The Washington Post - Mary Quattlebaum
This gritty novel manages to transcend the usual earnest fictional treatment by delivering a protagonist who is more than a mere victim and an ending that rings complicatedly true…This unflinching novel, with its richly developed main character, deserves a place with two other nuanced bully books for teens: Rita Williams-Garcia's Jumped…and Adam Rex's Fat Vampire…
Publishers Weekly
High school sophomore Piddy Sanchez can't catch a break. She's just moved and transferred schools, separating her from her best friend. Piddy's curvy figure attracts the attention of both boys and school bully Yaqui, who is jealous and won't accept ambitious and independent Piddy into her group of Latinas, and threatens to harm her. Piddy's life is complicated enough before Yaqui's cruel threats and violent attacks. Outside of school, Piddy works with a flamboyant family friend at a hair salon; has just discovered that her traditional mother may have secrets about Piddy's absent father; develops romantic feelings for a childhood friend; and worries if her dream of working with animals can come true. When Yaqui takes things too far, Piddy has to decide what she is willing to do to defend herself. Piddy is a strong heroine whose sense of self is realistically jarred by her conflicting emotions. Medina (The Girl Who Could Silence the Wind) effectively prods at the motivations behind bullying (without excusing it) and sensitively explores the delicate balance between belonging and maintaining individuality. Ages 14–up. Agent: Jennifer Rofé, Andrea Brown Literary Agency. (Mar.)
From the Publisher
A nuanced, heart-wrenching and ultimately empowering story about bullying....Interweaving themes of identity, escapism and body image, Medina takes what could be a didactic morality tale and spins it into something beautiful: a story rich in depth and heart...Far more than just a problem novel, this book sheds light on a serious issue without ever losing sight of its craft.
—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
Medina emphasizes Piddy’s acute sense of isolation without overplaying it, and she absolutely respects the totality of Piddy’s quandary...The message here is that tough and unfair stuff is really tough and unfair, but it’s also survivable; that’s a takeaway that readers will recognize as both true and valuable.
—Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (starred review)
Yaqui may think she’s tough, but it’s Piddy and some of the other female characters, namely Piddy’s mother and her mother’s flamboyant best friend Lila, who make more lasting impressions. Medina’s setting stands out as well...Teens will identify with Piddy’s struggle.
—The Horn Book (starred review)
The Latino cultural milieu adds a richness and texture that lifts this up above many problem novels. The plot points are dexterously intertwined, and the characters are distinct. A real bonus for those looking for a bullying book for older readers that is not simplistic.
—School Library Journal (starred review)
Medina authentically portrays the emotional rigors of bullying through Piddy’s growing sense of claustrophobic dread, and even with no shortage of loving, supportive adults on her side, there’s no easy solution. With issues of ethnic identity, class conflict, body image, and domestic violence, this could have been an overstuffed problem novel; instead, it transcends with heartfelt, truthful writing that treats the complicated roots of bullying withrespect.
—Booklist
This is a charming, straightforward, captivating story with universal teen themes that should find a home in all high school fiction collections.
—Library Media Connection
The fast-moving plot explores family (especially mother–daughter) relationships, the importance of communication, and personal integrity. As Piddy witnesses and experiences abandonment, harassment, and brutalization, she realizes that her own reaction is most important. Her decision to make positive choices is a great example for teens. The story, fueled by the controversial title, holds cross-cultural appeal...
—VOYA
Piddy is a strong heroine whose sense of self is realistically jarred by her conflicting emotions. Medina effectively prods at the motivations behind bullying (without excusing it) and sensitively explores the delicate balance between belonging and maintaining individuality.
—Publishers Weekly (online-only)
A powerful read! As tough and honest as its title, this novel takes an unflinching look at the unjust and cruel consequences of bullying. The story of Piddy Sanchez’s transformation is full of the kind of truth teen readers will instantly recognize. I highly recommend it.
