Review: YOU ACT SO WHITE by Julie Prestsater

Gabby Fierro is a regular teenage girl. She worries about grades, boys, college and family. She's in the top 10 in her class and has everything going for her. If only it was so simple. Instead of concerning herself with where she is going to school and what prom dress to get, Gabby is getting it from both ends about her ethnicity. Between her best friend calling her a "wetback" and the annoying girl in her gym class harassing her about being "too white" Gabby is a confused ball of nerves. She is proud of her Mexican heritage but she also doesn't feel she needs to fall into one of the Mexican stereotypes. To Gabby she is an American with Mexican roots and doesn't understand why she needs to be considered one or the other. With the help of her family and friends Gabby has to look at herself and see what it actually means to 'act so white'. From the writer of the Double Threat Series and More Than a Friend Request comes a story of a girl just trying to figure out what it means to be herself with out any labels.



Reviewed by: Celia
Rating: 4 stars

Review: Gabby is smart, driven, and tired of being ridiculed over who she is by BOTH sides of the equation. She is stuck between being called “white” and a “wetback.” Seriously, how’s a girl to feel? Where should she fit in?

If you were to define “Mexican-American,” are you more Mexican or more American? How can one tell? According to Reyna, being “smart” means acting “white.” So Mexicans can’t be smart? Being American means you’re “white”?

The best line came from Gabby: “What am I? That’s such a dumb question. I’m human. That’s what I am. What is he really asking? Where am I from? What is my cultural background? What does ‘what are you’ even mean?” (60)

It seemed like everything Gabby did she was offending someone. Well, most of us know what it’s like to offend people with your “existence” –and it makes it that much harder to be yourself. Well, screw ‘em, I say.  I really liked Gabby. She was funny, charismatic, and intelligent. She was definitely a sweet nerd I could relate to, especially when it came to boys. That’s why I was surprised that she let these people get to her. She should be who she is and not listen to anybody—words I offer to everyone.

However, as smart as Gabby was, she still had to learn something about her tormentors. At first, I thought Ally and Reyna were just mean, little girls; but then you take a closer look at them and realize that they are just human like everyone else.

The story was all about finding out who your real friends are and the kind of person you want to be.  It mostly read like an After School Special in that light-hearted “eat your veggies, brush your teeth” kind of tone. I also thought that the ending was a tad bit surreal; the way everything was resolved was very “Disney-esque” in which all the pieces seem to fit perfectly and merrily. It SO does NOT happen that way in reality. Still, this was a good YA book—quick and enjoyable.