Yaqui Delgado through the Youth Lens

                

When it comes down to it, Piddy is lucky. Yes, she is being bullied and yes, she gets pretty beat up. Piddy is lucky because she has people who care. In the beginning, Piddy acts and is treated more like a child. Piddy works with her mom’s best friend, Lila, and Piddy also shares some of the responsibilities of the house when her mom, Clara, works late. Both of these bring Piddy more into an adult world, although she is treated more like a child with certain assumptions. Some of those assumptions include the idea that Piddy must be going off because of a boy or bringing on trouble. When Piddy finally decides to stick up for herself and take charge, it is the turning point. She has to tell her mom and they meet with school administrators. The administrator assumes Piddy’s mom will make the final decision on what to do next, and it is Piddy who speaks up. Even more to the point, though, is the fact that Piddy’s mom does not dismiss Piddy’s choice, fully supporting her daughter.

            The book has a definite theme of poverty. The difference between this book and Eleanor and Park seems to be the support. Even though Clara and Lila are not wealthy, they have each other and they both support Piddy. The difference in wealth can be seen when Piddy visits her best friend Mitzi.

Their worlds and their concerns are completely different. In Eleanor and Park, Eleanor does not have any support until Park and fights for survival. Piddy has the social support outside of school and is able to follow what her mom does – working, cooking, cleaning -  and deals with it.

           

Overall, I thought the book was ok. The author made a lot of cultural points through the use of the characters. There seemed to be an assumption that a teenager would tantrum and run away like a young child and consequently may or may not be heard. It took a long time for Piddy to change, making her character flat. I wanted to see more interactions and maybe even more of Yaqui’s information. As the reader, I found it difficult to understand the entire picture and how the bullying seemed to appear suddenly. I did like the subtle connection to Joey and his parents, which seemed to showcase how many people observe problems such as abuse and bullying and will not do anything about it and let the tradition carry on. Piddy’s relationship with Joey helps her make that connection and the decision to press charges.