—James Howe
I cried and cheered for Piddy in equal measure. Medina perfectly captures the devastating impact of bullying—and the powerful influence of kindness in recovery. I love this book and miss Piddy already!
—Jo Knowles
Poignant, powerful, pull-your-heart-apart sad, snort-out-your-nose funny—a nuanced, honest telling of how courage and choice can triumph over the hell of being bullied.
—Carrie Jones, Author of the Need series and co-editor of Dear Bully
There’s a lot packed into this vibrant small book which will make it a favorite for teens...Lots of action with a realistic setting, dialogue, relationships, problems, and solutions make this book a winner. The cover—a blue locker with graffiti for the title—will attract reluctant readers. The content will keep them reading to the end and wanting more, especially to hear Yaqui’s story.
—SLJTeen
Books about bullying are on the rise as adults grapple with its causes and impact — and young people struggle to deal with it. This gritty novel manages to transcend the usual earnest fictional treatment by delivering a protagonist who is more than a mere victim and an ending that rings complicatedly true. ... This unflinching novel, with its richly developed main character, deserves a place with two other nuanced bully books for teens: Rita Williams-Garcia’s JUMPED, a 2009 National Book Award finalist that explores the mindsets of bully, victim and bystander; and Adam Rex’s FAT VAMPIRE, in which a main character confronts her guilt as a cyberbully
—The Washington Post
Amid an explosion of bully books, Meg Medina's novel stands out for its honesty about girl-on-girl violence and its intelligent, insightful narrator. ... Medina brilliantly captures the sense of foreboding that envelops bully victims.
—Shelf Awareness
YAQUI DELGADO WANTS TO KICK YOUR ASS should be taught in schools, read by counselors and parents, and used as a tool to discuss the importance of finding your voice, telling the truth and asking for help.
—Common Sense Media
VOYA - Lucy Schall
Sixteen-year-old talented, intelligent, and attractive Piddy transfers to a new, rough school. Yaqui Delgado sends her the title's message through the Latino girl gang. Piddy imitates their tough facades as she works through knowledge about the father who abandoned her and her feelings for the abused, former neighbor who loves her. She cuts school to avoid harassment, and her grades fall. Yaqui and friends attack her on the street and put the video on the Internet. Piddy's aunt lies for her, and Piddy's relationships with her mother and best friend deteriorate. A fellow student whom Piddy defended tells the authorities and, regardless of pressure from the gang, her mother, and her aunt, Piddy makes her own decisions to cope with her situation. The fast-moving plot explores family (especially mother—daughter) relationships, the importance of communication, and personal integrity. As Piddy witnesses and experiences abandonment, harassment, and brutalization, she realizes that her own reaction is most important. Her decision to make positive choices is a great example for teens. The story, fueled by the controversial title, holds cross-cultural appeal, although the sprinkling of undefined Spanish phrases can be distracting. The adult characters, however, often do not ring true. The mother and aunt, portrayed as strong, loving, and proactive, allow Piddy to deteriorate to the point of running away before they contact authorities, even though the aunt dates a policeman. They are shocked that violent teens are in schools. The almost-robotic teachers and administration ignore significant signs. Reviewer: Lucy Schall
Children's Literature - Sarah Raymond
School bullies are unfortunately all too common in high school. Sixteen-year-old Piddy is confronted with bully Yaqui Delgado. Yaqui is a young lady trapped in poverty with no hope of getting out. Her solution is to fight and put down whoever she fancies. Her targets are random, a point Medina emphasizes by writing that at first Piddy does not even know who Yaqui is. True to life, the bullying is verbal at first, but quickly escalates. Before long, Yaqui is tracking Piddy to her place of employment. Eventually, Yaqui brutally attacks her chosen target. It is impossible not to feel poor Piddy's fear and pain, as she goes from being a straight-A student to failing. She is forced to avoid school, which has become a nightmare for her. Piddy is so scared of the bully that she does not even know how to ask for help. Eventually, after a friend's mother is hospitalized due to an abusive husband, she realizes she needs to do something. This is one of the most powerful stories about bullying out there. Medina effectively captures the emotions and fears of the victims of bullying. Make sure to have a box of tissues at hand! Reviewer: Sarah Raymond
