Lupe Wong is determined to be the first female pitcher in the MLB, but she has to make it through seventh grade first. When her uncle promises to arrange a meeting with Mariner's pitcher Fu Li, Lupe is dedicated to making all A's. Fu Li is Mexinese like Lupe, half Chinese and half Mexican, and she looks up to him. She's putting in the work in all her classes and on track to meet her idol.
She never thought P.E. would be the problem, but that all changes when the coach announces they are starting a square dancing unit, and everyone has to participate. Lupe is usually the best at sports; she even pitches for the boys' baseball team, but dancing is not on her agenda. She also has a history of fighting for a good cause, and this seems like a perfect candidate for her next campaign. Despite her best efforts, square dancing is commencing.
Even if she hates it, she's determined to be one of the best in class to get her A and meet Fu Li. She's got her best friends Andy and Niles to support her, but she also has some enemies in the class, and sometimes it seems like the whole system is working against her.
Guadalupe Wong is a charming grump of a character, and the book is full of humor and quirky characters. Lupe embraces both her Chinese and Mexican heritage and lobbies for more cultural diversity in her school. Author Donna Barba Higuera deftly navigates Lupe's lingering grief over her father's death as well as incidents of racial insensitivity and bullying. This will appeal to sports fans in particular and readers in general. Recommended.
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