Told in both English and Spanish, Sisters/Hermanas tells of Rosa, a fourteen-year-old illegal immigrant from Mexico City, and Traci, a fourteen-year-old from the suburbs of Houston. "Paulsen has done a masterful job of creating two well-developed, believable characters trapped in environments where the elements of beauty, youth, and popularity have the highest value, and are deemed essential to survival. This is an absorbing tale that rings all too true with real-life pressures and stressful situations that present no easy choices."--VOYA Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.

Poetically wrought, this novel reveals the parallels in the seemingly disparate circumstances of Rosa, an illegal immigrant-turned-prostitute, and Traci, a popular junior-high student preparing for cheerleader tryouts. Appropriately enough, the girls' story is told in both their native languages: upon finishing the tale in English, bilingual readers can flip the slim volume over and reread the story in a Spanish translation. Though the 14-year-old protagonists' ethnic and economic backgrounds are very different, the two girls are connected by their obsession with beauty. For Rosa, expensive clothes and a perfect body are requirements of the job she detests. Traci (coached by her mother) has come to believe that flawless beauty is the key to happiness. Although Traci, surrounded by wealth and comfort, is seemingly successful in her endeavors, the tragic elements of her life are no less chilling than the grim fate of Rosa, who is eventually apprehended by the police. Dark in its criticism of American values and its depiction of young women trained to please others, this book, easily read in one sitting, succeeds in narrowing cultural gaps as it portrays the awakenings of two kindred spirits. Ages 12-up. (Nov.) From: Reed Elsevier Inc. Copyright Reed Business Information

Gr 8-12-Rosa is 14. She lives in Houston, Texas. She has dreams and aspirations. She is an illegal alien, and a prostitute. Traci is also 14. She, as well, lives in Houston, the privileged child of wealthy parents. With her huge wardrobe, social graces, and continual coaching from her mother, she is headed for success. Indeed, she has no option. She, too, is subjected to a form of prostitution that denies her any real determination of her own. The narrative engineers a brief meeting between the two girls as Rosa flees the police in a mall. In the space of a few seconds, Traci realizes her kinship with this unknown Hispanic girl, a kinship that is quickly denied and buried by her mother as Rosa is dragged away by security guards. Alternating chapters tell the story of each adolescent in an authoritative third-person voice. Certainly a good discussion starter, the book is nonetheless didactic. The English prose is spare, and the message apparent from the opening of the second chapter, in which Traci is introduced. The parallels drawn between the two girls are too emphatic for the slight story to carry without stress. The Spanish version is a direct, workmanlike translation of the English. It tells the same story, but with little grace. Given the sociological nature of the text, this might be a better choice for high school social-studies classes than for literature study or pleasure reading.-Ann Welton, Terminal Park Elementary School, Auburn, WA From: Reed Elsevier Inc. Copyright Reed Business Information

Gr. 8-10. Paulsen tells the stories of two 14-year-old girls in a Texas town: Rosa, an illiterate, illegal immigrant from Mexico who earns money by selling herself on the streets, and bleached white-blonde Traci, taught from toddlerhood that "appearance was everything," and whose entire life at the moment hinges on getting on the cheerleading squad. The two girls encounter each other in the mall where Rosa is hiding from security police and Traci and her mother are shopping. In the instant that the girls' eyes meet--in "literally a heartbeat"--Traci sees Rosa for what she is and realizes, "We are the same." If it doesn't hit you immediately, you soon know that Traci has had an instant epiphany of sorts as she is struck by the fact that both she and the terrified girl are selling themselves. The tale unfolds in alternating narratives that focus on each of the girls. The telling is pretentious and self-consciously Hemingwayesque. Rosa's is the more poignant and convincing narrative, as you watch her keep count of her money and lay out her clothes for the night's work, always aware that Jesus wouldn't like what she's doing, but it's the only way she can send money home. Traci is a less-realized character; perhaps it's because her superficial mother has brainwashed her into being too superficial to have a personality. The book is short and bilingual--the English version begins from one side, a fluid Spanish translation from the other. (Reviewed Jan. 1, 1994)0152753230Sally Estes From: Syndetics Solutions, Inc. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.