Gary Soto

A sweetly humorous middle grade novel packed with action, basketball, and a dash of magical realism about friendship and family, first crushes, and belonging, from acclaimed author Gary Soto. Thirteen-year-old Jordan Mendoza has a huge crush on his classmate, Sierra, but he’s never going to...

Chato can't believe his luck. Not only is he the coolest low-riding cat in East L.A., but his brand-new neighbors are the plumpest, juciest, tastiest-looking family of mice to move into the barrio in a long time. So Chato and his best friend, Novio Boy, get out the pots and pans, the tortillas...

In this lively collection of short essays, Soto recreates in vivid detail the sights, sounds, smells, and textures he knew growing up in his Fresno, California, neighborhood....

To get away from his chaotic, often violent parents, 17-year-old Jesse has moved into an apartment with his brother. They are both taking community college courses in Fresno. But to pay for them, they must take whatever jobs they can find, even backbreaking field work. The path to a good...

Lincoln is happy to be going to Japan as a martial arts exchange student. So is Tony, his barrio brother from San Francisco....

In Petty Crimes, Soto offers 10 stories about the risky situations and dangerous little scams faced by young people growing up on the harsh streets of the city....

Eighth-grader Linc Mendoza has moved from a dusty San Francisco barrio to a well-groomed suburb. Suddenly he's in the minority, a Mexican-American in a mostly white school....

Chato decides to throw a birthday party - a 'pachanga' - for his best friend....