Fitting In, Frankly

Twelve-year-old Francisco often feels different from his friends in Guatemala. Even though he grew up with them, he doesn’t quite fit in. He doesn’t get snack money. He does his schoolwork in English. He travels. Francisco is sure he is Guatemalan, but do his friends think he is a gringo?

When the mayor announces a slingshot competition, Francisco knows he must win—because the prize is a boat. In their tropical village beside the river, a boy with a boat will always be in the middle of the action.

What Francisco doesn’t count on is a summer in Canada, a grandpa needing help at his campground, and challenges that keep him from practicing for the slingshot competition. As he struggles to hold onto his dreams, Francisco grapples with his problem: How does a boy of two worlds fit in anywhere?