The First Rule of Punk

Throughout the novel, Celia C. Pérez depicts Malú’s journey of self-discovery as we see Malú learning who she really is. Malú wrestles with defining herself in her own unique way without completely capitulating to the family and social pressures surrounding her. How does Malú ultimately learn to embrace the disparate cultures of her family within herself? Consider these points as you reflect on the text to answer the question.

• What are the cultures of Malú’s mother and father?
• How is Malú similar to and different from each of her parents?
• In what ways does Malú rebel against the culture of her school?
• How does Malú learn to find peace within herself as someone who is biracial and bicultural?

Teaching Suggestion: This discussion will allow students to focus on character development within the novel as a means of thinking about the ways the protagonist synthesizes the seemingly opposing cultures of her mother, family, self, and school.

Use this activity to engage all types of learners, while requiring that they refer to and incorporate details from the text over the course of the activity.

“Malú in 10 Years”

In this activity, students are asked to find or create a zine of their own choosing and use it to imagine the life of Malú 10 years later.