I absolutely loved this book. At first it took me a while to get in to but after picking it up for the second time I honestly couldn't put the book down. I feel like this is a book so many kids can relate to. Luckly I didn't come from a family background like Naomi but so many children do. When children can relate to this book they will become so much more involved. I couldn't stand Skyla. In the beginning was hoping that she had changed but obviously she hadn't. I started disliking her when she didn't like Owen just because he was different but I disliked her even more when she hit Naomi. I was really excited when Naomi and Owen finally found their father and that he was a good guy. I was hoping in the end that Naomi, Owen, and Gram would be able to move to Mexico and live with Santiago but that would be the fairy tale ending and most of the time in real life things don't end the fairy tale way. I loved how Naomi changed from the mouse to the lion in the end. I can see myself in her in that way. When I was younger I was the mouse and over the years I have become more of a lion. Pam Munoz Ryan does a great job of presenting the cultural details authentically. She naturally integrates the festival at Christmas into the story. She has a Spanish, Mexican, Basque, Italian, and Oklahoman background which allows her to present the culture authentically. She also presents an insider perspective. Through her research and participiation in Night of the Radishes Ryan is able to portray what is is like to be born of the culture. Ryan also uses the details accurately and avoids stereotypes. She uses details of the La Noche de los Rabanos accurately and naturally though the story. She also doesn't provide stereotypes in her novel. She doesn't show the characters as mean and horrible people. They are characters just like everyone else. I loved how Ryan incorporated Spanish words with the English translation right after it. The story wouldn't be the same if Ryan had just used the English words. The reader wouldn't get the full cultural perspective if these words weren't included. Overall I loved this book and I can't wait to read more books by this author. I will definately use this book in my classroom :)