Reviewed by Marta Morrison for TeensReadToo.com

I decided to review this book, which is set in South Beach, Miami, because like Miami I have many Latina influences where I live in Orange County, California. In fact, 95% of my fifth grade class in which I teach are Latino. I have also been to a few quinceaneras in the last few years.

FIFTEEN CANDLES is a story about Alicia, whose parents are very successful. Her mother is a judge and her father is deputy mayor. Alicia is expected to go to an Ivy League college and to follow in their footsteps, something that she is eager to do. She takes an internship at City Hall, and there she meets a girl who is having trouble planning her quince.

In the Latin culture, a quinceanera is a ceremony which recognizes the passage of girlhood to adulthood and takes place in her fifteenth year. There is a church ceremony and then a big party. It can be very expensive.

Alicia gathers up her posse to help out her co-worker. She has three friends who are very talented. Carmen is a designer; Jamie, who is from New York, is a talented stylist; and Gaz, who has a band. The four of them learn how to work together and plan a rockin' quince.

I loved the reality of the story. I liked the fact that there is controversy over whether girls should have a quinceanera or maybe save the money or use it for something else, like a trip. I spoke to the pastor of my church, who is Hispanic, about quinces, and his view is that it has become more of a party than anything else. He has two girls and will give them a quince, but only if they take the church service seriously.

I also liked that Alicia was given power and it kind of corrupts her for a little while. She learns to trust her friends and that is a great lesson. The only thing I didn't like was the describing of all the designer labels that the girls and their parents wear. I teach a classroom of many low income students, and I would hate for them to think that in order to have a quince you have to wear designer clothes or spend a lot of money.

However, I have to admit that I like the AMIGAS series so far, and hope to have all of the books on my shelves at school very soon. ( )

Personal response:

A story of a privileged young Latina who is caught up in showing off, whether its with her cook's great dishes, her mom's designer cast-offs, or her talented friends who help her with her latest scheme to get attention from her parents and an accomplishment list on her college app. Fun but flimsy, unrealistic. This would not be a recommendation to underserved youth for realistic content, but maybe to encourage urban reluctant readers, as it is not a difficult read.

Cirricular/programming connections:

This would work for a display of series, with ethnic characters, for female preteen/teen group

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