Pretty in Pink comes to the South Bronx in this bold and romantic coming-of-age novel about dysfunctional families, good and bad choices, and finding the courage to question everything you ever thought you wanted—from debut author Lilliam Rivera.
After “borrowing” her father's credit card to finance a more stylish wardrobe, Margot Sanchez suddenly finds herself grounded. And by grounded, she means working as an indentured servant in her family’s struggling grocery store to pay off her debts. With each order of deli meat she slices, Margot can feel her carefully cultivated prep school reputation slipping through her fingers, and she’s willing to do anything to get out of this punishment. Lie, cheat, and maybe even steal…Margot’s invitation to the ultimate beach party is within reach and she has no intention of letting her family’s drama or Moises—the admittedly good looking but outspoken boy from the neighborhood—keep her from her goal.
“There's plenty of room for Rivera's honest and heartwarming portrayal of Margot" —NY Times
Named 21 YA Queens of Color — Buzzfeed
Selected to be part of MailChimp's Read This Summer program, by author Shea Serrano
Nominated for a 2019 Rhode Island Teen Book Award
'“Best Bet” — The Cut
“‘Young People are Our Hope,’ Talking With Lilliam Rivera” — The Rumpus
Named 2018 Top Ten New Latino Authors to Watch and Read — Latino Stories
Named one of the "Best Young Adult Novels of 2017 — Pop Sugar
Nominated for Best Fiction for Young Adults by the Young Adult Library Services Association
“In 'Margot Sanchez,' A Teen Grows Up And Learns To Love The Bronx” — NPR Weekend Edition
“Inspired by elements of Rivera’s upbringing in the South Bronx, this YA debut is an illuminating look at gentrification, dysfunctional families, dealing with peer pressure, the desire to fit in, and ultimately finding your own voice.” — MTV.com
“In Margot’s world, race and class are writ large, as per YA; beneath them is the generational ripple effect experienced within families that aspire to assimilate.” — Remezcla
“A great read with a cover to proudly showcase on your bookshelf.” — BookRiot
“There are so many stories that need telling and Rivera’s story serves as inspiration to spread those stories far and wide — and to write one if you have one that needs telling.” — Hello Giggles
“This exquisite debut introduces a spirited and memorable protagonist in a coming of age tale that's certain to become a classic.” — NBC News
“I want readers to see that there is no one way of living, that the paths are different for each young person.” — Hypable
Interview on 88 Cups of Tea Podcast With Yin Chang
Interview on First Draft Podcast with Sarah Enni
“You’ll fall in love with Margot Sanchez, a grocery store cashierista with a really bad shopping habit, whose journey to figure out what’s really important will captivate you.” — Brit+Co
The Education of Margot Sanchez is included in Bustle's “Nine 2017 Releases From Latinx Authors To Add To Your TBR This Women's History Month”
”The Education of Margot Sanchez becomes a novel full of heart about trying to find your place in the world.” — Paste
Named 100 Must-Read YA books for Feminists — BookRiot
“I was this shy girl living in the housing projects in the Bronx and his strangeness spoke to me." — Flavorwire
“An especially powerful look at gentrification and how that impacts small, family-owned businesses.” — BookRiot'
“For Santos and Rivera, getting a book like Margot Sanchez into the hands of young Bronx readers is another chapter in shifting the borough’s narrative: As it transforms, who will determine what stays and what goes? And who will be charged with telling the Bronx’s story?” — Fusion
“All the elements of a classic teenage drama are in effect—the infuriating parents, the party that could make or break a tenuous high school life, romantic prospects. But Rivera's book also explores further terrain: race, class, and identity.” — Los Angeles Times names Lilliam Rivera a 2017 Face to Watch
“Hilarious, touching story.” — Teen Vogue
“You had me at Pretty in Pink comes to the South Bronx.” — Bustle
“Margot's lofty attitude and personal angst are expertly done and will hook readers from the first page. A delightful read." — RT Book Reviews give The Education of Margot Sanchez 4.5 stars and a Top Pick
The Education of Margot Sanchez listed as one of "15 Most Anticipated YA Debuts of 2017" — Barnes & Noble
“Introducing Lilliam Rivera, one of the most unique and exciting new voices in YA. The Education of Margot Sanchez is funny, poignant, compelling and authentic. She nails the music and conflict of an evolving Bronx, New York. I adore this novel.” — Matt de la Peña, Newbery Award–winning author of Last Stop on Market Street
“In the hands of debut novelist Lilliam Rivera, Margot's choices— which friends? which boy? which future? — take on a tense urgency. Lively and telling, smart and compelling, Margot Sanchez is a character to take to your heart and Rivera a voice to remember.” — Karen Joy Fowler, author of The Jane Austin Book Club
“The Education of Margot Sanchez feels as classic as Judy Blume and, at the same time, entirely new. It’s a rich, page-turning tale about a teenage girl stuck between a rock and the growing-up place." — Veronica Chambers, author of Mama's Girl and The Go-Between
“The Education of Margot Sanchez shatters the myth of assimilation by exposing the loss and ache that comes with it. Instead, Lilliam Rivera tells the reader that there is nothing more powerful and beautiful than staying true to oneself." — Isabel Quintero, author of Gabi: A Girl in Pieces
“With a passionate voice, Lilliam Rivera weaves a layered and complex story of a girl awakening to herself and her family.” — Cecil Castellucci, author of Tin Star