Haters by Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez

ISBN: 0316013072
Publisher: Poppy (2006)
Audio Book – 5 hours, 33 minutes.

Reading Level: 9^th and above.

Summary:
When her father’s comic Squeegee Man is optioned for a film, they move from Taos, New Mexico, to Aliso Viejo, California, which, to Paski, is as different as night from day. Although she misses her friends and a chance to have a boyfriend, she does have an amulet that her psychic grandmother gave her before she left Taos. Once settled in her new apartment, she meets the twins next-door, Keoni and Kerani. They disclose what life at school will be like: either one flies under the radar, or the “haters” at school will make life unbearable. In order to get a feel for her new surroundings, Paski rides her bicycle to the new school and meets Chris Cabrera, a stunningly beautiful boy her age, who also warns her of what the school may hold. Unfortunately, he is the boyfriend of Jessica Nguyen, the main “hater.” Learning to navigate the landscape of high school, and ultimately attempting to help Jessica while trying to fit in and make new friends leaves Paski yearning for home. Fortunately, she has her amulet, her powers, her strong family, and her love of bicycling to get her through the trials and tribulations of high school… and the haters.

Critical Evaluation:

This novel’s main character, Paski, has a very strong foundation of family, made up of a father, a grandmother, and friends. She’s a levelheaded young woman who makes good decisions. Her grandmother’s visions and the amulet she gives Paski also help steer her in the right direction by the foreshadowing visions she has which can be about how events will unfold or, if they are fuzzy, how the person she is with wishes for a specific action to happen. This is why, throughout the book, the reader may be mystified by Paski’s actions. Although good decisions abound, she continually goes along with what the “popular” teens think or want her to do. It is only at the very last minute that she pulls back and does what’s right. There are very suspenseful moments of Paski’s being in serious trouble because of what the “popular” teens do, but she still keeps going back to them.  Finally, we realize that she keeps quiet both because she is trying to fit in and for self-preservation because of the destructive nature of the main “mean girl,” Jessica. By the end of the novel, the readers come to understand Paski’s reason for acting how she does and hope that in the future she continues being the levelheaded, warm-hearted character she’s shown to become.

Reader’s Annotation:

Sometimes you have to move away to discover who you are.

Listen to the spirits, they will guide you well.

Author Biography:

Born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Valdez-Rodriguez has also lived in Scotland and New Orleans. After high school, she attended the Berklee College of Music in Boston and majored in jazz performance on the tenor saxophone and then earned a master’s degree in Journalism from Columbia University. She has written for The Boston Globe Magazine, The Los Angeles Times, Glamour, and Redbook.

Although Haters is her first young-adult novel, she’s written many adult novels such as The Dirty Girls Social Club, Playing with Boys, Dirty Girls on Top, and The Husband Habit, to name only a few. The Dirty Girls Social Club has been optioned for a TV show for this coming television season. 

 

Time dubbed Valdes-Rodriguez “The Godmother of Chica Lit” and. . . one of the 25 most influential Hispanics in the United States. Hispanic Business Magazine has twice named her among the 100 Most Influential Hispanics in America. In 2006, the Hispanic Congressional Caucus awarded Valdes-Rodriguez with a Latina Leadership award. . .  She also received the Theatre of Hearts “Youth First” award. (Retrieved at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alisa_Valdes-Rodriguez).

Genre: Chick Lit - Supernatural elements.

Curriculum Ties: This novel could be used in a reluctant reader’s English class.
The believable people and storylines would keep students interested in how the plot unfolds.

Booktalking Ideas:

-What does Paski decide about the worth of popularity?

-How does her amulet guide her?

-What are the major differences between Taos, New Mexico, and Aliso Viejo, California,
in terms of locale and people?

Read-Alikes:

-Those Girls by Sarah Lawrence.

-Bad Girls, Bad Girls, Whatcha Gonna Do? By Cynthia Voigt.

-What I Saw and How I Lied by Judy Blundell.

-Blue Bloods by Melissa de la Cruz.

Challenge Issue:

The main challenge issue may be the language—there is some swearing—and the topic of sex that is present in the novel. Paski is an emerging woman, and her father realizes that his daughter is growing up. He takes her to Planned Parenthood in order for them to explain to his daughter safe-sex precautions, just in case. The scene is handled in a matter-of-fact way, and it is certainly a subject every teen should be better educated about. I would ask parents to first read the novel before passing judgment on its contents and remind them of the Freedom of Information Act.

Reason to include in blog:

I was hunting around for an audio book at the Burbank library, and this title just jumped out at me. After the Chick Lit presentation, I really wanted to make sure I had a representation of this genre, and this fit the bill.

References:

Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez. (2011). In Wikipedia.
     Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alisa_Valdes-Rodriguez

Valdes-Rodriguez, A., & Diaz, F. (2006). Haters.
     Prince Frederick, MD: Audio Adventures.