Ten-year-old Junior is thrilled and a bit nervous about moving from an El Paso barrio to the house his father has purchased in an Anglo part of town. His mother, who speaks only Spanish, is somewhat less thrilled, especially when she finds out the family will be living in the subterrneoa dark, unfinished basement until the white family renting the house above moves out. As the ever-optimistic Pop works to improve his family's situation by adding an apartment to the back of the house, Junior and his little brother make friends with Tim and Kim, the children living above them. But soon tensions erupt between Juniors mother and Tim and Kims parents, between Pop and co-workers at his new job, and between Tim and Boogie, Juniors friend from the barrio and these conflicts reshape Juniors relationships with family and friends, and threaten the new world his father is striving to create. 'This is truly an extraordinary story by a gifted writer' - Rudolfo Anaya, author of ""Serafinas Stories"". 'A delightful coming-of-age story by a new young adult author' - Lila Guzmn, author of ""Lorenzo's Secret Mission"". This book feels like a classic to me. Naomi Shihab Nye, author of ""You and Yours"". 'Carlos Flores' insightful domestic drama is a study on what it means to be an American: love and tragedy aren't too far apart' - Ilan Stavans, author of ""The Hispanic Condition: The Power of a People"". Carlos Nicols Flores is a co-founding director of the South Texas Writing Project and a winner of the Chicano/Latino Literary Prize. He teaches English at Laredo Community College in Laredo, Texas.