New & Noteworthy in Young Adult Fiction

Our NEW & NOTEWORTHY selections highlight recent additions to our collection that have received significant acclaim in their field.

Adjusting to a new school is just one of the challenges middle-schooler Malú faces in the book The First Rule of Punk by Celia C. Pérez. Her parents have recently divorced and she has moved to a new city. Pre-teen angst, ethnic identity, family relationships and finding her “tribe” adds to Malú’s concerns. Her first day at school is not a good one as she gets on the wrong side of the mean girl and violates the school dress code. Her love of all things punk gets her in a lot of trouble until she determines that she has a right to express herself and stands up to the school administration. She forms a punk rock band and finds like-minded friends who relate to her creativity and enthusiasm. The author incorporates illustrations from Malú’s “zines” where she expresses her feelings, opinions, and interests.

Celia C. Pérez, a community college librarian, is a big fan of punk music and enjoys making zines. The First Rule of Punk is her first book for young readers and has won numerous awards including the 2018 Pura Belpré Author Honor Book, the 2018 ALSC Notable Children’s Book and the 2018 Tomás Rivera Mexican American Children’s Book Award Winner. This is an engaging title for young readers who embrace girls’ empowerment as well as our CSN education students who are learning about children’s’ literature.

You can find The First Rule of Punk on the shelves at the North Las Vegas Campus Library. PZ7.1.P44747 Fi 2017