Friday, August 31, 2018

MARCUS VEGA DOESN'T SPEAK SPANISH by Pablo Cartaya

Marcus Vega Doesn't Speak Spanish
Many people automatically assume that Marcus is a bully. He is six feet tall and weighs 180 pounds and is in the eighth grade. When you are that big, people make assumptions.

Actually, younger kids come to Marcus for protection. When Marcus discovers a demand for his services, he decides to turn it into a business to help supplement the family budget. However, when Marcus punches the real school bully for calling his brother the R word, the principal not only suspends Marcus for his behavior but also shuts his protection business down.

Marcus's suspension gives his mother an idea. Using some of their emergency cash, she plans a trip to visit relatives in Puerto Rico. Marcus was born there, but his little brother had never visited. They would visit San Juan and stay with an uncle while they reconnect with other family. Marcus is especially excited about the possibility of seeing his father who abandoned the family just after Charlie was born.

Author Pablo Cartaya takes readers on an adventure in which Marcus discovers that family is truly important even when the family member he most wants to see turns out to be a disappointment. MARCUS VEGA DOESN'T SPEAK SPANISH celebrates the uniqueness of every individual and the talents each brings to the world.

No comments: