To Die For

Series Name: Urban Underground-Cesar Chavez High Series

Theme: Hi-Lo, High school, neighborhoods, family, loyalty, friendship, urban teen fiction, murder mystery, school bullies, homelessness, grief, theft

Local homeless man, Griff Slocum, has been found dead. Murdered. Rod and Clay, Chavez High seniors, fall under suspicion--as well as a few other school bullies including Humberto Gomez, who suddenly has money to throw around. Ernesto is on the case because he can't let the police handle things--Griff was someone he saw frequently, and he feels that he must help. And after all, it was Ernesto who witnessed Rod harassing Griff.

Rod's student ID was found near the body--a dark cloud of suspicion hangs over his head. Rod's parents retain a lawyer, Ernesto's uncle, to help their son. Humberto Gomez, Rod's cousin, Rick Alanzar, Humberto's best friend, and Clay Aguirre are also implicated.

It turns out that Griff traded baseball cards. Some were valuable. Very valuable. Lacey Serrano, a freshman bully and Humberto's girlfriend, is suddenly getting lavish gifts. Humberto is questioned. Did Griff possess something to die for?

ISBN-13: 9781622507658

Format: Paperback

Grade Level: Teen and YA

Approximate Grade-Level Equivalent for Series: 3.5

Lexile Level: HL770L

Key Words/ Themes: High School, Neighborhoods, Family, Loyalty, Friendship, Urban Teen Fiction, Murder Mystery, School Bullies, Homelessness, Grief, Theft, Fiction, Teen, Young Adult, Chapter Book, Hi-Lo, Hi-Lo Books, Hi-Lo Solutions, High-Low Books, Hi-Low Books, ELL, EL, ESL, Struggling Learner, Struggling Reader, Special Education, SPED, Newcomers, Reading, Learning, Education, Educational, Educational Books