7. Bait by Alex Sanchez

Sanchez, Alex. (2009). Bait. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. ISBN 9781416937722.

Plot Summary
Sixteen-year old Diego MacMann has a bad temper. At school a gay student looks at him the wrong way and Diego loses it and violently attacks the boy. Diego is charged with assault and ends up in juvenile court. He is assigned a probation officer, Mr. Vidas, who wants to help Diego figure out how to manage his anger by dealing with his past. Diego tries to deal by cutting himself with a shark's tooth that his stepfather gave him before his death by suicide. He begins to push everyone in his life away because he doesn't feel like he deserves to be loved. Through Mr. Vidas and Diego's conversations the reasons behind Diego's anger are revealed: abandonment, poverty, abuse. The horrible secrets about his dead stepfather cause Diego to have to make a decision that will determine the direction his future will take.

Critical Evaluation
Bait is not an easy book to read because of the serious issues that Diego must deal with. Sanchez does a wonderful job at portraying Diego's sense of abandenment and hopelessness. Especially sad is when Diego falls in love with a girl named Ariel. She knows about his anger and stick by him because she sees something kind and worthy, but he keeps pushing her away thinking she will hate him when she finds out all his horrible secrets. The reader of this book will root for Diego even though at times his anger and reluctance to deal are too much too handle. The issues of sexual abuse, violence, and self-mutilation may keep some readers away from this book, but the message is strong. Even in the toughest situations there is a positive way out.

Reader's Annotation
Diego can't control his violent temper. Will he be doomed to juvenile detention or will a kind probation officer help him control his anger?

About the Author
Alex Sanchez is the author of many books for LGBT teens including The God Box, Getting It, and the Rainbow Boys trilogy. His novel, So Hard to Say, won a Lamda Literary Award.

When not writing, Sanchez tours the country talking with teens, librarians, and educators about the importance of teaching tolerance and self-acceptance.

Genre
Issues, Mental, Emotional, and Behavioral Problems

Curriculum Ties
Sociology

Booktalking Ideas
1) Discuss the relationship between Mr. Vidas and Diego.
2) Discuss the metaphor of the shark's tooth Diego cuts himself with.

Reading Level/Interest Age
Ages 14+

Challenge Issues
Violence, sexual abuse, self-mutilation

Challenge defense ideas
-Become familiar with the serious issues in the book.
-Refer to the collection development policy of the library, see http://sfpl.org/pdf/about/policies/collection-development-plan.pdf
-Refer to reviews from Booklist, School Library Journal, and Publisher’s Weekly available for viewing on amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/Bait-Alex-Sanchez/dp/1416937749/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1292402194&sr=1-1

Why Included in Titles Selected
I've read several of Alex Sanchez's books and had never heard of Bait so I picked it up.