School Library Journal - Audio
★ 10/01/2013
Gr 8 Up—Piddy Sanchez seems to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Her best friend moves away and Piddy's Mom literally has the floor pulled out from under her as the small staircase in their apartment building collapses, forcing the family to move to another part of Queens. The move does have a bonus. For the first time, Piddy will have her own room, but it comes at a price—she has to start at a new school. Her developing body is starting to attract some unwanted attention from the Latino boys in the school as well as from Yaqui Delgado. Yaqui feels that the teenager is shaking her booty and doesn't consider her a fellow Latina. Piddy's skin is too light, she doesn't have an accent, and she does well in school. The bullying escalates and Yaqui and her crew seem to have it in for Piddy and her blossoming bottom. The teenager also faces some internal struggles as she searches for information on a father she has never known or even seen. Roxanne Hernandez, a fluent Spanish speaker, pronounces the occasional Spanish words nicely and provides a great voice and tone for each character. The Latin music at the beginning and ending of each CD (Piddy is half Cuban and half Dominican) adds a cultural element. With a title that is sure to draw attention and Medina's great story (Candlewick, 2013) to back it up, this is a definite purchase.—Katie Llera, Bound Brook High School, NJ
School Library Journal
Gr 7 Up—Piedad Sanchez moved at the beginning of her sophomore year, and a few weeks into classes at her new school a girl comes up to say that "Yaqui Delgado wants to kick your ass." As a first line, it sets the focus for Piddy, who has always had friends, gotten good grades, and managed quite well in her old school. There's no real reason for the enmity, but the threat is more than real and begins to permeate Piddy's life. Gradually readers see that her mother's best friend, who works at a hair salon and has been her support, is the only adult who even has a clue about what is going on. The Queens, New York, neighborhood is solidly Hispanic and the language reflects the culture. Piddy does a downward spiral as the torment gets increasingly worse. The school reaction and the dilemma she faces are realistically portrayed. Yaqui can get to her in and out of school, and she is vulnerable to being terrorized by a whole group of Yaqui supporters. The way that the abuse and threats impact Piddy to try to become a bad girl herself is logically presented. The plight of a pair of abandoned kittens parallels her own loneliness and loss. The Latino cultural milieu adds a richness and texture that lifts this up above many problem novels. The plot points are dexterously intertwined, and the characters are distinct. A real bonus for those looking for a bullying book for older readers that is not simplistic.—Carol A. Edwards, Denver Public Library, CO
Kirkus Reviews
A nuanced, heart-wrenching and ultimately empowering story about bullying. When 15-year old Piedad Sanchez's mother moves them to another part of Queens, Piddy is unprepared for the bullying that awaits her at her new school. Yaqui Delgado doesn't know Piddy but decides she's stuck-up and shakes her ass when she walks—accusations weighty enough to warrant a full-fledged bullying campaign. As her torments escalate, readers feel the intensity of Piddy's terror in her increasingly panicked first-person narration. Interweaving themes of identity, escapism and body image, Medina takes what could be a didactic morality tale and spins it into something beautiful: a story rich in depth and heart. Piddy's ordeal feels 100-percent authentic; there are no easy outs, no simple solutions. Displaying a mature understanding of consequences and refreshingly aware (no deducing supporting characters' feelings before the protagonist, here), Piddy also exhibits an age-appropriate sense of vulnerability. The prose is both honest ("growing up is like walking through glass doors that only open one way—you can see where you came from but can't go back") and exquisitely crafted ("Fear is my new best friend. It stands at my elbow in chilly silence"). Far more than just a problem novel, this book sheds light on a serious issue without ever losing sight of its craft. (Fiction. 13-18)
