"Las Niñas" is a Latina Little Women, a real-life Judy Blume saga, alternately hilarious, touching, and poignant, but always written sharply. If you have a daughter, get rid of her American Girl collection and give her this book!
Gustavo Arellano
Author of the books “Ask a Mexican!” and “Orange County: A Personal History”
In “Las Ninas” Sarah Rafael Garcia chronicles her coming of age in Orange County, California in the 1980s and 90s. Sustained by genuine love for her family and her culture, readers witness her developing sense of self as she begins to journey into a world that both welcomes and challenges her. A compelling narrative from a new voice in Chicana literature.
Lisa Alvarez Professor of English at Irvine Valley College, and co-editor of "Writers Workshop in a Book: The Squaw Valley Community of Writers on the Art of Fiction. "
A Reader's Review:
An email from a reader in South Korea...
Hello there,
I came upon an article about you in the Brownsville Herald online edition. I immediately ordered your book from Amazon and had my visiting friend bring it to me in S. Korea.
I just finished reading your collection of memories and I feel so utterly appeased about the all-too-common Mexican-American experience of growing up in the Southwest. Mexican-Americans should unite and thrive on all these shared experiences to empower one another. So thank you for doing so.
For example... When I read your story about being a "bi-lingual" student, I felt completely understood about my first experiences in school. That was one of the many similarities that I found in your writing, which took me back to my own undiscovered and unique childhood memories.
The part in which you talk about your father's letter broke my heart for a bit. Any good parent will struggle and do anything they can to provide their children the opportunity to advance and be better. It's universal. That resonates on so many levels starting with our parents and going on to writers, educators and public figures, particularly in the Latino community. However, some young minds, like that of my younger siblings, cannot quite grasp the concept of following dreams and goals. My sister wanted to be a vet, my brother had aspirations of being a chef - but, ask them now what they think about higher education, and they'll say "n'ombre, I'm not that smart..."
Anyway, I'm rambling. I just wanted to say that your book will really inspire and motivate young people (especially, in border town communities). Your writing is very concise and mindful about the direction in which our fate can take us and what it can teach us if we embrace it.
