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Cuba 15

Nancy Osa

Delacorte Press

Copyright © 2003

277 pages

Age/interest level: 12 and up

Cuba 15 is the delightful story of Violet Paz, a fifteen year old half Cuban, half Polish girl, and her outrageously humorous journey into womanhood.  When Cuban grandmother decides to throw Violet a quinceañero – a traditional Cuban 15^th birthday celebration to commemorate womanhood – Violet’s life becomes a boisterous hoopla.  Turns out, Violet doesn’t feel Cuban at all.  In fact, she can’t even speak Spanish!  Just the idea of wearing a pink dress and pronouncing “I. Am. Woman.” in front of a room of unfamiliar guests makes her knees buckle.  But as Violet plans her quinceañero with her Abuela, she unknowingly becomes invested in it.  Curious about her Cuban heritage, a taboo topic with her father, Violet risks it all to learn about her roots.  Filled with funny dialogue, unforgettable domino matches, cutthroat speech competitions, and the hysterical members of the Paz family including Chucho the pet dog, this novel will surely tickle your funny bone.