El Dilema de Trino

Trino #1

by Julia Mercedes Castilla

Gonzales Bertrand's award-winning novel for young adults is finally available in Spanish! A dramatic and realistic contemporary novel... about a Latino boy struggling to grow into manhood and somehow make the right choices in the absence of adult guidance. - Booklist

Genres: Realistic Fiction, Young Adult, School

136 pages, Library Binding

First published June 28, 1999

Reviews

[Kendi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Trino is a 7th grader, Latino boy who lives in Texas with his mom and three little brothers. Who's family is poor and bearly has any money to eat and make it through the week. He is in deep trouble with this guy named Rosca who is nothing but a trouble maker. Trino's was a witness of one of Rosca's crimes, and now Rosca is looking for him to kill him. While in the act of running away Trino meets this beautiful girl. He claims she's like none of the girls his ever seen before and starts getting feelings towards her. Trino's life has always been rough, with no father figure to look up to, and his mom never being in the house since she works two jobs. Trino has to make a decision that can get him in serious trouble but that can get him some quick money to help out his family financially. He meets this guys who at first he doesn't like who is a really "close friend" of his mother and starts seeing a better side of life and things and to start making money decently.

[Jordan Quesada]

The book I just finished reading is called Trino's Choice. This book is by Diane Gonzales Bertrand. I like this book because it talks about poems and it shows what the "hood" could lead you. This story takes place in a South Texas Barrio. It's about a kid named Trino who has to decide whether he wants to support his family by getting in trouble to get money or hang with the good kids and do well in school. After getting chased down by some bullies and not "snitching" about the conflict, the bullies respect. Around the same time he meets a girl named Lisana who he likes. She convinces him to do well in school. But after a rough night in the barrio, he walks into trouble as his friend rob a store and gets killed. I would recommend this book to my Uncle because he was kind of in this same situation.

[Thomas]

The main character of Trino's Choice is Trino. He's a 13 year old kid who lives in a trailer house with his mom, his 3 little brothers and Garces. He and his family are poor and he doesn't like it. Trino is a very relatable and engaging character has he struggling with a lot of things in his life but he's willing to keep going. So he has to make a choice that means either a life or death situation. The story takes place in South Texas Barrio and it really does give the story a very grounded and small-scale setting which helps make the story more engaging. The main conflict of the story is about Trino while trying to balance everything in life, he also has to deal with Rosca who messes and bullies Trino and the way it's resolved is very surprising. The theme of the story is never give up on your life and always find a way and this really helps understand Trino's journey throughout the story. Overall, Trino's Choice is a very engaging, emotional and powerful story that I highly would recommend to anyone.

[Whitney · Rating 4 out of 5]

The main character of the book is Trino, a young teenage boy. He lives in a not so good neighborhood because of family situations which is a big problem. With them needing some money to be finically stable, he may need to do some bad things in order to earn it. The book is called Trinos Choice because he now has to decide whether or not he should run away or take the unbearable pain. I like this book because it's written very realistically and shows that not everyone's life is perfect even though it might seem like it. Going on with my opinion, I think the theme is to not judge a book by its cover because you never know what they could've been going through. I would, therefore, rate this book a 4 out of 5 because of how meaningful it was to me.

[Maya · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book Trino's Choice is about a hispanic boy who lives with his mom and 3 younger brothers. The main character in this book would be Trino. There is a few setting but the main ones are Trino's house and school. The main conflict is that Trino witness a crime that happened to involve the biggest bully in middle school named Rosca. but Rosca doesn't want to hurt him, he just want Trino to help him with a "job". Trino has to decide if he is going to become Rosca friend or enemy. I feel like the theme of this book is to now judge a book by it's cover. If you were to look at Trino you would have thought he was a bad kid who doesn't care about anything, but it is the opposite. Trino is really caring and is just looking out for his family.

[Riley G · Rating 3 out of 5]

The main character in this book is Trino. The setting is at the school his home and the library. The main conflict is between Trino and Rosca because Rosca wanted to hurt Trino. The theme is that you can change it is not too late.

My opinion on the book-
This book was not one of my favorites. I feel like this book is slow and confusing. It had some charters that did not need to be in the book because nothing happened with them, and seemed like the writer got sidetracked and kinda went off-topic.

[Dominic Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Trino's choice is a boy named Trino having a tough time at school with his bullies and school. It takes place at his school mostly, The streets, and his home. The theme in my option is to never bully when your at school or anyway actually because it can cause harm to people and has its after effect. Trino knows how to deal with bullies or get them off his back. Trino has friends he cares about like Lisana, Hector, and other people. But he has to choice if he wants to stay with his friends or work with with someone, who do you think it will be?

