While witnessing the game of chance called Juvenile Probation in
Dysfunctional Poker, readers meet Cristina Martinez, a probation
officer whose dedication and devotion to her charges has earned her
the moniker Mamasita, or little mother. She introduces us to
double-trouble sisters Reyna and MiLinda Rangel, who continually
fight over comments, real or imagined, and Denny, whose fat ass
father and good-for-one-thing mother get her residentially placed.
And we come across the unlikely friends Bert, the athlete, and
Rogelio, the car thief, who take different roads to the same
university, along with kids like Wilo, Pulga, and K.O who hold a
place in Mamasita's heart. Unpopular with her coworkers, it's
Cristina's unconventional methods that endear her to the kids, and
as she shares a series of memories, we learn that "another girl'
she can't forget helps guide her actions. In one particular
flashback, "I've been in pain for so long, I feel nothing, like I'm
dead inside," says that girl. "When I cut, it doesn't hurt unless
it's really deep, and then it doesn't hurt that much, just enough
to let me know I can still feel something. I see the blood and know
I'm still alive. It's like putting the pain that's on the inside,
on the outside. Then as it heals over time, it heals me on the
outside and then inside. Does that make sense?" Dysfunctional Poker
is not only the story of the kids in Mamasita's life; it also
serves to educate anyone who interacts with teens as to how they
think, how they interpret our actions toward them, and most
importantly, how they need to be treated differently to adult
offenders, or their non-delinquent counterparts. While enlightening
as to the inner workings of the juvenile justice system, this
inspiring, emotional, and highly original work of fiction is sure
to elicit episodes of humor, frustration, sadness, anger, and hope
General
Imprint: |
Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
|
Country of origin: |
United States |
Release date: |
November 2011 |
First published: |
November 2011 |
Authors: |
Cristina Martinez
|
Dimensions: |
203 x 133 x 16mm (L x W x T) |
Format: |
Paperback - Trade
|
Pages: |
302 |
ISBN-13: |
978-1-4538-0482-7 |
Categories: |
Books >
Fiction >
General & literary fiction >
Modern fiction
Promotions
|
LSN: |
1-4538-0482-X |
Barcode: |
9781453804827 |
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