The Summer of Discovery

Strange Birds: A Field Guide to Ruffling Feathers

The Lotterys Plus One

The Diamond Girls

Give Me Some Truth

Blackbird Fly

The Vanderbeekers Ever After

Amina's Song: Amina's Voice

From debut author and longtime zine-maker Celia C. Perez, The First Rule of Punk is a wry and heartfelt exploration of friendship, finding your place, and learning to rock out like no one's watching.

There are no shortcuts to surviving your first day at a new school--you can't fix it with duct tape like you would your Chuck Taylors. On Day One, twelve-year-old Malú (Maria Luisa, if you want to annoy her) inadvertently upsets Posada Middle School's queen bee, violates the school's dress code with her punk rock look, and disappoints her college-professor mom in the process. Her dad, who now lives a thousand miles away, says things will get better as long as she remembers the first rule of punk: be yourself.

The real Malú loves rock music, skateboarding, zines, and Soyrizo (hold the cilantro, please). And when she assembles a group of like-minded misfits at school and starts a band, Malú finally begins to feel at home. She'll do anything to preserve this, which includes standing up to an anti-punk school administration to fight for her right to express herself!

Black and white illustrations and collage art throughout make The First Rule of Punk a perfect pick for fans of books like Roller Girl and online magazines like Rookie.

Discover Your Child's Next Read

The Summer of Discovery

Celia C. Pérez, 2022

Strange Birds: A Field Guide to Ruffling Feathers

Celia C. Pérez, 2019

The Lotterys Plus One

Emma Donoghue, Caroline Hadilaksono, 2017

The Diamond Girls

Jacqueline Wilson, 2004

Give Me Some Truth

Eric Gansworth, 2018

Blackbird Fly

Erin Entrada Kelly, 2015

The Vanderbeekers Ever After

Karina Yan Glaser, 2023

Amina's Song: Amina's Voice

Hena Khan, 2021