Lupe Wong Won’t Dance by Donna Barba Higuera – Book Review
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Title: Lupe Wong Won’t Dance Author: Donna Barba Higuera Publisher: Levine Querido Release Date: September 8, 2020  |
Lupe Wong wants nothing more than to meet her idol, Mariners pitcher Fu Li Hernandez. Like Fu Li, Lupe is Mexican and Chinese and aspires to be a MLB pitcher one day. Yet, in order to me Fu Li, she must get A’s in all her classes. Easy for Lupe until she learns that the next unit in PE class is square dancing. Horrified by the thought, Lupe takes up the cause to stop the dancing madness. Since she is no stranger to fighting for what she thinks is right, having argued for more inclusive school tests and shortening the time between Dr. Whoseasons. However, Lupe approaches her dancing conflict with a single-track mind, and she quickly encounters obstacles that threaten her friendships, standing at school, and grades. The experience ultimately forces Lupe to reconcile the difference between achieving one’s goals and developing one’s character.
Lupe Wong Won’t Dance by Donna Barba Higuera is a riotous, heartfelt story about a middle schooler finding her voice while learning to find her way in the world. Lupe is at once singularly focused and incredibly insightful. Readers will cringe, laugh, and tear up as she discovers what matters most in this coming-of-age tale. Her resiliency, mistakes, and growing perceptiveness will endear her to all. Higuera’s other cast of characters are just as memorable. The story effectively brings them all to together to create an inclusive portrayal of middle school and family. The story’s narrative slowly builds in the process. It slowly winds up throughout most of the story before ending with a fastball of a conclusion, rushing treatment of important themes and lessons, especially those that linger throughout but receive less time in Lupe’s tale. These lessons at the periphery are equally as valuable as the ones Lupe learns and deserve attention too because they go hand-in-hand with her transformation. For example, we see adults making many decisions without including the most valuable stakeholders in schools, the students. This is a point worth dwelling upon with young people, but there is limited room to explore it. Still, Lupe Won’t Won’t Dance remains an entertaining tale about fighting for what you believe in and becoming a better person as a result.
Many upper elementary and middle grade students will delight in Lupe’s story. The relatable characters, positive messages, and its inclusive orientation all lend themselves to deeper study, particularly with a social justice unit. From school issues to societal issues, Lupe Wong Won’t Dance presents a valuable opportunity for students to explore their own passions and identify the steps they can take to make a difference in their lives and the lives of others.
Thank you to Edelweiss+ and publisher, Levine Querido, for an eARC of this book.
Classroom Applications
- Literature Circles – Use the novel as part of a study of social justice issues and ways to fight for social justice.
- Book Club or Book Exchange – Share the novel with students that enjoy reading realistic fiction.
Nonfiction Connections
The list below outlines topics that will enrich your students’ understanding of the novel.
- History of Square Dancing
- Social Justice Issues
Book Companions
The following are great books to pair with Lupe Wong Won’t Dance. In parenthesis are the specific aspects students could explore when synthesizing across the texts.
- Front Desk by Kelly Yang (Nonfiction Connections, Character Connections, Themes)
- From the Desk of Zoe Washington by Janae Marks (Nonfiction Connections, Character Connections, Themes)
- A Good Kind of Trouble by Lisa Moore Ramée (Nonfiction Connections, Character Connections, Themes)
- Black Brother, Black Brother by Jewell Parker Rhodes (Nonfiction Connections, Character Connections, Themes)
- Amal Unbound by Aisha Saeed (Nonfiction Connections, Character Connections, Themes)
*LIT Lessons participates in the Amazon Associate Program and earns a fee from qualifying purchases made on the Amazon.com site.
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