Matt de la Peña's Mexican Whiteboy (2008) is undoubtedly an innovative and unique novel. Through its use of Spanglish (a language variety mixing English and Spanish) and other themes, the novel explores the trial and tribulations often associated with being stuck between two cultural identities: the main character Danny's white side and his Mexican side. Danny is a shy and introverted kid but has a tremendous passion for baseball. However, despite his interest and talent for baseball, he loses every team he goes to pitch.
To overcome this fear, Danny decides to finally confront the troubles which have been plaguing him, including the racism he faces at school, family issues, and friendships. Critics have lauded Mexican Whiteboy for its complex exploration of difficult themes and its ability to tell its story through an empathetic, multicultural lens (The New York Times called the novel "remarkably human," and Kirkus Reviews called the novel and its characters "satisfying").
