They Call Me Guero

They Call Me Guero
The Truth About Twinkie Pie

Juvenile fiction
Guero, 12, narrator of David Bowles' They Call Me Guero, is
growing up in a border town. He speaks Spanish and English and feels
at home on both sides of the border. He loves his family, the
traditions passed down on both sides, and his close knit community.
He does not like the checkpoints they must constantly pass through.
Guero is one of a group of derds (diverse nerds). They're into
comics, books, and gaming. They call themselves The Bookworm Squad.
Much of their time they hang out together and try their best to avoid
bullies. Guero seems to have caught a cute girl's eye.
Although many of Guero's experiences are similar to those of
most readers, there are several points at which he alludes to darker
issues. He offers to tutor a new boy from Honduras and learns that he
and his family had to flee through Mexico, riding precariously on top
of la Bestia (a train). A wheel cut his brother's leg off.
Then there's the trip to a playoff game when his sister's team
makes the cut. When they pull ahead fans of the other team begin
behaving very badly.
"'Go back wetbacks! Build that wall!'
Adults and teens begin to call.
A sea of white faces, twisted in rage
Like all the brown bodies are there to invade."
With its very relatable protagonist They Call Me Guero is a
great way of introducing younger readers to the complexities of life
at our nation's southern border.

"...We don't talk about it to anyone. But if we did, I guess
most people would be wondering what millionaires living on the North
Shore of Long Island are doing in a one-bedroom apartment above the
salon where Didi cuts hair. Going about life like we're still in that
trailer park back in South Carolina."
Gigi, protagonist of Kat Yeh's The Truth About Twinkie Pie, lost
her mother as a baby when their trailer burned down. All she and her
big sister/guardian, Didi, have of hers is her beloved recipe book.
After Didi won a lot of money in a cooking contest the sisters moved
to New York. Didi desperately wants Gigi to have the opportunities
for a good education and a career she had to forgo, dropping out of
school to parent her sibling. Every cent possible must go toward that.
For the most part Gigi finds her new middle school fine. She
has friends. A really cute boy seems to like her. The only fly in
the ointment is Mace, a mean girl classmate who never passes up an
opportunity to insult her.
So can you imagine how Gigi feels when Didi and Mace bond over a
haircut? Didi has always pushed Gigi to excel, never letting her hang
around her workplace or get close. Now she's hanging out with and
mentoring her rich, snobby nemesis. Talk about no fair!
What makes this fine coming of age narrative even better is the
recipes interspersed with the chapters. Of course I had to try some
out. Mmm, mmm good, especially the twinkie pie!
On a purrrsonal note, my weekend was good for a pandemic. It was
mostly homework, housework, writing reviews for my blog, cooking...
But I got an unexpected treat when Saturday afternoon was unexpectedly
warm and sunny enough for me to read outside. (Jules)
I wish I could go outside. My hoomans say outside is too dangerous.
So why do they go out? (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to you, dear readers, with hopes that
you had a safe and happy weekend!
Tobago and Jules Hathaway






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