Pura Belpré Author Honor Book, 2019
ALSC Notable Children's Book, 2019
Walter Award Honor Book, 2019
Claudia Lewis Award for Excellence in Poetry, Bank Street 2019
NCTE 2019 Notable Verse Novels
Tomás Rivera Mexican American Children's Book Award
TIL Jean Flynn Award for Best Middle Grade Book 2018
School Library Journal's 2018 Best Books
Shelf Awareness 2018 Best Children's & Teen Books of the Year, Middle Grade
Twelve-year-old Güero is Mexican American, at home with Spanish or English and on both sides of the river. He's starting 7th grade with a woke English teacher who knows how to make poetry cool.
In Spanish, «Güero» is a nickname for guys with pale skin, Latino or Anglo. But make no mistake: our red-headed, freckled hero is puro mexicano, like Canelo Álvarez, the Mexican boxer. Güero is also a nerd--reader, gamer, musician--who runs with a squad of misfits like him, Los Bobbys. Sure, they get in trouble like anybody else, and like other middle-school boys, they discover girls. Watch out for Joanna! She's tough as nails.
But trusting in his family's traditions, his accordion and his bookworm squad, he faces seventh grade with book smarts and a big heart. Life is tough for a border kid, but Güero has figured out how to cope.
He writes poetry.
In Spanish, ""Güero"" is a nickname for guys with pale skin, Latino or Anglo. But make no mistake: our red-headed, freckled hero is puro mexicano, like Canelo Álvarez, the Mexican boxer. Güero is also a nerd--reader, gamer, musician--who runs with a squad of misfits like him, Los Bobbys. Sure, they get in trouble like anybody else, and like other middle-school boys, they discover girls. Watch out for Joanna! She's tough as nails.
But trusting in his family's traditions, his accordion and his bookworm squad, he faces seventh grade with book smarts and a big heart. Life is tough for a border kid, but Güero has figured out how to cope.
He writes poetry.
"
I begin to read everything