Parents' Guide to

Mexican WhiteBoy

By Common Sense Media, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Emotional, violent story of teen looking for his identity.

Mexican WhiteBoy Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Community Reviews

age 14+

Based on 1 parent review

age 14+

Good multicultural title for high school boys

This book is the story of a boy who is struggling with his ethnic identity. He has a white mother and a Mexican father. Through his love of baseball, he makes friends and enemies and discovers a lot about himself and both of his families. I would recommend this book for a high school reader, it is important to know what all children are going through in their lives, not just the life they know. The author based this book on his real life experiences.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1):
Kids say (5):

A biracial teen tries to get to know his Mexican side in this gritty coming-of-age story. In Mexican WhiteBoy, author Matt de la Peña creates a heartbreakingly sympathetic main character in Danny. Inside the boy's head, his pain is understandable, and his flailing efforts to fit in are typically and relatably adolescent. It's wonderful to observe all that Danny discovers about himself as he begins to connect with family and new friends. His tendency to turn his pain inward doesn't change, but everything looks brighter when he has friends. De la Peña is masterful in showing Danny's inner life transforming in subtle ways. Another wonderful aspect of la Peña's writing is his ability to describe sports and physical fights so that the reader can easily visualize the action.

Lacking in nuance, however, is the world de la Peña creates in National City, where Mexican Americans are portrayed as consuming excessive amounts of food, beer, and tequila, allowing their children to drink alcohol, and flying off the handle. This novel offers a tender portrayal of a teen's inner struggles, but a less sensitive view of Mexican American families.

Book Details

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