Trini's Magic Kitchen

Trini has just started seventh grade when her mom loses her job. She finds another one working nights in Denver but must sleep on her cousin’s couch until she saves enough money for a new apartment. Since there’s no room for Trini, the girl is forced to go live with her grandparents in Alamosa. She has always considered her grandparents’ house a second home, but the day her mom leaves her there she feels homeless. Grandma Lydia and Grandpa Frank, who ride motorcycles and listen to rock, are the best, but Trini misses her mom and dreads being the new kid at school, especially since she is now two weeks behind. Gradually she adjusts to her new life, making another best friend and setting her sights on a cute boy. And when her grandmother discovers Trini can’t cook, she begins teaching her granddaughter how to make traditional Mexican dishes. Through the cooking lessons, the girl begins to learn more about her family, including her dad, who died when she was young, and why her mom doesn’t cook. This warmhearted and entertaining novel about overcoming challenges will resonate with tweens facing their own problems with family and friends. Recipes for the meals made by Trini and her grandparents—including tostadas, green chile enchiladas, calabacitas and albóndigas—are included and will encourage young people to begin their own adventures in the kitchen while learning the value of creating magical dishes full of love for the people they care about.