The Circuit, by Francisco Jimenez

Jimenez, Francisco (1997). The circuit. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press.

ISBN:9780826317971

Summary:  Jimenez's childhood memories as a child migrant farm-workers inspired The Circuit, a heart-wrenching tale of a Mexican family who crossed the border illegally to increase their opportunities in the U.S. only to attain a life of seasonal migrations.  Just as a new camp begins to feel like home and just as he makes friends at school where he can't speak the language, his hard-working parents load up the jalopy to move along "the circuit" for the next harvest.  Living in extreme privation and poverty, his parents and older brother, who often sacrifices school to help pick crops, break their backs to work in the fields all day while living in constant fear of "la migra". 

Additional comments:  Recounted with deep love and tenderness, The Circuit is a must-read to develop compassion for and an understanding of the harsh realities faced by undocumented agricultural laborers.

Suckerpunch by David Hernandez

Hernandez, David (2008). Suckerpunch. New York: Harperteen. 

Summary: 17-year-old Marcus harbors deep hatred for his father who used to beat up his younger brother, Enrique, before eventually leaving the family.  Upon hearing that their father intends to return to the family, Marcus and Enrique, accompanied by friends, drive from Southern California to Monterey with a gun, planning to scare their father.  

Additional comments: Suckerpunch, the first novel by poet David Hernandez of Long Beach, California, strikes the reader with realistically harsh dialogue, detailed drug and alcohol experiences, explicit sexual fantasies, and violent physical abuse.  A few of the main characters are Latino, but Suckerpunch will appeal to any teen who enjoys a fast-moving plot with a lot of dialogue, who has wrestled with the morality of retribution, and who has suffered from depression, boredom, and anger.

Babylon Boyz by Jess Mowry

Mowry, Jess (1997, 1999). Babylon Boyz. New York: Aladdin Paperbacks. 

Summary:  The Babylon Boyz are three best friends in Oakland, California, who are outcasts at high school:  Pook for being gay, Dante for a weak heart in need of an operation, and Wyatt for his obesity.  The boys, who mostly get back without adults, befriend Radji, a homeless kid, and Jinx, who is in rehab for crack.  When they stumble upon a suitcase full of cocaine near the docks, they are divided about what to do.  On one hand, if they sell it, the large sum of money would provide them with choices and opportunities, such as Dante's greatly needed and expensive heart surgery, medical school for Pook, and ultimately a way out of "Babylon" where they feel trapped.  On the other hand, they could flush the coke down the toilet and spare the community from the drug that is destroying them.

Additional comments: A vivid and emotionally gripping portrayal of life for young, intelligent men of color who are marginalized and limited by poverty and racism.  Without parents, they lean on each other for support and love.  The male characters are at times hard-edged and others vulnerable and sensitive and despite arguments, always loyal to each other in the end.