* "Readers won't soon forget Gabi, a young woman coming into her own in the face of intense pressure from her family, culture and society to fit someone else's idea of what it means to be a "good" girl. A fresh, authentic and honest exploration of contemporary Latina identity." Kirkus Reviews, starred review
* "Reading Quintero's debut is like attending a large family fiesta: it's overpopulated with people, noise, and emotion, but the overall effect is joyous." Booklist, starred review
* "Quintero's first novel quickly establishes a strong voice and Mexican-American cultural perspective through the journal of intelligent, self-deprecating, and funny Gabi." Publishers Weekly, starred review
"Believing she's not Mexican enough for her family and not white enough for Berkeley, Gabi still meets every challenge head-on with vulgar humor and raw honesty. . . A refreshing take on slut- and fat-shaming, Quintero's work ranks with Meg Medina's Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass (Candlewick, 2013) and Junot Diaz's Drown (Riverhead, 1996) as a coming-of-age novel with Latino protagonists." School Library Journal
"Gabi's voice is a completely bicultural and bilingual voice, so throughout the novel, you will have Spanish and English the way it's really spoken in our families it's this crazy sort of Spanglish mix. And she's bold. She will say the quote-unquote unthinkable things about her body, about sexuality, about the crazy, dual sets of rules for Latino boys and girls." NPR
"Meet Quintero's "fat girl" Gabi, eating and starving and fighting and writing her way through the crushing pressures of high school boy desire, religious approval and Mexican cultural taboos. I cannot think of any book today for young adults as voracious, bold, truthful and timely." Juan Felipe Herrera, Poet Laureate of California
William C. Morris Award for YA Debut Novel, American Library Association (ALA) Best Books of the Year, School Library Journal Best Books, Booklist Amelia Bloomer Project - Feminist Task Force, American Library Association (ALA) Top 10 List, Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Readers, American Library Association (ALA) Best Fiction for Young Adults, American Library Association (ALA) Noteworthy Books for Children and Teens, Capitol Choices
Tomás Rivera Mexican American Children's Book Award, Texas State University College of Education Paterson Prize for Books for Young People, The Poetry Center at Passaic County Community College California Book Award Gold Medal Winner, Young Adult Fiction, The Commonwealth Club