to some very interesting people. Among them are Chuy, who is determined to get kicked out of school; Melly, who is determined to be the first girl to take the Dive; and Andy and Ruthie, who find that being a couple takes on different meaning on the night of their school prom. The last story involves a shocking and unfortunate tragedy that will bring everyone in the community closer together.

These educational and bold stories take twisting turns, and they always seem to have a lesson. You should read this book because some of the lessons you will learn could be very useful later in your life.

--- Reviewed by Ashley Hartlaub

5.0 out of 5 stars Finding Our Way, April 16, 2004

By 

Olivia Diaz - See all my reviews

This review is from: Finding Our Way (Hardcover)

Saldana's Finding Our Way is a collection of short stories that relate to young adults having to mature quickly and live life as it comes. Each character develops in their own unique way when dealing with daily dramas regarding love, death, pride and ethics. Through these short stories the reader can appreciate the importance of parents and family figures. In "Chuy's Beginnins" Chuy is a young boy who constantly gets in trouble at school to draw the attention he does not get at home. Being so used to always getting his way;he is strongly disturbed and becomes a different person when he creates a confrontation he cannot solve between his principal and teacher. Having to prove something to oneself by doing something dangerous is most common when young. The tricky part is how you manage the situation. "The Dive" is a great example of what many young adults go through in life. In this story Melly is a young girl who speaks her mind out loud and feels like she must prove her self to be a grown woman by jumping off a bridge. With the help of Mama Tochi and her cuentos, "stories that somehow served as life lessons", Melly finds her way through her troubles. most characters in the collection have positive outcomes; Saldana adds a twist to the collection in the story "Manny Calls". Manny is ayoung adult who is portrayed as a mysterious, isolated person who is away from home and loses his one and only confidant. The dath of his grandfather and the lack of attention and moral support from others keep him from wanting to face reality. After two years of calling his grandfather's old phone number it finally gets reassigned and Manny finds himself trying to figure out a new way to communicate with his dead grandfather. Saldana's collecion of short stories obtain a significant message within that allow young and mature readers to discover, reminisce and appreciate the imprtance of role models and moral support.

4.0 out of 5 stars Straight from the border, March 30, 2004

By 

David Amador (Rio Grande Valley, Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Finding Our Way (Hardcover)

"Finding Our Way" exemplifies the true meaning of living as true Latino/Hispanics in America. The author, Rene Saldana sets the stage by talking about true stories that actually makes the reader feel at home especially in Chapter 4, "Los Twelve Days of Christmas." The true minority groups still remains with these "Latino students" who find themselves surrounded by the upper scale of minority teachers, who themselves segregate themselves from teaching these teenagers about "chances" in life. Instead, these two teachers decide that it is best "not to give these teenagers a chance" at the end.
"Inspiring" and "Worth Reading"....