Books with author Sarah Cortez

From missing girls to kidnappings and dismembered bodies, the teens in this collection deal with every kind of mystery imaginable. A young girl finds herself living with her “family,” though she has no memory of them or who they claim she is. A geek at a prestigious public high school finds himself working with his very attractive arch-rival to solve the mystery of a severed, bloody arm that appears inexplicably in his locker. And Mike’s life sucks when his parents split up, but it gets worse when his best friend is abducted by a thug shot by Mike’s dad, a police officer.The teens in these stories deal with situations typical to all young adults, including attractions and first sexual encounters, problems with family and friends, aspirations for academic and personal excellence. Set in schools and communities from New York City to Venice Beach, California, there’s something here for everyone. With aliens, ghosts and even an Aztec goddess making appearances, these suspenseful stories by Latino writers will keep you hooked until the last page is turned.

When two gun-toting hoodlums tell the fourteen-year-old narrator of Rene Saldana's story, "The Right Size," to kiss the floor, he doesn't think twice. And his dad and younger brother drop to the floor just as quickly. "This guy Jimmy probably thinks Dad is the greatest threat among the three of us, but he's dead wrong. Dad couldn't hurt a bug," the boy thinks. In the ensuing twenty minutes, he learns that his dad isn't as weak as he thought, and in fact, his dad is willing to do whatever it takes to protect his family, even if it means killing someone.The teens featured in these stories deal with situations typical to all young adults, including attraction to the opposite sex--or to the same sex, in one story--and first sexual encounters, problems with family and friends, academic and personal aspirations. But they also deal with every kind of thrilling situation imaginable, from missing girls to kidnappings and dismembered bodies. A young girl finds herself living with her "family," though she has no memory of them or who they claim she is. A geek at a prestigious public high school finds himself working with his very attractive arch-rival to solve the mystery of a severed, bloody arm that appears inexplicably in his locker. And Mike's life sucks when his parents split up, but it gets worse when his best friend is abducted by a thug shot by Mike's dad, a police officer. There's something for everyone here, with aliens, ghosts and even an Aztec god making appearances in these stories.Set in schools and communities from New York City to Venice Beach, California, the protagonists reflect the breadth and diversity of the Latino authors included in this innovative collection. Published authors such as Mario Acevedo, Alicia Gaspar de Alba, Diana Lopez and Sergio Troncoso appear alongside less well-known authors who deserve more recognition. With an introduction by young adult literature expert Dr. James Blasingame of Arizona State University, this collection is sure to keep readers on the edge of their seats until the last page is turned.

“They never thought I would leave. I remember tia Olivia calling the house to let me know that I was betraying my family by leaving to study. But unlike both of my parents, I wasn’t leaving the country to let years pass before seeing my family again; and unlike my mother, I wasn’t leaving to get married.” In this short but powerful memoir, Marisol explains that she knew her departure for Yale would create conflict with her family, but she is surprised that her leaving leads to a bond with her parents that she could never have imagined. Marisol is one of thirty-six Latinos whose writings are included in this collection. They all uniquely document their struggles with the issues that young people encounter—friendship, death, anorexia, divorce, sexuality—but added to these difficulties are those specific to their ethnicity, such as adjusting to a new culture and language, and handling familial and cultural expectations that can limit their hopes and dreams but just as often enrich their lives.In one piece, a young woman muses about the safety in the hills of her native Honduras compared to the flat expanse of her new homeland: “When I venture back into these silver hills, no one can see where I’ve gone because of the curves of the winding streets. But when I walk the flat roads of America, people can watch me go, trace my path and witness the inevitable stumble.”These short essays written by young men and women from various Latino backgrounds—Mexican American, Puerto Rican, Dominican, Salvadoran—reflect the diversity of growing up Latino in the United States. Whether from a gay or straight, urban or rural, recent immigrant or third generation perspective, these illuminating pieces of memoir shine a light into the lives of young Hispanic adults.

An overview of Kwanzaa, from the origin of the celebration to how it is practiced today. Clear, interesting text and vibrant photos grab and hold readers' interest, and QR Codes in each chapter link to book-specific videos, activities, and more. Features include a table of contents, fun facts, a timeline, an infographic, Making Connections questions, a glossary, and an index. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. DiscoverRoo is an imprint of Pop!, a division of ABDO.