<p>Hilario has a problem. His girlfriend, Amelia, has given him an expensive present. He's flat broke and he's almost out of time. He can't put Amelia off much longer. He needs an idea. And he needs it fast. Hilario's cousin, Armando is full of advice. But is any of it good? Well, it's good for an adventure, anyway!</p>

Gardenias and Oranges (Read 180 Stage B)

Jo Ann Yolanda Hernández

scholastic

Homerun Hitter (Read 180 Stage A)

Three Naked Ladies Playing Cellos: An Arpeggio of Sixteen Unique Pieces

Lee Smith

Pat Brown

Terry Burns

B.J. Lawry

Mary Sullivan Esseff

Michael Ostlund

James Ross Wiley

Cindy Appel

Deb. Hartrum

Don Windle

Susan Shell Winston

Michelle Buckman

Douglas C. Smyth

Damnyankee.com

Jewel is shuttled from one foster home to another. But Jewel wasn’t always a "State Kid." Her mother Angela’s constant search for happiness through a steady stream of unsavory boyfriends leads to the state’s intervention in Jewel’s life. Listening to her new foster mother’s list of "nos"—no drugs, no lying, no stealing, no skipping school, no boys in or out of the house, no being late—Jewel realizes that her mother said "yes" a lot. Probably too much. She remembers saving Angela’s life when one of many boyfriends beat her, trying to hide another boyfriend's attempts to rape her when she was fourteen, and being sent to a foster home to please the latest boyfriend. But still, Jewel worries about her mother and knows that she will once again pick up the pieces when the latest jerk leaves. Bit by bit Jewel’s life begins to change for the better after her latest move to a new foster home and school. Although most people can’t see past her tough "State Kid" façade—spray-painted hair, heavy make-up, ripped clothing and unlaced shoes—her English teacher realizes there’s more to her then meets the eye. He convinces Jewel to tutor a fellow student who needs help with math, and gradually she learns how to make friends. In the process, she touches the lives of many people around her, including her social worker, teachers who believe in her, her new-found, tentative friends, and even their parents. But when she’s forced to choose between her life-long job—taking care of her mother"—and doing what’s right for herself, old habits and loyalties are hard to break. Jewel is sure that this time, she can save her mom. But will she be able to save herself?

The Throwaway Piece

Teen & Young Adult

Literature & Fiction

Arte Publico Press

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Books by Jo Ann Yolanda Hernández