Dolores has a chronic bladder condition called interstitial cystitis. It can be painful, and it can cause bladder leakage. At the end of eighth grade she suffers a humiliating incident in a classroom--she pees on the floor then slips and falls in it, giving herself a concussion. In her mind, and probably in reality, she has become a "contagious loser." It's the summer before high school and her best friend, Shae, has ghosted her. Dolores wants her friend back. And when she meets a homeschooled girl who wants to attend high school in spite of her autism and her mother's objections, she realizes that the two new friends might be able to help each other achieve their goals.
I love many things about this book, with the number one thing being that it is truly a book for teens ages 13-15, which is a rare thing in the publishing world today. Dolores is going into 9th grade and she thinks about topics such as whether her bladder condition will one day keep her from ever having sex. She connects with (and betrays) her new autistic friend and she wrestles with the end of her friendship with Shae. Her older brother, Mateo, is gay and it's not a problem for anyone. Her parents and aunt are key players in the story as well, and their Latinx family is a big part of the story. Dolores has also got a snarky sense of humor--she rates and reviews every bathroom she ever uses, she secretly goes to Catholic confession and questions everything the priest says, and her inner dialogue is just plain hilarious. She's also not always a perfectly reliable narrator, which makes things interesting.
Bottom line--it's poignant and real, funny at times, and is solidly written for the largely forgotten 7th-9th grade age range. Highly recommended!
No comments:
Post a Comment