From the jacket of the book:
A kid named Vanesa breaks the news to Piddy Sanchez during the first few weeks at her new high school. t her new high school.
“Yaqui Delgado wants to kick your ass.”
But who is Yaqui Delgado? Piddy has no idea – or any idea what she’s done to piss her off.
At first, Piddy is more concerned with trying to find out more about the father she has never met and how to balance her honors classes and weekend job at the neighborhood hair salon. But as the drama escalates, avoiding Yaqui and her gang starts to take its toll. Is there a way for Piddy to survive without closing herself off or running away? How does anyone survive bullying?
This book starts off with a bang and keeps going as we read about Piddy Sanchez. She goes from straight A honor student to scared and desperate over the course of weeks as she is harassed, threatened and bullied by Yaqui Delgado. Piddy is sure that if she takes the high road she will be able to avoid the drama that she is being dragged into but she’s considered not Latina enough (she ‘s Cuban and Dominican yet referred to as “white”) she’s new to school and feeling displaced as her best friend has moved away and has a new life and friends and is just trying to be a good girl for her mother, who harbors a secret about Piddy’s father.
I would recommend this book for anyone who may have become a target of a bully. Piddy tries to employ common sense and reason as she deals with the misguided anger of Yaqui but time after time she is treated as if she were the problem and her actions resulted in sigh worthy consequences. The mom in me wanted to grab Piddy by the shoulders and demand that she share her secrets with her mother, single mother Clara, who wants her daughter to be more than a chusma and have a better life. Even Clara’s close family friend and confidant, Lila, can’t get Piddy to crack and tell her mother what is going on. Recalling my days as a teen, I remembered how tight-lipped I was with my mom even when things were going great and allowed myself to relax as I read.
While reading I felt myself holding my breath hoping that Piddy would be able to come up with a strategy to best Yaqui. Supporting characters in the book add some relief from Piddy’s harassment and gave some space to her interactions to Yaqui and the troubles she was having in school.
Relating this to real life, I wonder if I will be a bit more sensitive with the children I come on contact with daily if they have a similar struggle?
Get your own copy of Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass using my Affiliate Link and let me know what you think. It’s a great read and allows for some frank discussion.
-r
r’s note: Affiliate links are used in this post.
Thanks for this book review! Would you saw it’s a book for teenagers who tend to struggle with school/college experiences? 🙂 xx
This sounds like a really cool book to check out, especially since I’m almost done with my current book.
Oh man, high school drama. I don’t miss it – especially when it involves bullying of some sort. Back in the day, that’s not what we called it, but it’s so hard for kids these days.
I just don’t remember bullies when I went to school. Maybe back then we didn’t call them bullies. I know when I got out into the working world, there were sure bullies there.
We have been lucky to not have to deal with bullies. Im glad that i didnt grow up with such the bulling these kids have to!
Books like these can be a good help for kids in need of help moving from one neighborhood to another.
oh that sounds like such an emotional book to read. I think it could really help those who are struggling with being the target of bullying.
I want to read this one just based on the title. I love that it is bringing awareness to the issues of bullying.
Bullying has always been around-just not quite as much-or maybe it is because people are speaking out about it more now-this sounds like a good book-on my TBR list
The book cover is awesome! Sounds like a good read, especially for kids that want to move on from similar experiences.
Anything that would help children learn the consequences of bullying is good in my book!
Sounds like a great book! I will definitely have to check it out! Thanks for sharing!
I can feel my heartstrings being tugged on already and I haven’t even started reading yet. It sounds well worth it.
I think this is probably a must read for anyone by the sound of it bullying can be an awful awful thing and its so sad that it effects so many x
I’ve heard about this book. Some people had an issue with the title but I heard the story line is a good one. Gotta check it out
I'm so happy awareness towards bullying has gotten credibility in the last few years. Books like this surely help.
This would be a good read for me to share with my children when they are older. Thank you for showing some light on this one.
Great book review of Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass. You made it sound very entertaining.
I have not heard about this but agree that bullying needs to be addressed.
Haha I had to laugh at the name of the book. This is a book that needs to be promoted more. With so much instances of bullying going around there needs to be more awareness out there.
This would be an eye opening story into the world of bullying
There absolutely needs to be more awareness of bullying. There have been too many heart breaking stories of teens committing suicide because they were bullied.
This looks like something I need to check out!
I've been one of those who were bullied growing up, so this book might hit home when i read it.
I actually love the title to this book and I would be interested in reading this. I worked with high school students for over 20 years and dealt with bullying issues quite a bit.
I think this is a book that my middle school students would really relate to. It is definitely not an easy age, especially when one is being bullied too.
Wow, this actually seems to be an inspiring read. 🙂
WOW both my daughter and son were bullied growing up, as was I. This really hits home!
This sounds like a really great read on the subject of bullying!
This definitely sounds like a very interesting book! I’m going to have to get me a copy – thanks for sharing!
This looks like an interesting book. I hate how bullying is such a problem today.
Any book about bulling is worth reading, we need to help kids understand and make it STOP.. I will share the book with my friends and their kids..thanks for sharing; loved your review..
This is a great review, simple and to the point.
You just made me want to read it.
This book sounds fun. I think I’m going to read it. Anything about “ass-kickin” is right up my alley. LOL