Review Detail

It's 1955, Arizona, and Rosa Capistrano has been attending white only North Phoenix High School to improve her chances of attending college. Rosa, who goes by Rosie, is passing as white. The Supreme Court has overthrown segregation, but it's still taking time to integrate. When her best friends Julianne and Ramon meet, her two worlds collide with a tragedy. No longer can Rosa keep her head down in an attempt to be unnoticed. With the help of Ramon's older brother, Marco, she learns to choose what's more important to her. Should she continue being silent or risk everything to bring justice to her friends.

What worked: Wowza. I love stories that show part of my Mexican heritage and weave in historical events that helped toward Mexican civil rights in the 1970s. In Rosa By Any Other Name, readers are introduced to Rosa 'Rosie' Capistrano, a studious Latina, who goes to a white-only school to better her chances of attending college. She passes as white in order to do this. Her internal struggle to pass is realistic. Her BFF Ramon is someone she's known forever. They are not boyfriend/girlfriend but more like brother/sister. Then there's his older brother Marco, who at first calls her 'princesa' for trying to pass.

The Romeo-Juliet twist is what happens when Julianne and Ramon want to 'come out' at a school dance. Their tragedy and how the sheriff, Julianne's father, manipulates the truth come to a head and forces Rosa to make a choice.

The romance between Rosa and Marco is complicated. There's obvious chemistry between them, and he's there to support her at a very trying time. I liked how their relationship wasn't impulsive and sudden but rather slow-burning. Rosa needed to find herself and have the courage to stand up to injustices around her. The author captures the conflict, struggles, and anger Rosa goes through.

One huge plus is references to injustices that faced Mexican Americans in the 20th century, such as the Mexican Repatriation Act that caused many, including US citizens, to be rounded up and shipped to Mexico without money or any other means. There's also a brief mention of migrant worker advocate Cesar Chavez, who played a big part in Mexican civil rights in the 1970s.

Captivating tale of a forbidden love that goes tragically wrong, and the friend who stands up to the injustice in 1955. Mostly, it's also a story of hope and the power of friendship.