5 Cinco Puntos Press Books for Teens
By Paulina Ramirez, Layout by Zaira Aranda
Books have the power to transport the reader, and these next five YA novels are great for teens staying at home. With powerful messages and great representation, these #ownvoices books provide meaningful worlds to escape to.
The Everything I Have Lost by Sylvia Zeleny
Twelve-year-old Julia tells her diary everything about growing up in Juárez, which is in the midst of an overwhelming wave of violence, from child to young woman, Julia learns more than she ever wanted to know about her father, her city, and everything she has lost.
"Conveying the grim challenges Julia faces, Zéleny creates a fierce, funny, and full-of-feeling protagonist whose staccato diary entries pull the reader along." —PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
"Zéleny's prose is poignant and piercing in its honesty and humanity. A story that readers will not soon forget." —Barbara Moon, READING STYLE The Smell of Old Lady Perfume by Claudia Guadalupe Martinez
Chela Gonzales is ready to start the sixth grade with her best friend Nora, but everything changes when her father has a stroke. Chela begins the school year late, her best friend has left her for popular Camila and her grandmother’s old lady perfume sits with the worry and loss of the family. Also available in Spanish as Olor a perfume de viejita.
Texas Institute of Letters’ Best Young Adult Book Award
“The original title gives a glimpse of the poetic lines peppered throughout this poignant debut.” —LATINIDAD’S BEST OF 2008 AHGOTTAHANDLEONIT by Donovan Mixon
Seventeen-year-old Tim needs to pass his proficiency exam if he wants to move on to the next grade. Tim just wants his life to matter. But his good street cred and absent father keep his rage bubbling until he goes too far.
“An existential examination of the cycle of violence.” —KIRKUS REVIEWS
“A gritty novel with a relatable protagonist and lots of appeal.” —SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL
Eighteen-year-old Zach, although bright and a talented artist, is an alcoholic in rehab, instead of high school. He doesn’t remember how he got there and hopes to never know. With the help of his therapist Adam and roommate Rafael, Zach learns the painful but necessary work of remembering and recovering.
“A celebration of life and a song of hope in celebration of family and friendship, one that will resonate loud and long with teens.” —KIRKUS REVIEWS
“Benjamin Alire Saenz’s new novel is a gift of honesty and poetry and heart.” —Author Matt de la Peña Walking the Choctaw Road by Tim Tingle
“Oklahoma” comes from the Choctaw word “Okla Homma,” meaning “Red People.” Tim Tingle writes about his people, from Choctaw people living today, to historical accounts passed down from generations and stories arising from beliefs and myths.
“Poetic language and a compelling but quiet voice honor the Native American traditions for both the native and non-native reader.” —KIRKUS REVIEWS
“..A joy to read, embracing tribal traditions with wry humor, enhanced with liberal highlights of both energy and excitement.” —THE MIDWEST BOOK REVIEW
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