Estrella Alvarez is turning fifteen, and she's not happy about it. For as long as she can remember, her mother has been planning an elaborate quinceañera, complete with a mariachi band, cheesy decorations, and a hideous dress. Estrella is so over it. She'd much rather have an understated dinner party at a posh restaurant downtown -- that way, she can invite her two best friends from private school, who have no idea Estrella lives in the barrio. Even though Estrella tries to keep her home life a secret from her school friends, things get even more complicated when she falls for Speedy, a cholo whom her new friends -- and her parents -- would definitely disapprove of.Caught between her family's wishes and the allure of her sophisticated friends, Estrella is forced to make some tough choices. This funny, touching book follows one girl's struggle to figure out who she really wants to be. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.

First-time author Alegria delivers an upbeat story about the joys and frustrations of being almost 15 and straddling two cultures. Estrella lives with her tightly knit Mexican-American family in San Jose's barrio. Her mother is in the midst of planning Estrella's quincea?era, a cultural tradition for girls turning 15 that publicly acknowledges their entrance into womanhood. (The heroine, however, has a different take on it: "The way I see it, it's just a lame party with cheesy music and puffy princess dresses.") Estrella, who narrates, agrees to a "small" party, but her mother spins out-of-control, planning the biggest quincea?era in the history of the barrio. Estrella, meanwhile, has begun attending a private school (on scholarship) and feels ashamed of her background. She calls herself Star (the English translation of her name) and yearns for a life like that of her wealthy classmates, Christie and Sheila. When Speedy, a former classmate from the barrio, pursues Estrella, she becomes confused. Being with Speedy, Estrella can be herself, something she finds impossible around Christie and Sheila. After a humiliating experience at Christie's party, Estrella finally embraces her heritage, and two old friends help her plan a small quincea?era. At times the dialogue grows preachy, and Christie and Sheila's approval of Estrella seems out of character. However, teens will identify with Estrella's struggle to accept herself. Readers who enjoyed Viola Canales's The Tequila Worm may well be drawn to Alegria's colorful descriptions of life in the barrio and her fluid use of Spanish words throughout the narrative. Ages 12-up. (Apr.) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information. From: Reed Elsevier Inc. Copyright Reed Business Information

Gr 5-10-Estrella Alvarez is finally getting her life together. She has earned a scholarship to an elite private school in San Jose and made friends with some of the wealthy girls. Now, however, she is ashamed of her mother and her home, and has dropped her former best friends. To make things worse, her mother and T'a Lucky are insisting on going through with her quincea-era, complete with mariachi band and puffy-sleeved orange dress. She has fallen for Speedy, a classmate from the barrio, but is forbidden to see him. As the plans for the party progress, Estrella's world implodes as she alienates her family and friends with half-truths and deceptions. It is left to her to cobble together a quincea-era, be proud of her heritage, and still be true to herself. The plot is fast paced, with engaging and likable characters. The protagonist's search for identity and fight for independence from her loving but strict family are wrought with humor, yet remain poignant and true. The tone of the book is light, but the teen's journey through the maze of culture and class is deftly handled.-Melissa Christy Buron, Epps Island Elementary, Houston, TX Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information. From: Reed Elsevier Inc. Copyright Reed Business Information

Gr. 7-10. Estrella is mortified when plans begin for her fifteenth-birthday celebration . She envisions a large, tacky celebration and a gaudy, fufu rufu gown. Even worse, her damas (female escorts) are bitter childhood friends who accuse Estrella of abandoning them since she won a scholarship to a private school in the ritziest neighborhood in San Jose. Then Estrella falls for Speedy, a former grade-school classmate who is also Mexican American, and she feels increasingly conflicted as she moves between her wealthy school friends and the one big crazy family of her barrio. The ending ties things up a bit too neatly, but in her first novel, Alegria writes about Mexican American culture, first love, family, and of moving between worlds with poignant, sharp-sighted humor and authentic dialogue. Teens of all backgrounds will see themselves in Estrella's struggle to discover herself and to stand firm against outside expectations. A laugh-out-loud Spanglish glossary concludes. Also suggest Nancy Osa's Cuba 15 (2003). --Gillian Engberg Copyright 2006 Booklist From: Syndetics Solutions, Inc. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.