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ABOUT THE BOOK
NO SPOILERSTwelve-year-old Malú (María Luisa O'Neill-Morales) loves loud music, skateboarding and making zines, homemade cut-and-paste booklets like the ones in her dad's old collection. When her mom, a professor, takes a two-year job in Chicago, Malú has to leave Florida and her record-store-owning dad behind. Her mom, whom Malú nicknames SuperMexican, wants her to act like a proper señorita, and the two clash over everything from clothes to speaking Spanish. On Malú's first day of seventh grade, the eye makeup she put on herself breaks the dress code, and a popular girl named Selena starts mocking her name, her makeup and her duct-taped sneakers. Things improve as Malú gets to know Mrs. Hidalgo, the owner of Calaca Coffee and a Mexican American punk with a pink stripe in her hair, and makes friends with Joe, Ellie and Benny. Together they form a band to try out for the school's Fall Fiesta talent show, and Malú keeps the whole thing a secret from her mom.
Free Battle of the Books questions for The First Rule of Punk
SPOILERSEvery one of these has the same answer, and that is the point. In a real battle the question is read aloud with a dozen other books in play, and students have a few seconds to place it. Here is what a battle might ask about The First Rule of Punk. Use them as a quiz, a trivia round, or BOTB practice.
Where in the book they come from
- Early in the book
In what book is a mother's never-ending pastel knitting project called a bad omen?
✓ Answer
The First Rule of Punk by Celia C. Pérez
As they wheel their bikes out to get dinner, Malú tells Dad that Mom's hideous pastel scarf is a bad omen, and Dad laughs that he didn't know she was so superstitious. She insists it only comes out when Mom is stressed, and Mom was knitting nonstop before she announced the move.
- First half
In what book does a classmate snatch a girl's booklet and call it "your little diary"?
✓ Answer
The First Rule of Punk by Celia C. Pérez
Selena grabs the zine Malú was working on in Spanish class and holds it out of reach like it has cooties. She tosses it back only when Señor Ascencio asks if there's a problem, and Malú warns her never to touch her things again.
- First half
In what book does a family-tree breakfast reveal that a grandmother left Mexico by herself at sixteen?
✓ Answer
The First Rule of Punk by Celia C. Pérez
While helping with Malú's family tree over Sunday breakfast, Mom explains that Abuela came to the United States by herself as a teenager. Malú is stunned, since sixteen is only four years older than she is, and she realizes coming to Chicago alone would be way scarier than coming with Mom.
- Second half
In what book does a boy cross his eyes after saying the Maya thought crossed eyes were attractive?
✓ Answer
The First Rule of Punk by Celia C. Pérez
At a lunchtime meeting in the library, Joe tries to brush bread crumbs off the book open in front of him before Mr. Baca notices, then shares this odd fact and crosses his eyes at Malú and Ellie. Moments later the friends get down to the serious business of figuring out why they weren't picked for the talent show.
- Second half
In what book does a grandmother guffaw over a "tres leches . . . sin leche" cake?
✓ Answer
The First Rule of Punk by Celia C. Pérez
At Señora Oralia's Sunday dinner, the dessert turns out to be a vegan tres leches cake, and Señora Oralia can't believe a "three milks" cake could have no milk at all. She laughs so hard from deep in her belly that Malú decides it's definitely a guffaw.
- Near the end
In what book does a coffee-shop altar hold the owner's late father's shiny harmonica?
✓ Answer
The First Rule of Punk by Celia C. Pérez
Mrs. Hidalgo sets up an ofrenda at Calaca every year for el Día de los Muertos, where anyone can bring photos or items to honor loved ones who have died. She runs her fingers over the harmonica and explains that her papá used to sit outside after dinner and play it.