[Matthew Cain · Rating 5 out of 5]

The main character of this book is trino. Trino is a 8th grader who lives in a trailer with his mom and his 3 little brothers. Trino main conflict is a boy named rosca you will see why if you read the book. The theme is never give up no matter what.
I like the book because it relates to scenarios in real life. I don't know who I would recommend this book to but i would recommend it to anyone who asks about it.

[Gloritza Rivas Mendez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is a boy that has three brothers and he always in problems
Some of trino’s Choice we’re not good .Nick is dating his mother he don’t want that because he think
Her mother would be hurt.
He gets in problems because Rosca make him made bad choices. Everyone should read this book!!👌🏻

[Corey Toth · Rating 4 out of 5]

it was ok

[Tony Luna · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a good book.

[Nicolas V · Rating 5 out of 5]

really good book and is a really good thriller

[Lucsamra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ending felt rushed....

[Edrice · Rating 4 out of 5]

i think that Trino's Choice was a good book i liked how the story starts off and the way the characters is,

[Suzanne Ray · Rating 3 out of 5]

OK YA about a boy who almost gets involved in a robbery.

[Ann]

(From the dusty shelf)

I'm finding I'm less patient with these old books from my shelf...I just couldn't get into this book after a few chapters, so I abandoned it.

[Jack Beavers · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Trino's Choice"by Diane Gonzales Bertrand is an emotional story that teaches you how to appreciate what you have in life, and not to take it for granted. I chose this book because I saw it on the bookshelf of my classroom and thought the name was interesting. This story describes the Life of thirteen-year-old Trino, who lives in Southern Texas. He lives with a very poor family consisting of his mother and his three young brothers.
Trino’s problems all begin after witnessing a brutal attack of an old business-owner by one of his classmates, Rosca. Rosca has always intimidated Trino because of his gang-like behavior, but he is especially frightened now that Rosca is willing to hurt him to make sure the word of the attack does not leak. After Trino’s mother meets a rich young man, Nick, who treats her and the whole family well with money and food, Trino has another problem on his hands. He feels that Nick is actually a fraud who is trying to make his way into the family simply because of his feelings for Trino’s mother. Trino also struggles to impress a girl, Lisana, who is nearly a polar opposite of him. She enjoys school, poetry, and has decent wealth. One day, when Trino has run almost completely out of luck after his mother loses her job, he turns to Rosca to make him some easy cash. Rosca simply tells him to meet him at the local carwash. That night, Trino sneaks out to the carwash only to see a man exit the building and fire two fatal shots, killing one of his friends for robbing the vacuum machines. Trino’s life is forever changed for the worse.
I was slightly disappointed with the ending of the novel because it left so many large conflicts unfinished. We never hear about Trino’s arrested friend or the future of his family and Nick. It is a cute ending though, with him asking to walk home with Lisana and being invited to a party. My favorite part of the story is the climax, when Trino witnesses his friend’s murder at the carwash.
I personally enjoyed the book halfway through, after more action made its way into the plot. I feel that more exciting activities could have taken place in the first half, other than just reading poems and trying to talk to a girl at lunch. I feel like this book is quite similar to “Buried Onions,” by Gary Soto, because of its Hispanic and Latino background. I believe that readers who enjoy shorter novels, Latino themes, or the life and struggles of teenage boys would find this novel appealing.

[Jesus Galvan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Living as a young boy who's parents are crack heads and has beef with his dads dealer well this is what Iggy has to go through in "Saint Iggy. Setting takes place in high school, Freshman year Iggy C. was following a girl in a class when he caused disruption and is facing charge and expelled from the district. "Saint Iggy" by Diane Gonzalez Bertrand is a book about a boy who has a lot of problems in front of him in life. This book was sad a boy going through a lot in his life from parents using crack, dealing with a dealer, a friend needing money to pay off for drugs. I read this book because it looked like a book that kids go through in life in our present time.

Setting takes place in school where Iggy follows a cute girl into a wrong class and all this stuff starts popping off. The plot in the book is that Iggy is facing to be expelled from the school district and facing criminal charges which he never really did anything bad to get them. Conflict is that he needs to get ready for a hearing in a week but he knows his dad wont care or his mom since she isn't really home. Iggy the main character in the book who's facing all these problems that are coming at him and hitting him hard. Mo his friend who is an adult a drop out of lawyer school and is living in a broke down apartment and is a pot smoker. Freddy his dads dealer the guy who gave his mom drugs while she was having him.

