I am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter

What I loved best about this hilarious, yet sobering story of a Latina teen walking through her last year of high school was the author’s use of so many Spanish words and *dichos common in the lingo of Mexicans. Julia Reyes is a teenager living in Chicago when her perfect sister Olga is mowed down by a semi-truck. So begins the story of this angst ridden teen who feels unloved by her parents, pissed off at most of her teachers and depressed at her economic prospects for getting through her last year of high school. Her raw anger and critical mindset rattled me just a little. (Julia definitely wouldn’t like me!). But as I read this part mystery involving Olga’s secret life and part coming of age story I grew to admire Julia’s incredible *ganas for life. Most intriguing was exploring the idea that Mexican parents don’t allow their daughters out of the house and demand perfection and absolute commitment to family. Author Erika L. Sanchez wonderfully portrays an example of a Mexican household reflecting common conflicts between mothers and daughters straddling two cultures. I also found myself thinking hard about the relationship between depression and poverty, knowing Julia will be ok, but others may not be. *Roughly translated dichos are sayings, expressions; ganas is desire, ambition.