Summarizer

Part One- Recuerdo de Acapulco (By: Amanda Bazan)
The story starts off as the narrator Lala is talking about a family photo that she was left out of on a trip to Acapulco. She goes on about how her family forgot to put her in the picture and probably wouldn't remember until they got the photo back. Lala along with the rest of her family is going on a trip to Mexico City, Mexico to stay with the "awful" grandmother for the summer. The whole family makes yearly trips to mexico to the grandparents. She goes on to describe in very descriptive detail all about her aunt and uncles houses and everything about her family in general. Lala and her cousin Tikis eventually end up coming up with a plan to sneak into their grandparents room because their grandparents never let them into the room. She also gets her brothers in on the plan too but the grandfather comes home and the plan was ruined. Her fathers birthday is going up so awful grandmother is planning a big birthday party for him, while at the birthday party the family ends up getting in a big fight and two of the families leave Mexico early. Grandma gets irritated with the family and suggest that they take a trip to Acapulco. Once in Acapulco Lala's parents get in a big fight which ends up causing a big scene but the book doesn't let you know why.

This is the Second part of the book. it explains what the Reyes family was like before Lala was even thought of. Soledad is the Awful Grandmother, but she is just a young girl at the time. Her mother dies when she is very young and it seems like her father stopped caring and loving her. When her father got remarried he suggested that Soledad go move in with her Aunty Fina. Her Aunty Fina was so overwhelmed with all of the children that Soledad never got any attention. One day a young man named Narciso Reyes (the Grandfather) stopped by Aunty Fina's house as a young and good looking soldier. Right away Soledad knew she wanted to marry Narciso. Narcicso kissed her accidently on the eye and offered Soledad to come live with him and his family. So she packed her few belongings and left with him. Now Soledad serves as a housekeeper/ servant for Narciso's family while Narciso serves in the war. Narciso recalls when he got shot and had to have three ribs removed. Then, when Narciso gets out of the army his mom sends him to Chicago, where he has to toughen up and pull his own weight around his Uncle Old's house. while in Chicago he finds a dancer who he falls in love with her looks, but when he leaves she basically becomes a lad yof the night. Needless to say he doesn't hear from her again. when he tells his parents about this girlfriend they freak out and his dad actually dies, or so they think. he soon wakes up while at his funeral as alive as ever. Narciso grows quite fond of Soledad and they both love eachother. Narciso likes to sneak to Soledad's room during the night and no one knows except for Narciso's dad.
 * Part 2- When I Was Dirt - page 87-162 (Charla )**