Truth and Salsa

Hayley (or Margarita, as she'll be calling herself now) is a twelve-year-old girl from Michigan, and she's (rightfully) afraid she'll stick out in Mexico. See, Haley's mother has been having some problems and her dad left, so she's being sent to live with her rather eccentric grandmother in San Miguel, Mexico, for six months. Sure, she's excited, but also more than a little nervous. Her Spanish could use some work, she's pale and freckly, and she has no idea what people wear in Mexico! Not to mention, she'll miss her mom and her friends. Mexico turns out to be fun, though. She meets a new friend, Lili, lives in a house that may or may not be haunted, celebrates with the whole town on holidays (which are way more often than they are in the United States), and gets to be a movie extra! It's not all fun and games, though. Living in the real Mexico (meaning: not a resort in Cancun) means seeing the real Mexican problems, too: Lili's dad and some of the other men from the village work in the United States to send money home, but they run into trouble when their employer cheats them out of their pay. TRUTH AND SALSA is an absorbing, original coming-of-age story taking place against the beautiful backdrop of Mexico. The colorful cast of characters populating this novel will quickly endear themselves to readers. TRUTH AND SALSA is a quick, well put-together, and engaging read. Those who pick it up will love Hayley and her adventures, and be introduced to a little bit of Mexican culture in the process! Reviewed by: Jocelyn Pearce

Truth and Salsa is a touching coming of age story that explores a young girl's changing relationship to both her environment and her family. It's only after Hayley's move to central Mexico that she's able to gain a new perspective on where she came from - Kalamazoo, Michigan - and see aspects of her hometown that she was previously unaware of. The distance, along with the joys and suffering she and her newfound friend, Lili, both experience with their own families, also enable her to discover the true sense of family unity. Truth and Salsa captures the often surprising fact that sometimes we need a little distance to see what's right in front of us. I highly recommend this book - it's poignant, entertaining and extremely insightful.