Language: R (30+ swears, 3 “f”); Mature Content: PG-13 (strip search mentioned, mentions a girl pregnant at 15yo); Violence: R (grooming, rape by a trusted adult mentioned)
BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL
APPEALS TO: SEVERAL
At even a young age, Kristy impressed a high school track coach with her speed. Life as a chica in a Texas border town is not easy, however. Tension between Kristy and her Mama can flare badly - once ending in Kristy spending 2 weeks in custody. And her Mama has never recovered from trauma inflicted on her the time she was kidnapped and Kristy had only 24 hours to raise the $40K ransom. Kristy struggles to find coaches who will believe in her and help her fulfil her dreams of riding hurdles events to a college scholarship - and the coach she does find for her final high school years, grooms her for sexual abuse as he also coaches her to success. The hurdles Kristy’s life has placed in front of her may be more than she can actually surmount.
Compelling, dramatic, I can see students sharing this book with each other. The parts about grooming by her coach and about the other coaches undermining her because of their jealousy are especially valuable to any young person who wants to understand a little more about what dangers might be out in the wide world. I appreciated Ms. Gonzalez’s bravery in exposing her story to the world.
Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS
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