Nerdlandia

by Gary Soto

Overview

A hip, funny, Latino rendition of Grease, this play features three cool muchachos who come to the aid of Martin, a chicano nerd who loves a beautiful, popular girl, Ceci, from afar.With the help of his friends, Martin changes his miage and impresses Ceci and her friends, without letting on who he is. This is a problem for Ceci, because, in the meantime, she's transformed herself into a Chicana nert to win the heard of her secret love—Martin. 

A totally modern, totally cool tale of teenage romance.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780698117846
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	07/28/1999
Pages:	96
Sales rank:	1,021,836
Product dimensions:	4.13(w) x 6.70(h) x 0.25(d)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Born in Fresno, California, to Mexican American parents, Gary Soto is an acclaimed poet, essayist, and fiction writer. The awards for this multitalented author are many, ranging from the US Award for International Poetry Forum to a Before Columbus Foundation American Book Award, and was nominated for a National Book Award. His other credits include fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the California Arts Council. When he is not writing, Mr. Soto serves as a volunteer English teacher at his church. He lives with his wife, Carolyn, and their daughter, Mariko, in Berkeley, California.

Editorial Reviews

Gr 7 Up-This play set in the Los Angeles Barrio is filled with stock characters: Martin, a Chicano nerd who wears glasses, a calculator on his belt, and pants hiked up to his chest; homeboys who sport greased hair and tattoos; and chola girls who have dark lipstick and painted nails. Martin tries to be one of the homies in order to win his idealized love, Ceci. Ironically, Ceci has just ended her relationship with her two-timing boyfriend and now decides that a sweet, intelligent guy like Martin is just what she needs. She, in turn, tries to become more nerdlike to win his affections, which includes shopping at "Nerdstroms." Language is a parody of street slang and Spanish phrases. Billed as a comedy, the dialogue often falls flat. Characters have little motivation for their actions. Short on entertainment, but long on stereotypes.-Gail Richmond, San Diego Unified Schools, CA Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.

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