White Bread Competition

The picturesque city of San Antonio, Texas, with its rich Mexican-American culture provides the ideal backdrop for the linked stories in this intriguing novel. Luz, a young Latina, will represent her state in an upcoming national spelling bee. Her participation in the contest signifies a substantial milestone for her community's sense of pride and achievement. But her success also triggers a variety of other emotions: Luz's younger sister, Justina, struggles to understand her mixed feelings towards her older sister's accomplishment; Luz's grandmother fears her granddaughter's ambition while another generation of Latinas pins its hopes on her; and the Anglo students and parents must come to terms with the increasing visibility of the Latino community.