Ok so this is an adorable book about a mixed race girl not knowing where her place is in the world. Malu has to move for her mum's job meaning she won't get to see her dad for a while and her dad is her best friend. Malu struggles in Chicago, her school sucks and she feels like her mum just doesn't understand. She deals with all this by making zines and forming a band.

Malu is such a tough cookie and adorable and she's so passionate. Her voice was so real and I loved reading from her perspective. She made some mistakes but she's a kid so you expect that and she's just a sweet bean. She reminded me of myself back when I was younger and super into rock music. I loved that Malu didn't like coriander (Cilantro if you're American) and was so adamant about it because I also hate it and it made me laugh a lot.

I really enjoyed reading from the perspective of a young girl who is super into rock and punk music. It was refreshing, not something that you find much in middle grade books, or to be honest books in general, even though we all had a goth phase.

I'll be honest, the zine part of it kind of bored me but that's just me. If you are interested in zines then you'd probably love it but I was just a bit meh about it.

There's not much else I can say about this book as it is first and foremost about Malu, the plot is kind of an afterthought. I think if you are a mixed race latina who struggled a lot with where you fit in life when you were younger this could be super relatable for you. But I'm white so I may be wrong.

Oh this was an incredibly sweet middle school read with a passionate and, basically, amazing main character. The only criticism I'd put against her is that she seemed too wise for her years, both with regards to her interactions with her mum and with the school bully, Selene.

When Malu's mum gets a job in Chicago, Malu has to move away from her school, her friends, and her dad. Actually, that makes me realise as well that there wasn't enough given to me as to why her father couldn't have her live with him while the mum went to follow her new job. But, anyway, Malu is less than pleased to go.

Only once she goes does she start to find that the punk music she loves so much with her dad also has Mexican roots. It's around that time that it comes to her mind to start a punk band with three of her new school mates.

It's a good, short feel good book that resolves everything neatly by the end.

A great little tale of diversity, moxie and uniqueness that you'll want to share with everyone you know!

The first rule of punk nos cuenta la historia de Malú, que se muda a Chicago con su madre para un puesto de trabajo que las obligará a vivir allí dos años. Por supuesto, con doce años, a Malú esto le parece el fin del mundo. Además de ir a un nuevo colegio tendrá que dejar atrás a su padre, el único que entiende su look y música punk, no como su madre, a la que ella llama SuperMexican y siempre está lamentándose porque no es la perfecta señorita.

En general, el libro trata del choque que es para Malú ser mexicana-americana y como no encaja en la idea que su madre y otros chicanxs tienen de lo que debería ser: no habla bien español, no quiere bailar zapateado y ni siquiera le gusta el picante. En cambio, es vegetariana, le gusta la música ruidosa, la ropa estrafalaria de colores y hacer zines, algunos de los cuales aparecen entre los capítulos del libro. Además, tiene que lidiar con Selena, una compañera de clase inaguantable que nunca deja pasar la oportunidad de demostrar que ella es una señorita y llamar a Malú un "coco", marrón por fuera pero blanca por dentro.

Malú se siente incomprendida, pero eso va cambiando gradualmente conforme conoce a su compañero de clase, José, y a su madre, que tiene una cafetería vegetariana de dulces mexicanos. Con su ayuda Malú va descubriendo que ser punk y ser chicana no tiene porqué estar reñido, que las apariencias no importan y que tus padres pueden estar orgullosos de ti aunque no sigas sus ideas al pie de la letra.

Me ha parecido una lectura muy divertida pero también educativa sobre las expectativas de los padres ponen en sus hijos, las dificultades de ser parte de dos culturas y la importancia de ser uno mismo sin renunciar a tus raíces.