The Tequila Worm

Sofia Casas lives in a tight-knit Hispanic neighborhood in McAllen, Texas. From an early age she is ridiculed and called ‘taco head’. She decides to get even with the girl, not by physical means, but academically. She wants to beat her in every subject at school. This work ethic gives Sofia a scholarship to a prestigious, and predominately white, school far away from her family and friends. She has always wanted to see what it was like to live like the wealthy people live. Once at Saint Luke’s Episcopal School, she realizes how important her family and all of the Mexican-American traditions are.

Tweens and teenagers are often egocentric, and forget about the importance of family and tradition. The Tequila Worm shows students that what they’re feeling (wanting to be independent and different from their families), isn’t wrong, and in fact many people feel that way, but in the end, it all comes back to family.

Chapter 8: Reading Aloud

Viola Canales does a wonderful job explaining the details of each and every Hispanic heritage tradition that Sofia and her family practice. This detail makes for an excellent read aloud and gives students the opportunity to soak up and create mental pictures of each and every activity.  

Canales, V. (2005). The tequila worm. New York, NY: Wendy Lamb Books.