Not a Chance

Gr 5–8—Set in present-day Dominican Republic, Not a Chance explores the contrasts between traditional island-culture mores and Western ideals. Dian, a Canadian teen, and her family visit Cucubano, D.R. every summer, but this year she is appalled to learn that her closest friend in the Caribbean town will be married now that she is 15. She and her do-gooder parents had plans to provide Aracely an opportunity for higher education in North America, but Aracely would rather stay near her family. While the two girls are at odds, a friendship develops between Dian and a Haitian boy, a social taboo in this small village. Because of the community's racial prejudice, the teens' social standing and Aracely's future are threatened. The story moves swiftly with animated writing and plenty of dialogue. Readers will empathize with Dian as she exposes her parents' pretensions: "What's the point of having family meetings if no one wants to hear what I have to say?" Though overbearing, they don't just talk about their values, they devote their summers to providing free medical care. The Dominican characters are likewise complex, welcoming the Canadian visitors, but shunning dark-skinned immigrants. Cultural details and Spanish words are incorporated into the text. Complicated issues, including children's rights, Western ethnocentrism, and racism, are all illuminated in this story of cross-cultural friendship and respect. Readers will grow in understanding, along with Dian, who concludes, "It's about balancing the dancing with the doing.—Toby Rajput, National Louis University, Skokie, IL