Growing Up

All of the stories in the book feature a strong theme about growing up and becoming more mature. Almost all of the protagonists in the book are in the last few years of elementary school or the first few years of junior high school. In Growing Up, Maria is in the tenth grade. She is the oldest protagonist in the book. All of the stories place the protagonist in a situation that causes him or her to evaluate and extend his or her abilities through focused effort. The protagonists set a goal and then work toward the goal to achieve it. Many of the situations demand an adult interpretation of life. For example, Lupe in The Marble Champ story wants to excel at marbles. She takes the time to practice, exercise, and develop skill with a specific goal in mind. Yollie, in Mother and Daughter, faces a...