Iggy plans to change the way people look at him in school and outside of school he wants to be remembered later on. He goes to Freddy grabbing his gun before he got to shoot Mo or the cop and as he was struggling for the gun and two shots were fired Freddy's blood was everywhere and as he looked at the cop he was scared and Iggy remembered there was two bullets and the 2nd one hit him. This book is a sad because this kid went through so much in the book and some of this could be real happening to a kid exactly at this very moment.

My opinion about this book because some kids do go through this in life right now. This is like a real life book about some kids out there in the world living in bad situations like this. I would recommend this book to people that think they lived in a bad situation to read this book to see how some kids or teens are living in a situation more bad than them.

[Kellee Moye · Rating 4 out of 5]

Student Review:
This suspenseful book follows Trino on his journey to realize that family has more value than friends. In the beginning Trino hangs out with a gang, trouble kids, he became really close and attached to them. On the other hand his mom is a single mom and she has 4 boys to feed and take care of. She works all the time to get money for her boys while Trino spends the money with his gang in the arcade. Trino realizes what he can do to help himself and to improve he makes a big choice and it changes his life and his family's life. The suspense will keep you reading and will keep you interested. Read Trino's Choice to figure out the choice and how he changed his life. –Habiba F., 8th grade 16-17

Student-Made Playlist for Trino's CHoice:
- Lost boy-Ruth B * when he is running from
- Recognize- PARTYNEXTDOOR (clean version) *him and Lisana*
- Selfish- PnB Rock * when he is with Lisana
- Blind man- Xavier Omar *him and Lisana*
- Switch up- Toni romiti (clean version) * when his friends got mad (naked picture of teacher)
- I don't belong to you- Keke Palmer *when he realizes he doesn't belong to the gang*
- Hang around- speaker Knockerz (clean version) * when he realizes all his "friends" are fake
- See you again- Wiz Khalifa *when Rosca died*
- How you gonna- Sydney Renae (clean version) * when he left the gang*
- Mama I'm sorry- lil herb (clean version) *when he went back to his mom*

[Amera Holliday · Rating 2 out of 5]

My book was Trino’s Choice, by Diane Gonzales Bertrand. I liked the book, because it was a leading on story. At one point you knew what was going to happen next….
Trino is a 7th grade, Latino boy who lives in Texas with his mom and three little brothers. His family is poor and barely has any money to make it through the week. He is in deep trouble with this guy named Rosca who is nothing but a trouble maker. Trino's was a witness of one of Rosca's crimes, and now Rosca is looking for him to kill him. While in the act of all this, Trino meets this beautiful girl. He claims she's like none of the girls his ever seen before and starts getting feelings towards her. Trino's life has always been rough, with no father figure to look up to, and his mom never being in the house since she works two jobs. Trino has to make a decision that can get him in serious trouble, but that can get him some quick money to help out his family financially. He meets this guys who at first he doesn't like who is a really "close friend" of his mother and starts seeing a better side of life and things and to start making money decently.
At the end of the book it seems like things are finally going to go right with the girl he likes, Lisana. One reason I would recommend this book to middle schoolers, because it is some areas in the book that talks about peer pressure. Around the middle school ages, peer pressure comes up a lot. So, I think book will kinda teach middle schoolers about it.

[Amaya Foster]

Trino's Choice
By: Diane Gonzalales Bertrand


Life has gone terrible for Trino Olivares after witnessing rosca and his small gang beat Mr. Epifaño the owner of the neighborhood grocery store. Fearing for his life, he sneaks into a small, corner bookstore to hide, where he meets Lisana, an avid reader and fellow student. Trino becomes torn between being friends with Lisana and her group, or returning to his own group. Furthermore, Trino's attempt to avoid Rosca at school comes to an end, and he agrees not to tell the cops about his crime. Rosca offers him to opportunity to join him in a "job" for extra cash. Because his mother recently lost her job and the family needs the money, Trino considers the option. He must choose between taking the job Rosca has offered or earning Lisana's approval. On his way to meet Rosca about his new job, Trino witnesses another murder; his friend Zipper has been shot.

I recommend this book because its a really great. I would recommend it to anyone who needs a good read. I recommend it to people because i enjoyed it.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maybe I'm just getting a bit sick of young adult novels but I found this book incredibly predictable and not overly appealing to adolescents. Everything is just a perfect storm - a kid running away from dangerous older kids happens to run into a bookstore, his mother loses his job and his brother gets sick the exact night that Trino's job is planned, he happens to just get to the job late enough that he doesn't actually make a choice, etc. The whole thing just felt very contrived to me, almost like the author thought of her objectives first (have some quotes about reading as powerful, have a character learn that there are not always second chances, have a tough kid befriend the school guys, etc.) and then made a story that happened to encompass the objectives. Is that a bad way to write? Not necessarily, but it seemed slightly hypocritical given that the story's fictional poet complains about teachers who tell you what the message should be.

