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Once Upon a Quinceanera

Coming of Age in the USA

Author Julia Alvarez
Paperback
$18.00 US
Penguin Adult HC/TR | Plume
5.3"W x 7.96"H x 0.66"D  
On sale Jul 29, 2008 | 288 Pages | 978-0-452-28830-0
| Grades 9-12 + AP/IB
Add to cart Add to list Exam Copies
See Additional Formats
  • Books in Spanish & World Languages > Books in Spanish > Nonfiction > Family
  • Books in Spanish & World Languages > Books in Spanish > Nonfiction > Immigration
  • English Language Arts > Genre: Nonfiction > People & Places > Girls & Women
  • English Language Arts > Genre: Nonfiction > Social Themes > Coming of Age
  • Social Studies > Anthropology > People and Cultures in the United States > Latinx American
  • About
  • Author
  • Praise
Finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award, a “phenomenal, indispensable” (USA Today) exploration of the Latina “sweet fifteen” celebration, by the bestselling author of How the García Girls Lost Their Accents and In the Time of the Butterflies.

The quinceañera, a celebration of a Latina girl’s fifteenth birthday, has become a uniquely American trend. This lavish party with ball gowns, multi-tiered cakes, limousines, and extravagant meals is often as costly as a prom or a wedding. But many Latina girls feel entitled to this rite of passage, marking a girl’s entrance into womanhood, and expect no expense to be spared, even in working-class families.

Acclaimed author Julia Alvarez explores the history and cultural significance of the “quince” in the United States, and the consequences of treating teens like princesses. Through her observations of a quince in Queens, interviews with other quince girls, and the memories of her own experience as a young immigrant, Alvarez presents a thoughtful and entertaining portrait of a rapidly growing multicultural phenomenon, and passionately emphasizes the importance of celebrating Latina womanhood.
© Bill Eichner
Julia Alvarez is the author of the novels How the García Girls Lost Their Accents, In the Time of the Butterflies (a national Book Critics Circle Award finalist), and Yo!. She has also published two poetry collections (Homecoming and The Other side/El Otro Lado) and a collection of essays (Something to Declare).

Julia Álvarez es la autora de De cómo las chicas García perdieron el acento, En el tiempo de las mariposas (un finalista del National Book Critics Circle Award) y ¡Yo!. También ha publicado dos colecciones de poesía y una colección de ensayos. Julia Álvarez vive en Vermont y en República Dominicana, donde dirige una cooperativa de café orgánico, y un centro de alfabetización y arte con su esposo. View titles by Julia Alvarez
Praise for Once Upon a Quinceanera

“Phenomenal...indispensable. Alvarez’s novelistic eye makes Once Upon a Quinceañera an intimate, intoxicating read.”—San Francisco Chronicle
 
“A journey into experiencing a vital, exuberant ritual of modern Latino life...As an author, Alvarez is a terrific tour guide.”—The Seattle Times
 
“[Alvarez] brings a critical eye to long-held myths...Each page is a love song to the cultural ties that bind generations of women from a diverse group of countries.”—Chicago Sun-Times
 
“Fascinating, exhaustively researched.”—The Washington Post
 
“Alvarez’s honest grappling with her caught-between-two-cultures experience is compelling.”—Entertainment Weekly

About

Finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award, a “phenomenal, indispensable” (USA Today) exploration of the Latina “sweet fifteen” celebration, by the bestselling author of How the García Girls Lost Their Accents and In the Time of the Butterflies.

The quinceañera, a celebration of a Latina girl’s fifteenth birthday, has become a uniquely American trend. This lavish party with ball gowns, multi-tiered cakes, limousines, and extravagant meals is often as costly as a prom or a wedding. But many Latina girls feel entitled to this rite of passage, marking a girl’s entrance into womanhood, and expect no expense to be spared, even in working-class families.

Acclaimed author Julia Alvarez explores the history and cultural significance of the “quince” in the United States, and the consequences of treating teens like princesses. Through her observations of a quince in Queens, interviews with other quince girls, and the memories of her own experience as a young immigrant, Alvarez presents a thoughtful and entertaining portrait of a rapidly growing multicultural phenomenon, and passionately emphasizes the importance of celebrating Latina womanhood.

Author

© Bill Eichner
Julia Alvarez is the author of the novels How the García Girls Lost Their Accents, In the Time of the Butterflies (a national Book Critics Circle Award finalist), and Yo!. She has also published two poetry collections (Homecoming and The Other side/El Otro Lado) and a collection of essays (Something to Declare).

