From The Wood Part 1 Middle School: From The Wood

By Jacqaline Flores Navarro

"From the Wood Part One: Middle School" by Jacqaline Flores Navarro is a gorgeous coming-of-age story for young readers. It centers on a young girl named Vina, who recounts the many things that have shaped her up until today. She talks about her family, friends, and home life, growing up as a Mexican-American in a low-income neighborhood. Things take a turn when Vina begins to experience bullying at her Middle School, and she has to choose: ignore the bully and suffer, or stand up for herself?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jacqaline Flores Navarro
• Release date: Aug 30, 2021
• ISBN: 9781737021612

Jacqaline Flores Navarro

Author Jacqaline Flores Navarro has had a passion for writing and storytelling ever since she was a young girl. Growing up in California, she was always able to draw inspiration from the people and places around her. But she didn’t think about pursuing writing professionally until college, where she began to study scriptwriting. This was her first step in deciding to write her first book. Although her passion lies in writing, Navarro has a myriad of other interests and hobbies. She’s a big fan of getting creative in other areas of her life, from drawing, to making videos, to dancing! And though this is her debut book, she plans to continue her career as an author and show everyone that anyone can publish a great book! Navarro was named by her older sister and is very family-oriented, which comes off in her writing. Her favorite foods are fruit and pasta, and she was even a part of the audience on an episode of “Let’s Make a Deal.” Currently, Jacqaline lives in California with her parents and sisters.

Book preview

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Epilogue

Author’s Note

Glossary

Chapter One

I was the silent type, the one that rarely talked. As a kid, you know you are constantly told, You don’t know what you are talking about, Shush, you really shouldn’t say that, or What do you know? You are just a kid, especially by people who are supposed to be your role models. I have come across several people like that; peers and even teachers.

Whew! I forgot to introduce myself. Hello everyone, my name is Vina. Although my full name is Vina Angelita Perez Santos, you may refer to me as Vina, Angie, or V. That is how I flow. Anyways, let me take you back to events from my childhood years so you can better appreciate my present teenage self.

It all started when my elder brother and I were with my mom as she was pregnant with my baby brother. Like me, my older brother Alonso was a shy bloke; he was always obedient, especially to mom. He is older than me by four years. We attended the same elementary school, so we regularly saw each other at school, which was a bit weird.

He had his group of friends, and I had mine; we never tried to hang out with one another. For one, my best friend Melma was amusingly crushing on him, and I found this annoying. Melma was my best friend and the only friend who was there for me until middle school.

It was just us in our small world, Melma and I; you know, two best friends, and then boom, it grew to become five – Mia, Kari, Ella, Melma, and me. Funnily, we instantly clicked.

We were kids who became friends out of nowhere; we never really questioned it at all. Mia was like us, shy and afraid to speak up. She was the type in which the word trouble made her stomach flip.

On the other hand, Kari and Ella were the tough ones of the group, friends who dealt with people who tried to mess with any one of us. They never tolerated name-calling or bullying of any kind. Kari and Ella would pick on such persons at times who will then go straight to the principal. There were occasions when they got into trouble; good enough, what they got was only detention.

The five of us and our mothers knew one another, so when one of us had a party, we were there, or if we wanted to hang out, we also went there. We were so close that we thought our bond would last forever; it did not.

We were all sad when Kari moved away when I was in the fourth grade. All I know was that we were going to miss her, especially Ella and me. Kari told Ella;

Take care of our girls. It’s all up to you now. They need you. This