On the Hook
Scholastic Inc. | ISBN 9781338692150 Hardcover
304 Pages | Ages 12 & Up
Scholastic Inc. | ISBN 9780545555753 Ebook
256 Pages | Ages 12 & Up
"You know I'm coming. You're dead already."
Hector has always minded his own business, working hard to make his way to a better life someday. He's the chess team champion, helps the family with his job at the grocery, and teaches his little sister to shoot hoops overhand.
Until Joey singles him out. Joey, whose older brother, Chavo, is head of the Discípulos gang, tells Hector that he's going to kill him: maybe not today, or tomorrow, but someday. And Hector, frozen with fear, does nothing. From that day forward, Hector's death is hanging over his head every time he leaves the house. He tries to fade into the shadows — to drop off Joey's radar — to become no one.
But when a fight between Chavo and Hector's brother Fili escalates, Hector is left with no choice but to take a stand.
The violent confrontation will take Hector places he never expected, including a reform school where he has to live side-by-side with his enemy, Joey. It's up to Hector to choose whether he's going to lose himself to revenge or get back to the hard work of living.
Raves & reviews:
Praise for On the Hook:
A Junior Library Guild Selection
Praise for Illegal:
"An eye-opening look at U.S. immigration wrapped inside a tense thriller." — Alan Gratz, New York Times bestselling author of Refugee
"Illegal is a compelling read infused with Francisco Stork's signature heart and thought-provoking ideas. With honesty and authenticity, it grapples with questions that we all ask ourselves about the moral inequities of immigration. Heartbreaking, yet hopeful." — Pam Muñoz Ryan, New York Times bestselling author of Echo and Esperanza Rising
"Illegal is timely and evocative. Once again, Francisco X. Stork challenges and expands our perceptions of empathy, justice, and what it means to be human." — Sharon Cameron, New York Times bestselling author of The Light in Hidden Places
Praise for Disappeared:
* "A timely and touching novel that will surely engross fans of true crime stories. This title would be a welcome addition to young adult collections." — School Library Journal, starred review
* "A tense thriller elevated by Stork's nuanced writing and empathy for every character, including the villains — superb." — Kirkus Reviews, starred review
* "Stork beautifully explores the strong ties to one's home along with... the lure of power; and the strength necessary to dream, hope, and make positive change in such crushingly dangerous and difficult circumstances." — The Horn Book Magazine, starred review
* "Stork uses parallel storylines to flesh out the two protagonists, and then slowly brings them together to a harrowing climax. Not only does this result in a riveting story, it also highlights the harsh complexity of young Mexicans' lives. Readers will find this thrilling as well as eye-opening." — Booklist, starred review
Praise for The Memory of Light:
* "Stork further marks himself as a major voice in teen literature by delivering one of his richest and most emotionally charged novels yet." — Kirkus Reviews, starred review
* "Stork writes sensitively about Vicky's journey from near death to shaky recovery... A subject that needs the discussion Stork's potent novel can readily provide." — Publishers Weekly, starred review
* "Accurate, heartbreaking, and hopeful... A beautiful read." — School Library Journal, starred review
* "Undeniable emotional strength and an encouraging, compassionate message. Stork writes his characters with authenticity and respect... Highly rewarding." — Booklist, starred review
Praise for Marcelo in the Real World:
"[A] brisk, brilliant, unsentimental novel." — Robert Lipsyte, New York Times Book Review
* "Stork introduces ethical dilemmas, the possibility of love, and other 'real world' conflicts, all the while preserving the integrity of his characterizations and intensifying the novel's psychological and emotional stakes. Not to be missed." — Publishers Weekly, starred review
* "It is the rare novel that reaffirms a belief in goodness; rarer still is one that does so this emphatically." — The Horn Book Magazine, starred review