[Ozimandias · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is for middle school readers being introduced to that rite of passage called "making tough choices." Trino has a hard life, being poor, Mexican, and misunderstood. He makes some bad choices, bad things happen, and he has to live with the consequences. I like that the book doesn't end with everything swinging to the upside. He still is poor at the end of the book, the people are still dead, there are still worries. The lesson though is that Trino has to keep on living, and making hard choices. There were some dead ends, like when Trino was introduced to the power of poetry, but other than that, it was a fairly straightforward and enjoyable read. As a teacher, it is valuable as a means to discuss with students the reality of hard choices and semi-happy endings, in a phrase, real life.

[Talya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Trino is the oldest child of a poor single mother living in a trailer in a Mexican-American part of town. He witnesses a group of older boys beating up an older man and finds comfort in a bookshop trying to hide from the boys. He meets a poet who has overcome poverty and the worst of odds and is now a college professor; he also meets a girl, Lisana. In order to prove he is not a snitch decides to take a "job" from the boys. His family desperately needs to money. Will he do this illegal job or will he overcome the temptation? The issues in this book are very powerful and real. I love the descriptions of the characters and the underlining message. The only disappointment was that it ended too soon. I can't wait to read more from this author.

[Aidan Niyontsinzi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trino's Choice by Daine Gonzales Bertrand is so far my number 1 book I've read last year with my teacher and really liked it so i thought i should read it again. This book has many different features that I like. Like how there is a little fighting and little romance. Trino's Choice sets place in Texas. Trino as the main character has 3 little brothers in which he is to look after. His mom scarcely manages to pay the bills and feed her sons. Trino is invited to hang out with a order teen with a vicious streak named Rosca. Trino doesn't know what to think he doesn't any choice except to run or die. I would recommend this to anybody who loves a little action because this his book action. This book is also great for people who love romance too.

[Eric James · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book I decided to read was Trino's Choice
by:Diane Gonzales Bertrand.I like the book Trino's Choice.I like the book because I feel like I can relate to it because I know alot of poor people .The main setting of the book took place at home,at the library.Also at the at school and the store..The main character in the book is Trino and his mom and bothers.Also this girl Lisana that he likes.The main conflicts of the book is Trino family is poor and barely has any money to make it through the week. He is in trouble with this guy named Rosca who is nothing but a trouble maker. He is trying to kill Trino cause he witness a crime of Rosca.That's the book I decided to read Trino's Choice.I would recommend this book to be who likes action.Eric James

[Theo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a VERY, no i think EXTREMELY, powerful book. It showed incredible devotion, hard choices, good friendships, and the power of love. This kid, 13 years old, has to choose between stealing or no money, his mother loses her job and his friend gets shot. He lives in fear for half the book, and indecision the whole book. Hey wants to have money to give his mom, so risks jail in order to do that. He had to choose friends, and people that could either give him money or ruin his life. All with 3 little brothers, no father, and a mother with multiple minimum wage jobs. All in all i say again, EXTREMELY powerful book.

[Miguel]

The book was called trino choice by Diane Gonzales Bertrand.I really liked the book because it is dramatic and realistic.It is also the book of the year.The main setting is in the book shop where they do poems.the main characters are trino,Lisana,Gus,Beto,Felix,and Rosca. The main conflict is that trino is being bullied by Rosca.While trino is running from Rosca,trino runs into a book shop to hide and becomes friends with a girl named Lisana. I would recommend this book to people who like dramatic and realistic books becuase I want to give them something to get entertained with

[Bettie Felumlee · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good and easy read for African American males who are struggling readers and do not like to read. The book is about Trino, who is poor and thinks that reading and academics are way out of his league, has to make a decision about which type of life he wants to lead. He can either continue with his "friends" who are losers, or begin a different life with a group of friends who have morals.

[Ja'lon Payne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book because it was so much power, choices, an emotion plus its base on a bad back ground that turns good. The setting(s) was at school, car wash, trinos house, book store, an city, The main character(s) are trino, zipper, regelio, trinos brother, and trinos mother. The main conflict was the choice between the good path, an a bad path. i would recommend this book to Eric james, an Owen monday because it is base on a bad background that turns good.