Will she find her voice?

I always like books written by Pam Munoz Ryan, and Becoming Naomi Leon was no exception.  Naomi and her brother Owen are being raised in the Avocado Acres Trailer Rancho by Gram, their loving guardian since their mother abandoned them years ago.  It's a happy life until their mom (now going by the new name of Skyla) unexpectedly shows up with her nasty boyfriend Clive; they're planning on taking Naomi (but not Owen) with them to Las Vegas to be a babysitter for Clive' daughter.  Skyla's obviously got a lot of problems, but she may legally be allowed to take Naomi.  Gram takes the kids - and the trailer - down to Mexico in search of the children's father, hoping he can help.  Naomi's feelings and effort to speak up for herself, her Mexican heritage that she learns more about, and the love and strength of those who truly care are richly and warmly described.  Will Naomi finally make her voice heard when she's in front of the judge?

"Race didn't used to matter..."

Black, White, Other by Joan Steinau Lester was fascinating and thought-provoking.  Nina is biracial, with a black dad and a white mom.  It didn't used to be a big deal, but now her parents are divorced, and it seems that family and friends are all making racial boundaries.  Where does Nina fit in?  She finds comfort and inspiration in a book her dad is writing about Sarah, Nina's great-great-grandmother who escaped slavery.  When Sarah has a frightening time running away herself, she realizes the difference between running to something - freedom - and running from something.  The author does an amazing job of getting inside a teenager's head with authentic thoughts, fears, and emotions.  Excellent.

Torn between two cultures

I could hardly put down The Queen of Water by Laura Resau and Maria Virginia Farinango, a novel based on the true story of the latter.  Virginia was born into the poor indigenas class of Ecuador.  When she is seven years old, she's sent to be the maid for a couple from the mestizos, or ruling class.  Even though she's promised pay, visits home, and an education, she receives none of this.  Fortunately, she's vivisima - very clever - and teaches herself to read and take advantage of the couple's prosperity.  But through the years, even though the wife beats her and the husband starts to behave inappropriately towards her, she's enjoying relative luxury.  What will she do when presented an opportunity to go home?  The ever-changing conflicts Virginia feels, trying to figure out who she is and where she fits in, are achingly described.  Older middle school students, especially those who might be parts of more than one culture, will easily be drawn into this incredible story.