"The Education of Margot Sanchez" by Lillian Rivera

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The Education of Margot Sanchez by Lilliam Rivera was an interesting read, I actually enjoyed it more than I thought I would. After hearing the first chapter read aloud in class I was curious as to how the book would turn out. I also initially thought that the book would be a little childish for my tastes. While the book was definitely aimed towards a younger reader, since Margot is only fifteen, and the cultural differences between Margot and myself, Margot being from the Bronx of Latinx decent while I am a white girl from the suburbs of Idaho, I found myself still being able to connect to Margot. I remember being fifteen and working hard to try and fit in with everyone around me and thinking that the fake façade I put together is what would get me friends. Margot creates this persona at Somerset that she thinks will get her accepted but really she isolates herself from the people that truly love her.


Rivera has crafted a classic coming of age story that is based in a setting that I have never seen before. Normally coming of age stories, that I have read, are set in the suburbs or a quaint city type setting. Setting it in the Bronx and integrating real-life issues from the Bronx adds another level to the novel as a whole. The integration of Latinx culture is an element that I really enjoyed because I have never had the chance to experience in a novel before. Rivera found a way to write a book that I as a twenty-year-old college student was still able to relate too and remember my past. Even now I still find myself occasionally struggling to find where I fit in and who I want to be as I move closer and closer to adulthood. 

I don't think that I would use this within my future classroom. While the novel is excellent I can't see myself adding it to my curriculum. But I would include it within my class library and as a resource for studnets who may need a text to relate to. 

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