Sisters/Hermanas

by Gary Paulsen, Gloria de Aragón Andújar (Translator)

Told in both English and Spanish, Sisters/Hermanas tells of Rosa, a fourteen-year-old illegal immigrant from Mexico City, and Traci, a fourteen-year-old from the suburbs of Houston. “Paulsen has done a masterful job of creating two well-developed, believable characters trapped in environments where the elements of beauty, youth, and popularity have the highest value, and are deemed essential to survival. This is an absorbing tale that rings all too true with real-life pressures and stressful situations that present no easy choices.”--VOYA

Genres: Young Adult, Realistic Fiction, Spanish Literature, Teen, Cultural

144 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1993

About the author

Gary James Paulsen was an American writer of children's and young adult fiction, best known for coming-of-age stories about the wilderness. He was the author of more than 200 books and wrote more than 200 magazine articles and short stories, and several plays, all primarily for teenagers. He won the Margaret Edwards Award from the American Library Association in 1997 for his lifetime contribution in writing for teens.

Reviews

[Josiah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sisters is among Gary Paulsen's experimental novels, a dual narrative that comes together in a climax as sudden as it is unpredictable. Fourteen-year-old Rosa has no one to take care of her. After a childhood of poverty in Mexico City, she crossed the United States border with a group of other illegals, most of whom were caught by border patrol. Separated from her mother, Rosa desperately tried to get a decent job in Texas, but ended up settling for freelance prostitution work, sending most of the money to her mother in Mexico. When Rosa isn't pleasing strange men for pay, she resides at the fleabag "Prairie Deluxe Motor Hotel", where she stashes her cash savings and keeps a sharp eye out for law officers. As a young unsupervised girl who doesn't speak English, any interaction with police will probably lead to her deportation. Rosa lives life on a razor's edge.

Traci, also fourteen, was born into affluence. Her mother trained her for beauty shows from the time she could walk, coaching her in every aspect of how to catch the eye of male contest judges, and men in general. She helps Traci preen to the point of near perfection, with aspirations for a future in show business or as the wife of a wealthy man. Traci knows all the tricks to stand out from a crowd, and she's pleased when tryouts for the school cheerleading squad go as well as her mother hoped. Traci is going to ride her own attractiveness and popularity as far as she can, toward a lifestyle that will never leave her wanting for anything.

A child of the streets, and a child of privilege; what could they have in common? Rosa and Traci's alternating narrative chapters feel as though they take place in different worlds, yet a series of small twists of fate lead these two teens to the upscale Briarwind Mall on the same evening. Coming here was a mistake for Rosa, dressed in her "hooker" getup; one glance from the mall security man, and Rosa is fleeing capture and a one-way ticket back to Mexico's slums. Nothing means more to her than clinging to the small, grimy piece of America she has stolen for her own. Hiding from mall security in a fancy dress shop, Rosa comes face to face with Traci. Disparate as their circumstances are, as their eyes meet they each sense a kindred soul, another girl who exploits her body to forward the dream of a better future. The connection between this well-to-do American and frightened underage prostitute lasts mere seconds, but the rest of their lives may hinge on it.

I love when Gary Paulsen writes like Robert Cormier. The Rifle and Paintings from the Cave: Three Novellas are more obvious examples, but Sisters has trace amounts of that Cormier magic, which in my experience is the rarest of all literary traits. Does Traci control her own life any more than Rosa, or is it an illusion created by her mother? Are Traci's methods of using her body to gain influence and wealth not as bad as what Rosa does, or are both equally damaging to a young girl searching for an identity? Sisters raises questions without answers, a style that could work; however, I think the story needed more tangible substance in order to succeed. In that regard, Sisters reminds me of Gary Paulsen's Canyons and The Tent. A bonus feature: if you read Spanish, flip the book upside down and read it from the back cover to the front. The story becomes Hermanas, a complete Spanish translation of this novel from the original English. Sisters isn't one of Gary Paulsen's masterpieces, but I might do a two-and-a-half-star rating; it packs some punch, for its brevity. The content is worth your time.

[Julie Seager · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was literally so bad but I just wanted to practice reading Spanish lmao

[Cole]

Did not know what to expect when I found this book in my college house but I just read it in 15 minutes and it was awful

[Neyda · Rating 3 out of 5]

No fue tan bueno el libro pero nomas lo leí para practicar para el examen de STAMP que tengo la próxima semana

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

i read this book in high school after my best friend at the time told me about it. i didn't fully understand it then. now, years later, i kept having these occurrences where i couldn't remember what book i was remembering; all i could remember was a young girl, prostitution, and the virgin mary and baby jesus (and that it could be read from both directions). i asked my friend if she could remember what book i was thinking of, but she had no memory of it. so i searched for it. on and off. and then finally, i found it: this book.
after finishing it now, i am grateful that i could find the book. still, i'm left with the aftertaste on my tongue of - but that can't be it! please, that can't be the end of the story!
and maybe that's the tragedy of this little book. it leaves you wishing for a different reality.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

The only thing I like of this book was that it was really short...
This book has no endpoint.. it doesn't have a conclusion
I didn't get the final chapter at all..
It is about two girls that have really different living conditions:
one has great parents that can buy her everything and the other one sells herself to get money, to send it to Mexico (where her mother is)
they live a completely different life and meet in a mall
they only see each others' eye and think they're really alike...
then, the Mexican girl gets caught because of her illegal residency...
the book ENDS this ways...
it was not at all boring, but the end upset me a lot...
I'd like to make a new end...

[Janine · Rating 3 out of 5]

This YA novella is presented in  both Spanish and English, each upside down from the other. I read it in Spanish, (and it was just right for an Intermediate Spanish student) but if you flipped it the other way, you could read it in English. An effective format for a language learner: the other language was there if you wanted it, but it was enough of a hassle to turn the book over and find the corresponding page that I generally persevered it trying to work it out for myself. I could then read the English chapter, just to make sure that I had got the gist.
Rosa is a 14 year old illegal immigrant from Mexico City who works as a prostitute. She dreams of becoming a model, but in the meantime she endures her lifestyle, sending money home to her mother in Mexico.  Traci is a blonde 14 year old from the suburbs, whose mother is preening her to become head cheerleader, which will launch her into a dazzling career as a beauty queen.

The book presents their stories in alternating chapters, as each of the girls gets ready, then brings them together in a clothing store at a mall. Rosa is hiding from the police, Traci finds her and with a jolt, recognizes them as being sisters  - not literally, but as holder of the same dreams which they are powerless to fulfill in a very imperfect world.

A compelling novella, and just right for my Spanish level.  The original text was written in English, and it was translated into Spanish by Gloria de Aragón Andújar

[Cindi P. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written in 1993, it is still sadly relevant today. Told from the perspective of two teenage girls, one advantaged, and one in difficult circumstances as an undocumented immigrant with no family here. Both have value based on performance. One in highly acceptable opportunity in society. One in a most awful and degrading situation. Yet both want more from life. There is more but I don’t want to spoil anything.

It is short and fast to read. The book has the story in both English and Spanish. Interesting story. I wish it had resolved more. It was thought provoking. I regret the author or perhaps editor used the phrase “illegal immigrant.” “Undocumented immigrant” shows more dignity to humans in these situations. But perhaps in 1993, they hadn’t thought that through yet.

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a YA short novella with text in both Spanish and English. I recommend it for language learners. It is definitely better than the books I usually find for practicing Spanish.

The two 14 year-old girls are in very different settings and circumstances but as the narrative switches back and forth between them many similarities appear.

[Angelina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the idea, the comparison between the two young girls, but I feel the book needed more. More depth. More flow. More story.
This book would have more impact if it was in the form of a graphic novel.
Hatchet, on the other hand, offers so much more…

[Brittany Wolffram · Rating 2 out of 5]

This plot heavy book pulls you in with two main characters. I was interested to see how they might evolve or intertwine but unfortunately there is no character development and the message of the book becomes known quickly and is directly stated to you. I was left truly wanting more.

[Michael Powers · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very different than most of his books, which are usually about the outdoors. But a unique perspective on human trafficking within a family itself.

[Lise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probably 3.5 stars for me.

[Tarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked the idea of this story and as much as I wish it was a longer story, I understand how too much story telling might ruin it. Still an enjoyable read though!

[Lupe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting format. It's a flip book; English on one side, Spanish on the other side. This novella explores the similarities between two teens in Texas. One is a Mexican immigrant, the other is a suburban cheerleader. I wish it had been longer.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book opens us to the life of Rosa, a 14-year old undocumented immigrant girl that has turned to prostitution for survival, to send money to her mother in Mexico and to save money for her dreams of becoming a glamorous model. On the other side of the spectrum, there is Traci, a white 14-year old girl who is equally entrenched in dreams surrounding beauty and glamor and whose mother lives through her by subjecting her daughter to beauty pageants and clothes and makeup that make Traci look older. The author tries to depict Traci as being prostituted by her mother which I don't fully buy. The two girls eventually cross paths and Traci comes to the realization that they are the same. I understand that the girls are very different in socioeconomic status and culture and that they are very much both vulnerable and victimize. "We are the same” Traci repeats. Once this has been established, Traci goes on to live her life of luxuries and vanity while Rosa at the hands of a white society will likely endure deportation, humiliation and continued poverty. Traci, on the other hand because of her socioeconomic status has more options and no matter how much victimization she endures from her mother, she is obviously in a better situation than Rosa who is victimize by a white society which is clearly seen from the start and we continue to see through out the novel. Rosa had little choice and unfortunately had to resort to prostitution. Traci has a choice to not be victimized. So I ask - are they really the same????

[Carlisa Cramer · Rating 5 out of 5]

GARY PAULSEN REQUIRMENT

This book is about two girls, Rosa and Traci. Rosa is a 14-year-old illegal immigrant in Texas, working at night in the streets as a prostitute in order to send money home to her mother. Traci is a 14-year-old bleached-blonde beauty queen in the same Texas city as Rosa, whose mother primes her everyday to be perfect and look perfect...because that is how she will succeed in life. These girls' lives intersect for a brief moment to see how truly similar they are.

This book was shockingly beautiful. It's in a really interesting format, where one side is in English and then you flip the book over and it's the same story but in Spanish. I kind of loved this. The point of the book was to see how, despite how different these two girls are, they are also kind of the same. Like, you flip the book over and though it's different, it's the same book.

Each side is 65 pages. I read it in less than an hour, but despite the length it makes an impact on you. To realize that those people you may look down upon (consciously or not) are not all that different than you. Birth is circumstantial.

Favorite Quote: "Half a second, a heartbeat—literally a heartbeat. One thump. Traci's eyes locked onto the girl's eyes, held, fixed, caught , and she knew everything. Knew that the girl was a Mexican, was her age, was illegal, was selling her body and was totally, completely terrified.
We, Traci thought.
Just that at first, in the first instant.
We are. . .
We are the same."

[Debbie Henderson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Genre: bilingual
Issues: racial equality, illegal immigration, prostitution, popularity

In Sisters/Hermanas, Gary Paulsen tells the stories of two girls the same age living in Texas. Rosa, a 14-year-old illegal immigrant from Mexico, works as a prostitute to earn money to send back to her mother in Mexico. Traci, a 14-year-old upper middle class citizen, wants exactly what her mother pressures her to do: become the most popular girl in the school and make the cheerleading team as the best team member. When they meet in a shopping mall as Rosa is about to be apprehended by the police, Traci realizes they are just the same even if their circumstances could hardly be more different.

I love the concept of this book. It is short--66 pages--and written completely Spanish as well as completely in English. It is a quick but probing study of the disparity between cultures near the America/Mexico border. The concept it presents, that all people experience some universal feelings and desires despite differences in circumstance, is an important one for adolescents to explore. However, I would prefer to see the story continue instead of end abruptly as the two girls first glimpse each other. Perhaps Paulsen achieved his purpose within the 66 pages of text, but I think he could have built on it even more powerfully if he had made it a longer novel.

[Kiri Case · Rating 3 out of 5]

GARY PAULSEN CATEGORY

This book follows the parallel plot lines of two young women who are leading totally different lives...or so it seems. Rosa is an illegal immigrant come to America to make money for her struggling family back home. She soon falls into the only position she can hold that will make her enough money: prostitution. She lives the life of a prostitute, but dreams of one day being a famous model. Traci is a white, rich American whose entire life has been planned out by her controlling mother. Her latest preoccupation, or rather, her mother's, is getting on the cheerleading team at high school so she can be popular and marry well someday. While at first these two plots seem totally separate, they come together in the end in a surprising way.
This book was very short and easy to read. Through this book, Paulsen comments on some very relevant issues for young adults, such as how far are humans willing to go to be excepted and successful. For Rosa, she resorts to selling her body, and for Traci, she becomes a robot and loses her identity in her struggle to rise to the top. I would recommend this to mature teenage readers because even though it's an easy read, this book does cover some pretty heavy topics.

[Kathryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Novella/Racial experience/Connection

So - for the record, I don't like Gary Paulsen books. As a general rule they bore me, and I get irritated by the narration. However, Sisters, a startlingly short novella (if we have those in today's literary world) gives us the intertwining of two 14 year old girls - Rosa - an illegal immigrant who works as a hooker at night and dreams of being on the cover of magazines - and Traci - white, upperclass, who dreams of being a cheerleader. The characters are surprisingly easy to like, and the tale of their connection and meeting is startling. Written in both Spanish and English (depending on which side of the book you open) it paints a bleak image of what we would consider "normal" life in America, while the richness and beauty of the life of Rosa is startling and beautiful. Unfortunately, the ending, although in tone, and probably accurate, seems to create a message out of the short meeting and the interplay of stereotypes.
However, for a very quick read, with surprisingly beautiful prose and voice, this is a great pick.

[Elizabeth Guzman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book focuses on the lives of two young girls Rosa an illegal immigrant who prostitutes herself to make a living and Traci a wealthy American. Although they live very different lives they both are connected with the obsession of beauty. Rosa believes that beauty is having perfect clothes and a perfect body, while Traci is being taught that that beauty is flawless and that its the key to happiness. While reading this book i kind of got a little confused in which chapter was talking about either Rosa or Traci. I would recommend this book to people who like short books because it seemed a little bit to short. I would honestly read this book again because its so interesting to read since it goes in depth in the lives of two very different girls.

[Lindsay · Rating 2 out of 5]

I can't decide if I liked this book or not. It was an interesting portrayal of two different stereotypes in a way that made them the same, but it also was a bit odd. The fact that the girls are also just 14 makes it even odder. I did like the idea of these two girls from different backgrounds not being so different, it was the way that he went about it that I didn't care for as much. I think that I would give this to students, maybe someone who is struggling with longer texts, but I would be sure that it was an older student because of some of the themes covered in the text.

[Bobbi · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm not sure how I feel about this book. The author attempts to convince the reader that two girls on opposite sides of the economic spectrum are alike, like sisters, in the way that they sell themselves - one as a prostitute and the other a popular cheerleader-beauty queen. The chance meeting of the girls was not credible. It is a bilingual novel that can be turned around for the other language. Now, I'll tackle the spanish....Si, puedo leer espanol, un pequito. *snicker*

[Lora · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was extremely short and had very little, if any plot. It was told in two voices, flipping back and forth between Rosa, an illegal immigrant/child prostitute, and Traci, a vain cheerleader. It was filled with stereotypes and as far as I can tell has very little value in the literary world. It's only redeeming quality is that in one volume it tells the story in both English and Spanish. At the most it might be used as a language teaching tool.

[Femi · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked up this book because it was bilingual, short, and seemed to hold promise for some interesting social commentary. I was very disappointed. Paulsen spent too much time describing the characters and too little time letting the reader witness them living. Even though I was looking for short I felt like this book ended before it delivered its message. At least I was able to practice my Spanish.

[Brandon O'Neill · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book literally took me 20 minutes to read - it's only 65 pages, but is pretty powerful nevertheless. It is about 2 girls - one is Rosa, a 14 year old illegal immigrant prostitute (that is a mouthful - no pun intended) and the other is Traci, a 14 year old trying to be perfect cheerleader who have a quick chance encounter. My first non-Brian themed book by Paulsen, and it was good.

[Eliza Mansuetto Schade · Rating 2 out of 5]

There is a very limited Spanish language selection at my library. So I guess I was forced to read this. Very simple, short, and surface. I read it in like an hour. Not much to it, but still, I finished it all the way to the end so it must have kept me interested somewhat. That is why I gave it two stars instead of one.

[Mary Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

The 'haves' and 'have nots'; what a sad commentary on our society in more than one way. Have had this book for years and just now got around to reading. Paulsen did a fine job of pointing out obvious circumstances that we seldom do anything about, but stand by and say 'what can I do?' Rosa wants to help her mother and Traci seems to be her mother's puppet.

[Lissa Shaman · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was curious to see where Gary Paulsen would go with one of the few non-male, non-white protagonists he's ever created, and the book was beautifully written but severely lacking in plot and description.

[Melissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

YA