The Barrio Kings

by William Kowalski

Rosario Gomez gave up gang life after his brother was killed in a street fight. Now all he wants to do is finish night school, be a good father and work hard enough at his job at the supermarket to get promoted. But when an old friend shows up to ask him why he left the gang, Rosario realizes he was fooling himself if he thought his violent past would just go away. When his pregnant girlfriend is hit in a drive-by shooting, Rosario has to make some hard choices. Revenge means a return to his old ways, something he swore he would never do. But unless he takes action, his enemies will not rest until they've settled the score against him.

Genres: Fiction, Young Adult, Realistic Fiction, Ebooks, Canada

128 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2010

Reviews

[Montre Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quote from The Barrio Kings, I'm not a King anymore. But they're a part of who I was. And who I was is a part of who I am. I'm not ashamed of myself anymore. I've just got my eye on my future, instead of my past."

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rosario does not have an easy life. He's trying to move past his days as a banger. His girlfriend is going to have a baby, he's finishing his G.E.D., and he's about to get a promotion at work. There is one problem: his best friend from the Barrios Kings, his former gang, has just gotten out of prison and needs a place to stay. This does not make Rosario's girlfriend happy in the least. As it turns out, Juan has an agenda. He wants to avenge the death of Rosario's older brother Tomas, and he wants Rosario to help. Rosario is torn between two worlds—the world of the past violence, which took his brother's life, and the world of his future, which is represented by his girlfriend and his soon-to-be-born son Emilio. A drive-by shooting is about to turn his life upside down whether he likes it or not.
The Barrio Kings is a fast-paced thriller of a book. Even if reading is not your favorite activity in the world, this book may really grab your attention. Rosario's problems are tough, and he's going to have to make a choice: his old life or his new life. He can't have it both ways. I think, whether or not someone has actually been in a gang like Rosario, a person can relate to the way that Rosario feels trapped by his life and is going to have to make choices that are bound to make some people happy and some people really upset.

[Elyssa James · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was poorly written but besides that keeps you on the edge of your seat.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is part of the Rapid Reading collection which is geared toward young adults and those who are reading challenged.

Even so, Kowalski exhibits a gift for making you care about the character and their situation in just the first few pages. The characters have good hearts and find themselves in challenging circumstances. Even though the plot is simple, I still could not say I knew which way things would fall when Rosario was faced with having to interact with his former gang brothers and yet protect his new life and new family at the same time.

I would highly recommend this for teenagers who think they don't like to read. I found the brevity and simplicity a refreshing change.

[Ali · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very specialized genre called Hi-Lo, for high interest and low reading ability. I use this book to help low-level readers improve their skills and to raise their enthusiasm for stories and reading. Adults looking to improve their reading do not have to read books for children, they can read dynamic, adult stories without intimidation. This is a book about the choices people have to make to improve their lives and how the easy and fast path is not always the correct one, and that has made all the difference.

[Debra · Rating 2 out of 5]

This quick read is extremely popular with students at my school, which to me is sort of...cute. The main character, a former gangster, is now straight and working at the grocery store to support himself and his pregnant girlfriend. His near relapse into his gang life is told in a simple, easy-to-read style. It's highly predictable and has the neat ending that all grown-ups would wish for their hardest kids to aspire to, right down to the GED and promotion to assistant manager.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this because it's part of a set of easy readers I have for my ninth graders. The writing was simple and my ELs will grasp it. We have a decent amount of gang activity at my (Title I) school, and kids are so impressionable that I think this book could possibly make a difference. However, from an adult avid reader/writer's POV -- this was nothing I haven't seen before. My ELs probably haven't, though.

[Eduardo Olivares · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recommend this book because it shows you how a gang members life really is. In this book, "The Barrio Kings " by William Kowalski, Rosario tries to unroll himself from a gang called The barrio Kings because he wants to focus in getting his High School diploma. when everything seems to be going good for Rosario, his old friend Juan returns to his life after getting released from jail.

[Eugene Biscardi · Rating 4 out of 5]

i really liked the book. This book was the first book that i actually read that i enjoyed. I couldn't stop reading and i would stay up late to just read the book. i like how it was about a gang and they're usually bad, but there was this gang member that retired and turned from doing bad things into good things.

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

I attended a workshop recently and this was a recommended book by the district. It's one of those high interest-low vocabulary books for struggling readers. It's not, however, intended for a 6th grade reader.

i was given several other books like this. I need to figure out where I can pass them off to.

