Bait

Sanchez, Alex. Bait. ISBN-10: 1416937749, ISNB-13: 9781416937746. Simon & Schuster. 2009

Summary
Diego is angry. Lately he has been letting his anger get the best of him when teased or looked at funny, and so he punches a couple of guys out. In the juvenile courts, Diego is faced with serving time or probation. He is assigned a probation officer with Mr. VIdas—a man who Diego doesn't trust nor like. But because he has no choice, Diego must open up to Vidas to face the issues that are the root of the anger, deal with the pain and escape his personal demons.

Critical Evaluation
Based on Alex Sanchez's time as a parole officer, Bait is a powerful story of of discovery and self-acceptance that will appeal to most readers—not only young adults. Diego's inner struggle: need for love and acceptance and his self-loathing will pull and keep readers in the book until the very end.

Reader's Annotation
Diego is a teen with anger issues that end him up in court and with a probation officer. But it is Mr. Vidas, the probation officer, who helps Diego find the root of his anger, and how to overcome the anger to move past it.

About the Author
Alex Sanchez is the author of seven books, with his eighth being published in 2011. Sanchez writes books that deal with the pressures of high school; as well as being scared of being gay and coming out in high school. His books have received many awards, more specifically Rainbow Boys was selected as a 2002 "Best Books for Young Adults" by the American Library Association, finalist for the Lambda Literary Award, and is said to be the book {Sanchez} wanted and needed when he was a teenager.

Sanchez was born in Mexico City to German and Cuban parents, immigrated when he was five, and now lives Florida. When he was little, he was ashamed that he was Mexican and spoke no English: and as he grew up, he became ashamed of the fact that he was gay. Today, he is a strong advocate to young gay people, encouraging them to accept who they are and to embrace their differences.

Genre
GLBTQ

Challenges
Sexual content

Curriculum Ties
not applicable

Booktalking Ideas
If you feared sharks, would you go swim with them to overcome that fear...

Awards
not applicable

Reading Level/Interest Age

Ages 12 +

Why I included this title...
When looking at my genre list, I noticed I was lean on GLBTQ books. So when I then browsed several on the shelf, Bait hooked me with the fact that the probation officer's name was Mr. Vidas—because "vida" in Spanish translates to life, existence and living.