By: Laura Resau Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers Average Rating: Binding: Hardcover Label: Delacorte Books for Young Readers Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 288 Publication Date: September 11, 2007 Reading Level: Young Adult Release Date: September 11, 2007
Product Description: ONE NIGHT SOPHIE and her parents are called to a hospital where Pedro, 6-year-old Mexican boy, is recovering from dehydration. Crossing the border into Arizona with a group of Mexicans and a coyote, or guide, Pedro and his parents faced such harsh conditions that the boy is the only survivor. Pedro comes to live with Sophie, her parents, and Sophie's Aunt Dika, a refugee of the war in Bosnia. Sophie loves Pedro - her Principito, or Little Prince. But after a year, Pedro's surviving family in Mexico makes contact, and Sophie, Dika, Dika's new boyfriend, and his son must travel with Pedro to his hometown so that he can make a heartwrenching decision.
Simply Beautiful When I got to the last page of this book, I simply did not want to leave the characters, the setting, and Resau's beautiful language. This is one of my favorites of the year.
Magic Realism in the Tradition of Magical Realism Sophie's unusual family group -- she lives with her English mother, Latino stepfather, and Bosnian refugee great aunt -- becomes a little more unusual when a small boy, Pablo, is found in the desert with Sophie's father's business card in his pocket. Poor little Pablo has seenhis parents die trying to cross the border, and barely survived himself. Sophie, whose favorite book is The Little Prince, decides that Pablo is her pricipito who came from parts unknown, and is thrilled when he becomes part of their family.
However, Pablo's surviving family is eventually located in a tiny Mexican village, and it is decided that Pablo should see his family, and make a very difficult decision for a very small boy.
It just so happens that Great Aunt Dika's boyfriend, and his son Angel, were planning a trip South of the border, and it seems an opportune time to make a road trip. Just one problem -- Sophie is afraid of almost everything. Germs, car-accidents, other people... This road trip will be another kind of journey for Sophie, as she learns a little bit about herself, and the lives of others.
This book had an uphill battle, because I had just finished What is the What and that was a tough act to follow. However, I was immediately engaged with the story, and couldn't bear to put it down.
The prose was so lyrical, and although Sophie is sort of your stereotypical, unsure, preteen heroine, she has a great voice that pushes past all that. The descriptions of people and places were intense and vivid, really putting one right in the story. And the characters -- well, that's the most important part. This is a very character-driven novel, and they all just sparkle.
One minor complaint: As usual in these books, Sophie will need a boy to convince her of her true worth. A boy which, I'm sure, we are supposed to be convinced is her teenaged soul mate, or something. However, I'll get over it. The story, if conventional in spots, was beautifully told.
Very much a girl book for girls around Sophies age -- 13 to 16.
book review Before I read this book I thought it would be completly depressing and not a very good story. After I started reading the book I realized that it is an amazing story about love and lost. The main character, Sophie, goes through many challenges but she learns to cope extremly well for someone so young. She learns many lessons that I think everybody needs to learn sometime in there life.
Red Glass takes us to new places Laura Resau writes the kind of books I loved to read when I was a teen, and still do. She takes us to new places with characters who are both loveable and flawed. In her latest book, Red Glass, she introduces us to a colorful cast of characters who quickly become so endearing we are happy to follow them to Mexico and beyond. Her main character, Sophie, is a girl doing what so many of us hope to do, pushing her own boundaries. Through Sophie's adventures helping return an orphaned Mexican boy to his village, Resau teaches us a little about tolerance, a little about bravery, a little about humanity and a lot about love. Her settings are so wonderfully drawn that we can easily imagine ourselves along for Sophie's ride. I've been happily sharing this book with the young girls in my life and they've been telling me that they, too, love it!
Great for all ages Contains all the ingredients for a good story: tragedy, comedy, love, and danger. I'm using it in my book club for adult ESL learners who are from various world cultures. They love it! It treats modern issues of immigration, alienation, and human rights with sensitivity. Hispanic culture is beautifully interwoven as are the lives of common people who come to know and respect each other accross vast landscapes and invisible borders.
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