The First Rule of Punk

Malu does not want to move to Chicago with her mom.  Everything she loves, her dad and his awesome record store, are back home.  But now she's in Chicago a thousand miles away from her dad who understands her love for punk and with her mom, AKA SuperMexican, who just wants her to be a senorita.

Things do not start out well on the first day when she violates the dress code by wearing glittery eyeliner.  This, combined with her punk style, makes her a target for bullies. 

When she hear's about the annual school talent show, she decides to gather up some school misfits and form a band, but they are rejected because punk isn't traditional.  Malu and her friends refuse to give up.  They decide to find a way for themselves and all the other kids who don't fit it to share their talents.  Totally punk!

Celia Perez's debut novel is a solid middle school story about family, friendship, and fitting in with fun references to 80's punk and Mexican culture.  Malu makes zines to express her feelings, and these are interspersed throughout the story.