Mariposa

Mariposa is an unforgettable story about a teenager who surprises almost everyone who encounters her. The narrative follows Mariposa (which means "butterfly" in Spanish), who lives in Corpus Christi, Texas, with her elderly grandmother. Rico Castillo, a martial-arts instructor, returns to town after attending college in Austin. He begins to teach Mariposa at a school where the two meet and eventually she becomes his private student. By the end of the novel, Mariposa proves her strength, skill, and mind to many skeptics. Readers will root for this memorable character every step of the way.