Lulu and Milagro's Search for Clarity

YA fiction 

     If you have at least one sister or brother you know that sibling relationships can be complicated.  This is made quite clear in Angela Velez's Lulu and Milagro's Search for Clarity.  Sisters Lulu and Milagro were very close as children.  But now in high school they're about as far apart as possible.  Lulu is the socially awkward high achieving pride of St. Agnes High School.  Her ambitions are sky high and include being a Stanford University High School Summer Scholar.  Milagro is the popular, stylish sibling who has trouble keeping her grades up and avoiding detention.

     Not physically with them but nevertheless omnipresent is big sister Clara, a first generation first year college student.  At the end of winter break she had had a huge fight with their mother who is now pressuring Lulu to stay home for the summer and aim for a college within commuting distance.

     The girls, .not surprisingly, have quite different plans for their week long school break.  Lulu is going on her school's college road trip, hoping to ace an interview for the summer program and discover the reason for the fight that seems to be limiting her opportunities.  Milagro plans to lose her virginity to her hunky boyfriend while her mother is with her aunt at a religious retreat.

     But then Milagro unexpectedly ends up going on the trip which changes the week radically for both girls.

     Will Lulu achieve her goals? Might Milagro discover that she too has higher education potential?  Will the sisters' relationship begin to improve or totally tank?

     Well read the book and see for yourself.

On a purrrsonal note, I hope you had a wonderful weekend.  I sure did!  The highlight was Mother's Day.  Eugene took me for a ride.  We got breakfast and lunch out.  I saw Amber.  She gave me a book and a bunch of cool stickers.  I talked to Katie and Adam on the phone.  Eugene gave me a card "from me and the cat" with money.  And of course little Tobago was sweet and affectionate.  Who could ask for more?

A great big shout out goes out to my amazing family.

Jules Hathaway 

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