{"product_id":"cuba-15-9780385732338","title":"Cuba 15","description":"\u003cb\u003eFor fans of Matt de la Peña and Sandra Cisneros comes a novel about family and identity, where Violet Paz prepares for her \u003cb\u003equinceañero and \u003c\/b\u003elearns about her Cuban heritage.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e Violet Paz has just turned fifteen, a pivotal birthday in the eyes of her Cuban grandmother. Fifteen is the age when a girl enters womanhood, traditionally celebrating the occasion with a quinceañero.\u003cbr\u003e But while Violet is half Cuban, she's also half Polish, and more importantly, she feels 100% American. Except for her zany family's passion for playing dominoes, smoking cigars, and dancing to Latin music, Violet knows little about Cuban culture, nada about quinces, and only tidbits about the history of Cuba.\u003cbr\u003e So when Violet begrudgingly accepts Abuela's plans for a quinceañero-and as she begins to ask questions about her Cuban roots-cultures and feelings collide. The mere mention of Cuba and Fidel Castro elicits her grandparents'sadness and her father's anger. Only Violet's aunt Luz remains open-minded.\u003cbr\u003e With so many divergent views, it's not easy to know what to believe. All Violet knows is that she's got to form her own opinions, even if this jolts her family into unwanted confrontations. After all, a quince girl is supposed to embrace responsibility-and to Violet that includes understanding the Cuban heritage that binds her to a homeland she's never seen. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\"\u003cb\u003eViolet's hilarious cool first-person narrative veers between farce and tenderness, denial and truth\u003c\/b\u003e.\"--\u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e, Starred Review \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\"This funny and tender chronicle of Violet's 15th year...\u003cb\u003e[has] heart and humor.\u003c\/b\u003e\"-\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\"\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eCuba 15\u003c\/i\u003e will make readers laugh, whether or not their families are as loco as Violet's.\u003c\/b\u003e\"--\u003ci\u003eThe Horn Book Magazine \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\"\u003cb\u003eOsa's tale about a warmhearted, fun-loving family, \u003c\/b\u003e a teenager's typical ambivalence about different cultures, the stress of dealing with high school demands and pressures, a budding romance, and how an imaginative, high-spirited young woman handles some thorny issues and does some growing up in the process, \u003cb\u003erings true and makes for an entertaining story.\u003c\/b\u003e\"-\u003ci\u003eVOYA\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"\u003cb\u003eThe characters are so charming\u003c\/b\u003e that while readers are in their company, the experience is interesting and engaging.\"-\u003ci\u003eSLJ\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003eA Pura Belpré Honor Book\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003eAn ALA Notable Book\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003eAn ALA Best Book for Young Adults\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003eA \u003ci\u003eBooklist \u003c\/i\u003eTop Ten Youth First Novels\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Ember\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 03\/08\/2005\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9780385732338\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 304\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.56lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 8.05h x 5.18w x 0.66d\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReview Citations: \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003ci\u003eKliatt\u003c\/i\u003e 05\/01\/2005 pg. 30\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e 04\/04\/2005 pg. 62\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003ePW Notes and Reprints\u003c\/i\u003e 04\/04\/2005 pg. 62\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAccelerated Reader Quiz #\/Name: \u003c\/b\u003e74753 \/ Cuba 15\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eReading Level:\u003c\/b\u003e 4.9 \/ \u003cb\u003eInterest Level:\u003c\/b\u003e Upper Grade \/ \u003cb\u003ePoint Value:\u003c\/b\u003e 9\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Nancy Osa","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51844078338229,"sku":"9780385732338","price":8.49,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0473\/0804\/6492\/files\/img_abdbc2f5-9d64-4ab3-9fd2-1b2ba2f92915.jpg?v=1759849160","url":"https:\/\/pastforward.org\/products\/cuba-15-9780385732338","provider":"Past Forward","version":"1.0","type":"link"}