3/24/13

Dear Reader,

 

In the last few chapters of Mexican Whiteboy, I felt pleased with the outcome of the book.  Through Uno and Danny’s friendship and Danny and Liberty’s relationship, everything seemed to turn out wonderfully for everyone.  What was your opinion with regard to this novel?

 

Uno’s and Danny’s friendship has really grown throughout the story.  Uno realizes that he and Danny have played and practiced baseball together but only so Danny can succeed as a pitcher.  “Uno studies him for a few seconds. He wonders if the kid’s tired of this setup. Throwing pitches to a regular old catcher. He’s known all along that this is a temporary thing, that Danny would eventually move on to bigger and better things. But he didn’t realize it’d be this hard for him to say goodbye. Makes him feel kind of soft” (208). Uno knows that he doesn’t have a baseball career waiting for him but he helps Danny with his dream on the Levcadia team.  Their friendship has really grown through baseball.  Have you ever met someone that you didn’t like at first but then became friends with them through a sport?

 

Danny came to National City to learn more about his dad and his dad’s side of the family.  His dream is to eventually move in with his dad.  However, before the end of his trip, he finds out some devastating news about his father.  His father is in prison.  The whole time Danny thought a scout was watching him for a team, he was actually watching him play baseball for his father.  “He shakes his head, stares down at the black-and-white checkered tiles, sighs. ‘He asked me if I could watch over you. While he’s away.’ Danny looks back at the scout, a frown coming over his face. The scout pulls off his Padres cap, smoothes his thick black hair peppered with gray and pulls the cap back on. ‘Your dad asked me if I could. I said yes, of course’” (218).  How would you feel if your dream ended in disappointment?

 

In the last Hustle of the summer, Uno and Danny face Kyle Sorenso, the best hitter on Leucadia’s team.  Even though Danny failed to strike out Kyle, he still threw many pitches and held his own ground against him.  At the end of the Hustle, Kyle came up to Danny with great news from the coach.  “Danny turns around when he feels somebody shoving the Leucadia guys off him. He expects to find Uno, but it’s Kyle. ‘Go on,’ he says. ‘Coach’ll call you.’ Danny looks at him without saying anything. Kyle turns and releases Uno. He looks at Danny again, says: ‘You got great stuff, man. I’m serious. coach’ll call you.’ He waves them off, and Danny and Uno grab their things and hustle from the field as some of the Leucadia guys shout after them” (239).  Have you ever received great news before?  If so, how did you feel?

 

I predicted that Danny and Liberty would love each other before Danny had to return home.  “Uno lets Danny out first, steps out himself and goes to pull the door shut behind him. But just before the door latches, he hears Liberty shout: ‘espera!’ He opens the door back up and Liberty hurries past him. She grabs Danny’s face in her hands and kisses him on the lips real quick. When they separate she stands there giggling. Then Danny takes her face in his hands and kisses her” (243). Danny and Liberty have both realized how they feel about each other and finally get to tell each other.

 

I really enjoyed this book and hope you did too. What did you think of this book? I wish it didn’t end because I wanted to see if Uno and Danny would still stay long distance friends and what became of Danny and Liberty’s relationship.

 

Sincerely,

Sara Houle