Twelve year-old Maria Luisa’s life gets turned upside-down when she moves to Chicago with her mother. Malu (her nickname) is Mexican-American. She has inherited her father’s love of punk music and a unique style all her own. As she struggles to make Chicago feel like home, Malu resents her (divorced) mother’s decision to take her away from her father. Malu finds friends who enjoy her punk music interests and realizes that while it isn’t easy fitting in to a new school and neighborhood, she can find a place for herself to call home. Malu’s strong personality sometimes gets her in trouble with her mother and the school administration, but she manages to find friends who appreciate her style and choices.
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