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77th out of 155 books
—
456 voters
Deep in the Heart of High School
Vanna Reynolds was popular and happy back in Plano, Texas, but now she lives with her mother in a tiny apartment in San Antonio. How can she start her freshman year as a complete nobody? Fatima Garcia does well in school and helps out with her family’s construction business, but is worried about her weight. So she’s thrilled when a junior starts paying attention to her – b...more
Hardcover, 208 pages
Published
April 27th 2009
by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
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REVIEW: Olivia has become introverted since her dad's sudden death two years ago. Fatima makes jokes to cover up her true feelings about her weight gain. Following her parents' recent divorce, Vanna struggles with her less-privileged socioeconomic status and her mother's new-found social life. Teachers, librarians, and parents: Do these girls sound like any middle schoolers you know?
I'll admit it--I read Deep in the Heart of High School because I had to. Author V...more
Deep in the Heart of High School is a classic novel of the coming of age of three friends. They each face their own set of problems individually but help each other become strong enough to face these challenges. Anyone that is a fan of Ann Brashares's The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series of 3 Willows, this book is for you.
I loved how heritage played a part in this story, all of the girls having different backgrounds but also sharing some things in common. It was also interesting to read...more
I loved how heritage played a part in this story, all of the girls having different backgrounds but also sharing some things in common. It was also interesting to read...more
Three sistah girls share an eventful month in high school as they practice for marching band and flesh out their feelings for boys. Like most YA lit, this book touches on family dysfunction and death, but I was really pleased to see how immigration, cultural differences, extreme shyness, and even cheating in school were handled here.
There's a lot that this book really got right, starting with the feel of San Antonio. The mentions of ojo, quinceaneras, and Fiesta were really impressive because t...more
There's a lot that this book really got right, starting with the feel of San Antonio. The mentions of ojo, quinceaneras, and Fiesta were really impressive because t...more
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4.5 I really enjoyed this book. Three girls live in the same town, go to the same school, and are best friends - but they live very different lives. Vanna has just moved because of her parents' divorce. She doesn't want anything to do with her dad and tries to completely move on with her life. However, it's not quite working out the way she had hoped. Meeting her friends Fatima and Olivia makes starting at a new high school a little easier, but they have problems of their own. Fatima is a little...more
As a native Texan, I'm always interested in reading materials by Texas authors. I really enjoyed this book - San Antonio was spot on. The Northside school amenities were mentioned, yet the author highlighted the richness of the working class neighborhood the novel was set in. The authors' treatment of the realities of working class life - how many ways to make ground meat, parents working two jobs, the rent being due - should appeal to teens who actually live that life.
A solid story, which I originally picked up because of the band mentions. I didn't agree with the band classifications (drummers? popular? LEADERS? No way.) but I could buy it for the sake of the novel.
Anyway, it's definitely enjoyable, even if you do get annoyed with Fatima from time to time.
Anyway, it's definitely enjoyable, even if you do get annoyed with Fatima from time to time.
This book was kind of boring and very very simple. The sentence structure was bland and I found myself not wanting to finish it, but I did. The story was ok, but overall, I think it's the perfect book for beginning readers. The lessons were good, though, but nothing extraordinary.
The promise of band kids was alluring, but that was the only part. Trite freshman problems from characters I had trouble telling apart. 2.5 stars, let's say, for being a book I'd recommend to preteens.
Another epic story using romance, band, and awesome characters. Wish Veronica Goldbach would write another just like this one!!!!!!
This book is amazing. If you are in a marching band you can definatly relate to it. It is amazing and GO LOW BRASS GIRLS!
After reading this I definately appreciated San Antonio's history and small town charm. Goldbach could do a great series with these characters.
This was an AMAZING book. I loved that it was in Texas and that one of the girls plated the Saxophone.
I started it, but it's already come due and I have other things to read. I hope to pick it back up again soon. It looked fun, with the glimpse I caught.
Another super cute story =)!
Fun to read a book set in San Antonio. Sometimes it felt like a little too much explaining about the setting. I liked the characters but never really connected with any of them.
To be honest, Kinda boring story line here.
Rather predictable story of three girls, two friends since forever and one new addition to the trio. Even the addition of the occasional Spanish phrase and continually mentioning the Alamo (the setting is San Antonio) didn't elevate the plot.
Jun 25, 2009
Debye
added it
cute book! lots of fun for San Antonians.
cant beleive i went to hs with some one who has actually published a REAL book; too cool!
Jun 13, 2013
Maria De jesus mendoza
marked it as to-read
Jun 07, 2013
Kennedy
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May 13, 2013
Sabrina Chue
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Apr 26, 2013
Eliza
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Apr 13, 2013
Kellie Demarsh
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Apr 11, 2013
Jacci Acierno
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Veronica Goldbach grew up in San Antonio, Texas, and went to school less than five minutes away from the Alamo. After receiving a B.A. in humanities and an M.A. in teaching middle grades from Trinity University, she became a public school teacher. She has taught English as a second language at inner-city middle and elementary schools in San Antonio as well as in South Central Los Angeles.
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