Canela

by Carmen Lezeth Suarez

After losing her mother at a young age, and never having known her father, Carmen is left to fend for herself in the unforgiving inner-city neighborhoods of Boston. Alone in a world not yet comfortable with skin color, Carmen’s complexion sets her apart from the Spanish kids, the Black kids, and the White kids. She finds friendship in unlikely places—a mute Vietnam vet who becomes her protector, a gang leader who fights to save her life, an inmate who keeps her out of prison, a football player who teaches her to deal with her feelings. With a fierce determination to be accepted and achieve on her own terms, Carmen learns that the best choices are not always the most obvious ones.Canela is a gripping work about the early life of a young girl who survives the tough challenges of growing up on the streets of Boston. It's a story about the power of connecting with each other, the impact we have, and how the people we meet can change who we are, and where we may go.

182 pages, Paperback

Published May 28, 2018

Reviews

[Colleen]

Well this J.P. girl loved this book! Carmen’s story rang so true. Her story starts out so sad because of her mother’s death yet her survival and triumphs are what I will remember! What a strong and smart young woman! I was very happy for her success at the end and clearly by writing this book she is a successful woman! Best pet for me was finding out she hung on my street- Forbes St. How cool is that!