Cuba 15, by Nancy Osa

Osa, Nancy (2003). Cuba 15. New York: Delacorte Press.

ISBN: 9780385732338 / 0-385-73233-3

Summary:  First time novelist Nancy Osa relates a light-hearted and entertaining coming-of-age novel about 15-year-old Violet Paz, whose Cuban grandmother insists on throwing a quinceanero—a traditional celebration to mark a girl’s transition to womanhood. Violet, whose father is Cuban and whose mother is Polish, initially opposes the festivity, feeling out of touch with her Cuban roots and reproachful of having to wear a fancy dress. But, she concedes to appease her abuela. 

Additional Comments:  Osa draws partially from her own experiences connecting with her Cuban heritage to create Violet, a spunky, comical American adolescent who is introduced to family customs and history and is developing a stronger sense of cultural identity. Female readers will particularly relate with Violet’s feelings towards friendships and family relationships while learning about Cuban culture and history.

Weetzie Bat, by Francesca Block

Block, Francesca Lia (1989). Weetzie Bat. New York: HarperCollins Publisher.  

ISBN: 9780060736255 / 0-06-073625-9

Summary: Weetzie Bat's life changes when she becomes friends with Dirk, "the best-looking guy at school". This is the first book in a series that follows their adventures in Los Angeles as they create a home with Weetzie's boyfriend, My Secret Agent Lover Man,--a movie director--and Dirk's partner, Duck.  

Additional Comments: Written with simple language and subtle poetry that moves quickly yet is emotionally charged. Readers will enjoy a glimpse into this alternative L.A. lifestyle.

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, by Ann Brashares

Brashares, Ann (2001). The Sisterhood of the traveling pants. New York: Delacorte Press. 

Summary: Four best girlfriends spend their first summer apart from each other. On the eve of their separation, they ceremoniously designate a pair of "magical" jeans that fit all four of them perfectly as a way to connect them despite the distance.  They agree to take turns wearing the jeans and to mail the jeans along with a letter.  The story follows different plot lines to follow each girl's adventures:  Bridget falls for a soccer coach at her camp in Mexico, Lena tries to avoid a handsome young Greek man while staying with her grandparents in Greece, Tibby stays home in Washington, D.C. to work at a drugstore and surprises herself by befriending a young girl who is dying of leukemia, and Carmen's greatly anticipated summer alone with her bachelor father in Charleston is destroyed when she learns upon her arrival that her father is engaged and is living with his new fiancee and her two children.  

Additional comments:  Don't be turned off by the silly and melodramatic list of rules for the jeans at the beginning.  This "chick lit" gets better as it goes until you're flipping through the pages without pause and with tears streaming down your cheeks.  The well-developed characters show raw emotions and unpredictable behaviors as they are put into sad, challenging situations. Readers can continue on the characters' journeys by reading the three sequels in this series and catching the recent movie versions on DVD.

Sloppy Firsts, by Megan McCafferty

McCafferty, Megan (2001). Sloppy firsts. New York: Three Rivers Press. 

Summary: Jessica Darling is devastated that her best friend, Hope, moved away from Pineville, New Jersey shortly after her brother's drug overdose.  Jessica struggles with intense emotions and depression as her relationship with her family is strained, as she secretly loathes her friends at high school and chooses to sit with them in high school only to avoid being alone, and as she harbors a strong crush on an upperclassman on her track team. Her life takes a bizarre upswing when she begins a secret friendship with a "Dreg", who was friends with Hope's older brother.

Additional comments:  Jessica is an intelligent girl who wallows in her misery that her best friend is no longer in her everyday life, and she feels misunderstood and excluded by everyone else, particularly her family.  Jessica must come to terms with the way others--and herself--can be fake to others and can, thereby, be hurtful.  You might as well find a copy of the sequel, Second Helpings, because their is no real resolution at the end, only another dissatisfying problem.