The Stranger

Themes: Hi-Lo, High school, neighborhoods, family, loyalty, friendship, urban teen fiction, abusive relationship, new to school, friendship. Written for young adults, the Urban Underground series confronts issues that are of great importance to teens, such as friendship, loyalty, drugs, gangs, abuse, urban blight, bullies, and self-esteem to name a few. More than entertainment, these books can be a powerful learning and coping tool when a struggling reader connects with credible characters and a compelling storyline. The highly readable style and mature topics will appeal to young adult readers of both sexes and encourage them to finish each novel. Cesar Chavez HS Series-- Ernesto Sandoval begins his junior year at Cesar Chavez High School a virtual stranger. He didn't want to move back to the barrio after a decade in Los Angeles. After all, he had a lot of friends and even a girlfriend. But then he spies Naomi Martinez- the most beautiful girl he's ever seen. And he falls hard.