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The Barrio Kings (2010)

by William Kowalski(Favorite Author)

3.98 of 5 Votes: 3

ISBN

155469244X (ISBN13: 9781554692446)

languge

English

genre

Young Adult Fiction

publisher

Orca Book Publishers

review 1: 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... more 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.
review 2: 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. less

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