Gary Soto

When Miata leaves on the school bus the skirt that she is to wear in a dance performance, she needs all her wits to get it back without her parents' finding out that she has lost something yet again.

Fourteen-year-old Lincoln Mendoza, an aspiring basketball player, must come to terms with his divided loyalties when he moves from the Hispanic inner city to a white suburban neighborhood. Lincoln Mendoza remains loyal to his former school's basketball team, even after he moves from the barrio to the suburbs and plays for his new school's team.

When ten-year-old Rudy breaks an older boy's Discman at a baseball game, he and his friend Alex come up with a variety of ways to make money to pay for a new one.

Maria tries on her mother's wedding ring while helping make tamales for a Christmas family get together, but panic ensues when hours later, she realizes the ring is missing.

Chato's friend, Novio Boy, has never had a birthday party. As a matter of fact, he doesn't even know when his birthday is because he's from the pound. So Chato, being the good friend that he is, decides to throw him one - a "pachanga, " and everyone is invited - including you!