[Crystal Aguilar (Vickery) · Rating 3 out of 5]

A true “Rapid Read” about an ex- gangbanger who is trying to move on and be responsible. It felt like I was watching a short film in my head. This is a simple and straightforward story with a good message.

[Bookacholic44 · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s a page turner!

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very engaging hi-lo book. I liked the premise that someone can work to change his life and be a good example to others.

[Kennedy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Is probably one of my favorite books it was the first book that I have ever voluntarily read ok my own. I am not a big reader but I read that book three times.

[Sierra · Rating 4 out of 5]

For being a quick read, I really liked it. It was well written & had a good message.

[Mari Alvarez · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great urban high interest easy read. Highly recommend for reluctant YA readers.

[Araya RamsAy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a high-interest and suspenseful story that is quick and easy to read. Perfect for reluctant readers.

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

they have good storier

[Catherine Sebastian · Rating 5 out of 5]

I still wonder If he made it. What choice’s did he make? Did he go back to the old days?

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is from the Rapid Reads collection published by Orca. The Rapid Reads books are aimed at teen/adult readers with low reading levels, offering them high-interest, age-appropriate books to practice and improve reading skills. This book has a lexile of 310. That means it has small words in short sentences. It also has a simplistic plot--three main characters, a handful of secondaries, and a clear plot structure. One conflict, one resolution. There aren't any subplots happening.

In the book, Rosario Gomez is a 23-year-old ex-gang member. He left The Barrio Kings after his brother Tomas was killed in a street fight. Rosario is now working in a supermarket and earning his GED at night school. For Rosario, this is only the beginning. He's looking forward to working hard and advancing in his career and education. He lives with his girlfriend, who is expecting their son and is close to the end of her pregnancy.

That's when Juan shows up. Juan is Rosario's old friend, a Barrio King who has spent the last four years in prison. Now that he's out, Juan's planning on going after Lencho, the man who killed Tomas. Rosario doesn't want anything to do with the gang life, but Juan's return threatens Rosario's resolve.

For what this book is meant to be, it's great. My struggling teen readers love that it's a story that interests them at a level they can navigate successfully. They appreciate that the size and cover of the book don't make them feel embarrassed or stupid For a proficient reader, the book would likely have the opposite effect. The short sentences feel choppy, and there isn't the flow associated with higher-level books. But that's not a problem, because this book wasn't written for them.

Kowalski has been criticized for writing about gangs, simply because of his last name. I don't share that opinion. Any writer can write about any subject, given the research is done. And if this book didn't at least ring of truth, then my students wouldn't hesitate to toss it aside. They're a tough crowd, and several of them are all too familiar with gang life.

This book does not contain any objectionable language or sexuality. Rosario will be a father out of wedlock, but he's clearly committed to his girlfriend Connie and their son. There is some violence that is mentioned, including Tomas's death and a drive-by shooting, and one character gets beaten up.

[Terry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lately, I've been searching for books that meet the demands of readers with particular interest in 'gangs and stuff.' These aren't neophytes: these readers have tackled this particular subject with enthusiasm. Drive-By, Street Pharm, Life in Prison, Always Running: La Vida Loca: Gang Days in L.A. form the core of this curious little coterie, but there are plenty of titles that I mention - Gary Soto's The Afterlife? - that bring out the stony stare of, "been there, done that." And to be honest, some thug books - Monster: The Autobiography of an L.A. Gang Member, The Godfather - are a little too tough for this crew.

"Barrio Kings" is a good rung on the ladder to some of those longer books. It is direct in telling the story of an OG gone legit, getting by without so much as a foul word, but still managing to sound real. At 125 pages, it isn't too long. I don't know if those steely-eyed gangster readers will take to it or not, but I'm hoping they will.

[Sally Kruger]

A big thank you to the publisher for providing THE BARRIO KINGS for review. I have long been a fan of Orca Publishers and their high interest/low level offerings. When I heard about Rapid Reads from Raven Books (an imprint of Orca) for older YA students in alternative ed programs, I really wanted to check one out for a new program my school is offering this fall. One of the publisher reps kindly sent two my way.

THE BARRIO KINGS features a young man named Rosario Gomez facing the next challenge in his life, that of breadwinner and father. Once a member of the Barrio Kings gang, Rosario has turned his life around. He is about to earn his GED and get a well-deserved promotion at the grocery store where he works. It couldn't come at a better time since his girl friend is about to deliver their first child.

