MYP - Language A Summary: Violet Paz's Cuban grandmother is determined to make her submit to the traditional Cuban 15th birthday party symbolizing her blossoming into womanhood, an elaborate ritual in which Violet, who never wears dresses, must wear a frilly ruffled gown the color of Pepto-Bismol. Violet's mother is Polish and Violet feels completely American, and her father angrily refuses to talk about their Cuban heritage. Matters only worsen when Violet chooses to make her family the butt of the jokes in her school comedy monologue. It helps as she explores her Spanish roots when she realizes that her friends' families seem just as crazy, regardless of their cultural backgrounds. A 2004 American Library Association Notable Children's Book.

750L