Jesse

About the Book

            Jesse is fourteen and starting a new life with her brothers out in the country.  Her oldest brother, Leon, thinks that it will help the family break away from the gang violence that they fell into living in the city.  But no matter how hard she thinks she is trying, Jesse seems to end up back in the thick of things, where she feels needed and comfortable.  The loss of her parents at an early age left her with a void that this group seems to fill for her.  But when tragedy finally hits too close to her heart, will she realize the true value of her family?

About the Author

Anisa Manríquez is a 15-year-old high school student.  She was born in Tucson Arizona and moved to Minnesota with her family in 2000. She began writing “Jesse” when she was 12 and completed it in 2003.  She enjoys writing and has 25 short stories in various stages of completion.  Her writing is an outlet that helps her to deal with stress.  One author who inspires her is SE Hinton, whose book “The Outsiders” is a family favorite.  She also admires the works of JRR Tolkien and JK Rowling.  She credits these authors as well as her mother, who suggested that she start writing, as her inspirations.  She hopes to attend college and plans to include writing in her future.