Julia Álvarez es la autora de De cómo las chicas García perdieron el acento, En el tiempo de las mariposas (un finalista del National Book Critics Circle Award) y ¡Yo!. También ha publicado dos colecciones de poesía y una colección de ensayos. Julia Álvarez vive en Vermont y en República Dominicana, donde dirige una cooperativa de café orgánico, y un centro de alfabetización y arte con su esposo. View titles by Julia Alvarez

Praise

Praise for Once Upon a Quinceanera

“Phenomenal...indispensable. Alvarez’s novelistic eye makes Once Upon a Quinceañera an intimate, intoxicating read.”—San Francisco Chronicle
 
“A journey into experiencing a vital, exuberant ritual of modern Latino life...As an author, Alvarez is a terrific tour guide.”—The Seattle Times
 
“[Alvarez] brings a critical eye to long-held myths...Each page is a love song to the cultural ties that bind generations of women from a diverse group of countries.”—Chicago Sun-Times
 
“Fascinating, exhaustively researched.”—The Washington Post
 
“Alvarez’s honest grappling with her caught-between-two-cultures experience is compelling.”—Entertainment Weekly

Additional formats

  • Habia una vez una quinceanera
    Habia una vez una quinceanera
    De niña a mujer en EE.UU.
    Julia Alvarez
    $16.00 US
    Paperback
    Jul 29, 2008
  • Habia una vez una quinceanera
    Habia una vez una quinceanera
    De niña a mujer en EE.UU.
    Julia Alvarez
    $16.00 US
    Paperback
    Jul 29, 2008

Other Books by this Author

  • Finding Miracles
    Finding Miracles
    Julia Alvarez
    $9.99 US
    Paperback
    Mar 27, 2018
  • Before We Were Free
    Before We Were Free
    Julia Alvarez
    $10.99 US
    Paperback
    Mar 27, 2018
  • Antes de ser libres
    Antes de ser libres
    Julia Alvarez
    $8.99 US
    Paperback
    Mar 27, 2018
  • De como tia Lola termino empezando otra vez (How Aunt Lola Ended Up Starting Over Spanish Edition)
    De como tia Lola termino empezando otra vez (How Aunt Lola Ended Up Starting Over Spanish Edition)
    Julia Alvarez
    $7.99 US
    Paperback
    Sep 11, 2012
  • De como tia Lola vino (de visita) a quedarse (How Aunt Lola Came to (Visit) Stay Spanish Edition)
    De como tia Lola vino (de visita) a quedarse (How Aunt Lola Came to (Visit) Stay Spanish Edition)
    Julia Alvarez
    $6.99 US
    Paperback
    Sep 13, 2011
  • Return to Sender
    Return to Sender
    Julia Alvarez
    $7.99 US
    Paperback
    Sep 14, 2010
  • En busca de milagros
    En busca de milagros
    Julia Alvarez
    $7.99 US
    Mass Market Paperback
    May 09, 2006
  • En el tiempo de las mariposas
    En el tiempo de las mariposas
    Julia Alvarez
    $17.00 US
    Paperback
    Oct 25, 2005
  • How Tia Lola Came to (Visit) Stay
    How Tia Lola Came to (Visit) Stay
    Julia Alvarez
    $7.99 US
    Paperback
    Aug 13, 2002
  • Yo! (Spanish Language Edition)
    Yo! (Spanish Language Edition)
    Julia Alvarez
    $17.00 US
    Paperback
    Sep 01, 1999
  • The Other Side/El Otro Lado
    The Other Side/El Otro Lado
    Julia Alvarez
    $17.00 US
    Paperback
    Dec 01, 1996
  • Homecoming
    Homecoming
    New and Collected Poems
    Julia Alvarez
    $18.00 US
    Paperback
    Apr 01, 1996
  • Finding Miracles
    Finding Miracles
    Julia Alvarez
    $9.99 US
    Paperback
    Mar 27, 2018
  • Before We Were Free
    Before We Were Free
    Julia Alvarez
    $10.99 US
    Paperback
    Mar 27, 2018
  • Antes de ser libres
    Antes de ser libres
    Julia Alvarez
    $8.99 US
    Paperback
    Mar 27, 2018
  • De como tia Lola termino empezando otra vez (How Aunt Lola Ended Up Starting Over Spanish Edition)
    De como tia Lola termino empezando otra vez (How Aunt Lola Ended Up Starting Over Spanish Edition)
    Julia Alvarez
    $7.99 US
    Paperback
    Sep 11, 2012
  • De como tia Lola vino (de visita) a quedarse (How Aunt Lola Came to (Visit) Stay Spanish Edition)
    De como tia Lola vino (de visita) a quedarse (How Aunt Lola Came to (Visit) Stay Spanish Edition)
    Julia Alvarez
    $6.99 US
    Paperback
    Sep 13, 2011
  • Return to Sender
    Return to Sender
    Julia Alvarez
    $7.99 US
    Paperback
    Sep 14, 2010
  • En busca de milagros
    En busca de milagros
    Julia Alvarez
    $7.99 US
    Mass Market Paperback
    May 09, 2006
  • En el tiempo de las mariposas
    En el tiempo de las mariposas
    Julia Alvarez
    $17.00 US
    Paperback
    Oct 25, 2005
  • How Tia Lola Came to (Visit) Stay
    How Tia Lola Came to (Visit) Stay
    Julia Alvarez
    $7.99 US
    Paperback
    Aug 13, 2002
  • Yo! (Spanish Language Edition)
    Yo! (Spanish Language Edition)
    Julia Alvarez
    $17.00 US
    Paperback
    Sep 01, 1999
  • The Other Side/El Otro Lado
    The Other Side/El Otro Lado
    Julia Alvarez
    $17.00 US
    Paperback
    Dec 01, 1996
  • Homecoming
    Homecoming
    New and Collected Poems
    Julia Alvarez
    $18.00 US
    Paperback
    Apr 01, 1996
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