Parrot in the Oven: Mi Vida Book

Winner of the 1996 National Book Award for Young People's Fiction, "Parrot in the Oven: Mi Vida" is less a sweeping traditional novel and more a series of short character sketches. The poetic style, though beautiful and intriguing, leaves the reader feeling confused and disjointed, though this may be the point. Living in a poor Mexican-American project in California, Manny Hernandez attempts to navigate the minefield that is his life -- just as the reader attempts to navigate the short vignettes. Son to a violent, unemployed alcoholic father, Manny watches helplessly as he begins to view his family through a new, more honest lens. His family's struggle to become more than just the typical, poor Mexican-American teen and become reflections of the difficulties facing families everywhere. The events of the book are heavy material, including the death of a grandmother, abuse by parents, a sister's miscarriage, and Manuel's flirtation with gang life. In the end, the reader is left unsettled: Does Manny become worth more than pennies and the "vato firme" (respected guy) he longs to become? Then again, perhaps this feeling of unsettling confusion is exactly what the reader needs to finally fully relate to Manny's difficult existence. Furthermore, readers should be prepared for a decidedly negative depiction of "gavachos" -- a derogatory term for white people; numerous instances of extreme violence; and frequent swearing, both in English and Spanish. These inclusions, however, give the book a realness and rawness that engage the reader and help establish the vast frustration facing the entire family as they attempt to figuratively rise to something just beyond their reach.