Allie, First at Last: A Wish Novel - Softcover

Cervantes, Angela

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0545812682 ISBN 13: 9780545812689

Publisher: Scholastic Paperbacks, 2017

Synopsis

Allie Velasco wants to be a trailblazer.

A trendsetter.

A winner.
No better feeling exists in the world than stepping to the top of a winner’s podium and hoisting a trophy high in the air. At least, that’s what Allie thinks . . . she’s never actually won anything before. Everyone in her family is special in some way -- her younger sister is a rising TV star; her brother is a soccer prodigy; her great-grandfather is a Congressional Medal of Honor winner.
With a family like this, Allie knows she has to make her mark or risk being left behind. She’s determined to add a shiny medal, blue ribbon, or beautiful trophy to her family's award shelf. When a prestigious school contest is announced, Allie has the perfect opportunity to take first -- at last. There’s just one small snag . . . her biggest competition is also her ex-best friend, Sara. Can Allie take top prize and win back a friend -- or is she destined to lose it all?

About this title

About the Author

Angela Cervantes is an award-winning author whose debut book, Gaby, Lost and Found, was named Best Youth Chapter book by the International Latino Book Awards and a Bank Street College of Education's Best Books of 2014. Angela's second middle grade novel, Allie, First At Last, was released by Scholastic in Spring 2016 and received a starred-review from Kirkus Review. Keep up with the latest from Angela Cervantes at angelacervantes.com.

From School Library Journal

Gr 4–6—In this realistic middle grade novel, Cervantes introduces a Latina fifth grader, Alyssa, otherwise known as Allie, who is struggling to find her place and identity as the third of four siblings in a family full of successful, award-winning individuals. She considers herself a failure when compared to Harvard-bound Adriana; his soccer whiz older brother, Aiden; and his younger sister Ava, a TV commercial star. Yet this is only half of the family: Allie's mom is a news anchor, and her dad is a fireman. It seems that everyone has won trophies and completed "firsts"—even her great grandfather is famous as the only World War II recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor alive in the state. Fifth grade can be rough, filled with changing relationships and an intense self-centered focus. Allie tries, but often fails, to be understanding when a new friend's help on her science fair project is a disaster and former best friend Sarah chooses the same topic for the Kansas Trailblazer Contest. The first-person narrative captures the disquieting feelings that often accompany the preteen years, including the protagonist's insights on her language proficiency and efforts to make the right decisions. VERDICT This will appeal to middle grade girls, particularly for independent reading.—Ruth Quiroa, National Louis University, IL

About this edition

• Publisher: Scholastic Paperbacks
• Publication date: 2017
• ISBN 10: 0545812682
• ISBN 13: 9780545812689
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 208