In Gary Soto's acclaimed short story collection, the small events of daily life reveal big themes?love and friendship, youth and growing up, success and failure.

Calling on his own experiences of growing up in California's Central Valley, Soto brings to life the joy and pain of young people everywhere.

From crooked teeth, ponytailed girls, and embarrassing grandfathers to annoying brothers, Little League tryouts, and karate lessons, Soto writes about everyday life with humor and empathy. This moving collection?an ALA Best Book for Young Adults, Booklist Editors' Choice, and Horn Book Fanfare Selection?expresses the truths of growing up.

"[Soto's] sensitivity to young people's concerns and his ability to portray the world as it is perceived by children is nothing less than remarkable." ?Los Angeles Times Book Review

Plus don't miss Gary Soto's Local News, which The Horn Book called a "first-rate collection from a perceptive and sensitive chronicler of ordinary life."