Just when it seems that everything is perfect for Rosario, an old friend is released from prison and makes contact with Rosario. His old friend suggests that the two of them along with the Kings should seek revenge for what happened to Rosario's brother. Should he ignore the promise he made to his girl friend or rejoin his old gang and help lead the fight?

THE BARRIO KINGS is slightly over 100 pages, reads quickly, and contains just the right combination of action and drama to interest reluctant readers. With characters living in the adult world, there is definitely more appeal for alternative ed/adult ed readers attempting to improve reading skills. I look forward to reading another Rapid Read selection.

[Diana Najera · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought it was a captivating story. So much drama, excitement, and surprises. The way Rosario (main character) left gang banging for his wife and child on the way really stood out to me. All though this book is fiction that kind of thing rarely happens in real life there's few gang members who would leave their gang to give a better life to their wife and kids. That kind of thing shows people that theirs still "bad people" that could change for something that is valuable like having a family. I also really like the use of dialogue its reminded me of the people i grew up with. Revenge and violence is not the answer , you could change for the good of yourself and others is what i understood in this story. Rosario wanted to show the others that there's a different way of solving your problems and that is by talking them out not with violence but with words. That is one of the things that stood out to me.

[Ivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about a young man Rosario he is starting a family with his wife. He has gotten a job a local food store and is going to night school to finish up his high school degree. His boss has offered him a higher position in the supermarket but in order for him to move up to the position he need to finish high school. But when an old friend comes back to his life after getting out of jail his life changes. He decided to go back to his gang for a while to get revenge on the guy who killed his brother. The book doesn’t really give that much background information on how he got out of the gang and what he went through trying to escape his past life. I rate this book a 4 out of 5 because it has some good action scenes and it is about the life after leaving a gang. This book is a good read for most people who are interested in books about gang life and how it is after leaving a gang.

[Emilio Lopez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I give this book 5 stars because the plot is really good. It’s about an ex gang-banger name Rosario and how he is trying to keep his life stable because he is soon to be a father. But his friend Juan who barely got out of jail still wants to get revenge on the rival gang leader who killed Rosario’s brother and is trying to get Rosario to help him. This book isn’t as short or as long which makes it good because it’s just a story of the experience Rosario went through with Juan. Also I tried picturing it with all the details it gives which made it better for me to understand what was happening. I picture this book to be like a real event that can happen to someone that’s a gang-banger and I think that’s good for someone that reads to imagine this. I recommend this to everyone that likes a bit of action and drama because that’s what this book has.

[Jayna Vang · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book because it taught me that the past is the past . Also that you shouldn’t be afraid of a little change . It taught me some lessons in life and it is a very inspiring . It’s also adventurous , when I say adventurous I mean like there are moments in the book that are very surprising and shocking . I also like the book because it’s very realistic. It talks about real life events. It tells us about problems and how they get solved , the right way. The thing I would remember years from now about this book is that it is the most interesting book i’ve read yet . This is why I recommend “The Barrio Kings” .

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This tiny book is published by Raven, an imprint of Orca, known for publishing low reading level, high interest books. They are quite a hit with my special ed. students at my high school.

Rosario, 23, works at a grocery store and is anxiously awaiting the birth of his first son. He used to be in a gang, but is clean and trying to get his G.E.D. When his old gangbanger buddy shows up seeking revenge, Rosario doesn't want to get sucked in. But sometimes you don't have a choice. Or do you?

[Miste · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was an okay book about a former gang member trying to go straight. It seemed a little thin and I have a hard time believing someone with the last name Kowalski who lives in Canada really know much of anything about gangs & the Barrio. I suppose I could always look up the author and check out his creds....It would just be more believable if it was written by someone who seemed like they knew where the characters were coming from and what they were experiencing!

[Ms. Lowe · Rating 5 out of 5]

RL=2.7,pts=2.0
carlos says....
This is one of my favorite books about gangs.from the berry begining its clear that the narrator, connie is verry honest of what has happend with her boyfriend. i recommended this book to few people and some of them coud actually relate to it.i think u sould try it because is a verry good book and it solve problems the good way and they dont just start fighting.if u try it, let me know what u think!

[Tammy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rosario is trying to move past being part of the Barrio Kings gang. He is working as a stock boy, going to school to get his high school diploma and has a girlfriend about to have their baby. Everything is looking good as long as he keeps to the straight and narrow and doesn't get involved in anything with the gang. Then his friend gets out of prison Juan and wants to stay a night with him as he wants to get justice and revenge on a revival gang. What transpires is very interesting.