Finding Our Way: Stories

THESE STORIES TAKE the reader to meet mochos; cholos; Mr. and Mrs. Special; Manny with his mysterious phone calls; Melly, who dreams of being the first girl to take the Dive; Andy and Ruthie, who find that being “boyfriend-girlfriend” takes on new meaning the night of the prom; and Chuy, who seems determined to get kicked out of school. Each distinct voice shares secret thoughts that draw the reader into daily dramas of love, danger, loyalty, and pride. In the final story, a shocking tragedy reverberates through the barrio.“With this collection, Saldaña makes a significant contribution to the field of Latino short stories for young readers.”—VOYA, Starred“These powerfully written, provocative selections have universal appeal and subtle, thoughtful themes.”—School Library Journal“While much is revealed, just as much is implied, making the stories layered and rich while still rendering them accessible.”—The BulletinFrom the Hardcover edition.

Teen & Young Adult

Rene‚ Jr. Saldana

Social Issues

Perfection Learning

These lively stories follow Rey Castaneda from sixth through eighth grade in Nuevo Penitas, Texas. One side of Rey's family lives nearby in Mexico, the other half in Texas, and Rey fits in on both sides of the border. In Nuevo Penitas, he enjoys fooling around with his pals in the barrio; at school, he's one of the "A list" kids.As Rey begins to cross the border from childhood into manhood, he turns from jokes and games to sense the meaning of work, love, poverty, and grief, and what it means to be a proud Chicano-moments that sometimes propel him to show feelings un hombre should never express. It's a new territory where Rey longs to follow the example his hardworking, loving father has set for him.

The Jumping Tree: A Novel

Paw Prints

"Today is my birthday, and I am so excited. / One pinata filled with candy. / Two hours until the party. / Three tables set for all of the guests." Mateo counts to twelve as he anticipates the fun he'll have at his party!  There will be family, friends and lots of goodies for the children: tops, marbles and even toy cars! But before the children can hit the pinata, they will sing the birthday boy a song and enjoy eating a delicious cake. And then Mateo will be "the happiest boy in the whole wide world," because he gets to swing at the pinata first with everyone cheering him on: Dale! Dale! Dale!  Acclaimed kids' book author Rene Saldana, Jr. creates another winner with his first picture book, illustrated in vibrant colors by Carolyn Dee Flores, for children ages 4 to 8. Kids will relish practicing their counting skills while dreaming about hitting a pinata at their very own fun-filled fiesta.

Dale, Dale, Dale / Hit It, Hit It, Hit It: Una Fiesta de Numeros / A Fiesta of Numbers (English and Spanish Edition)

Children's Books

Early Learning

Pinata Books

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Books by Rene‚ Jr. Saldana