What Can't Wait
What Can't Wait is a young adult novel by Ashley Hope Pérez, published by Carolrhoda Lab in 2011. The story portrays a Mexican American teenage girl living in Houston who is torn between the demands of her family and her ambitions for the future. Karen Coats of "The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books" wrote that this novel portrays how many immigrant families do not want their teenagers to absorb Americanized attitudes even though the immigrants came to the U.S. to get a better life. This is the author's first novel. Juan  Castillo of "NBC News" wrote that this book and another one of Pérez's novels, "The Knife and the Butterfly", explore what it means to grow up as a Hispanic or Latino teenager in the United States "amid difficult circumstances." The book was released on March 1, 2011. Plot. The main character, 17-year old Marisa Moreno, comes from a Mexican American family, and resides in a Hispanic neighborhood in Houston, Texas. Her immigrant father wants Marisa to help the family by working longer hours at a grocery store and help take care of her sister's child, since her  sister was medically uninsured and needs to work longer hours in order to pay her husband's medical bills. Even though Marisa wants to study engineering, and attend the University of Texas at Austin, her father tells her that women should not be involved in mathematics-related professions. In the story Marisa applies to the engineering program at UT Austin, and is accepted, but her family feels it is far away from home. Marisa's teacher, boyfriend, and mother try to convince her to fight for a more promising future. At one time a student attempts to rape Marisa. Marisa , stretched thin by her obligations and ultimate goals, experiences conflict, but then learns to prioritize her own goals. "Publishers Weekly" stated that "Marisa is aware that pursuing a life that's fulfilling on her own terms comes with a price" and that she makes a "bittersweet decision". She ultimately goes to university and leaves Houston. Georgia Christgau of Middle College High School at LaGuardia Community College in New York City wrote that the attempted sexual assault scene is "too quickly drawn to be convincing." "Publishers Weekly" stated that the novel's coverage of teenage pregnancy was "sensitive". Katrina Hedeen of  The Horn Book Guide wrote that the ending was "too-tidy". "Kirkus Reviews", however, describes the ending as "hopeful but never too-tidy". "Publishers Weekly" described the ending as "honest and satisfying". Background. The author, a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, served in Teach for America, and worked as a teacher at Chávez High School in Houston. The neighborhood depicted in this novel is similar to the real neighborhood around Chávez High. Marisa's high school's sports team is the "Loyal Lobos", and Chávez High's real-life mascot is the "Lobos". In the acknowledgements section  Pérez thanked the students of Chávez High. As of 2011 Pérez was a PhD student at the University of Indiana. Francesca Goldsmith of "Voice of Youth Advocates" wrote that author was a "product" of a neighborhood similar to Marisa's. The author wrote this novel after the students at her high school told her that they did not know of any novel that described their experiences. Writing style. Goldsmith wrote that the author "folds in Spanish without awkwardly translating each instance" and uses a "fluid and literary" narrative style. Reception. Castillo wrote that this novel was "acclaimed". Coats wrote that  This is a timely, realistic, and unflinching portrayal. Christgau wrote that it was a "strong first novel". Goldsmith wrote that "What Can't Wait" is an "excellent story" for "Marisa's peers" and other American teenagers. Andronik wrote that "Marisa’s gritty, compassionately related story will resonate with teens in immigrant communities." She stated that the book may be appropriate for older high school students since it includes profanity and an attempted rape scene. Hedeen wrote that the "gritty setting and hard-knocks characters carry the story" and that the author had an authentic perspective of Mexican-American culture. Jones  wrote that by focusing on determination against her parents' disapproval, the author avoids "clichés" and created a "solid debut" that "has the potential to become a book version of "Stand and Deliver"". "Kirkus Reviews" concluded that the book is ""Un magnifico" debut" that gives "Marisa an authentic voice that smoothly blends Spanish phrases into dialogue and captures the pressures of both Latina life and being caught between two cultures." Other works by Pérez: Non-fiction about Mexican-Americans in Houston: