Bridge

José can't keep up. As the only English speaker in a family of undocumented immigrants, he handles everything from taking family members to the doctor to bargaining with the landlord. Plus he works two jobs. With all this responsibility, he's missing a lot of school. When he does make it, he falls asleep in class. José knows he has to turn things around if he wants to graduate from Rondo Alternative High School. Can he raise his grades enough to have a shot at college and a better life? Or will he be forced to drop out of school for good?

4Q 3P S

"Last chances are abundant in The Alternative, a new series by Jones. Dealing with different situations, from illegal immigration to diagnosable metal disorders, each of the books in The Alternative chronicles the 'last chance' of a student at the Rondo Alternative High School. These books differ from other hi-lo series, like Bluford High, in that they do not follow the formulaic 'street lit' plot. While Jada may be in foster care because she has served time for assault in Outburst, the victim of Jada's crime is not revealed until much later in the book and serves as a shocking admission giving the book a mysterious tone. The same is also true for José in his story, Bridge, in which his admission of a lie takes center stage over his family's illegal presence in the United States.
Each of the books ends with an author's note describing the path taken to get to the meat of the story and, unlike most books dealing with last chance scenarios, not all of the books have a happy ending, providing a realistic look at how hard life can be when all the odds are stacked against someone. Because of Jones's extensive experience working in juvenile detention centers and with teens at many alternative centers, these books are quite realistic and make an excellent bridge for lower level readers and fans of the popular Bluford High and Urban Underground series who are looking for more of a challenge." --VOYA

"Jones skillfully weaves the story of José, a struggling student at Rondo Alternative High School, with José's classwork involving Tim O'Brien's The Things They Carried to deliver a powerful, realistic story, one of five titles launching the Alternative series, written at a fourth-grade level. As the only English speaker in his household, José has long served as the bridge between his undocumented immigrant family and the outside world. His many responsibilities, including working two jobs, mean he's behind in earning his diploma, which he knows is the first step to 'a better life.' In this chronicle of his last-ditch effort to graduate, readers learn that José also carries the guilt of a translation mistake he made 10 years earlier. The author's effective use of flashbacks and crisp portraits of positive adult characters add further emotional depth to this emotional glimpse at the high-pressure difficulties facing children in immigrant families. References to O'Brien's book will likely spark the interest of readers in that title as well." --starred, Publishers Weekly

"Patrick Jones has written a series focusing on the harsh realities of Rondo Alternative High School students trying to survive their last chance at getting an education. Each title follows a different student as he or she faces common everyday challenges, but not so common to many other students their age. These high-interest low-level books provide intriguing storylines packed into a relatively short novel. The books feature diverse characters dealing with real-life situations, struggling to succeed in a world where the cards seem to be stacked against them. This series should attract an array of readers seeking an edgier teenage drama. [Editor's Note: Available in e-book format and paperback.] Recommended."―Library Media Connection