Heart Shaped Cookies and Other Stories

Heart-Shaped Cookies and Other Stories consists of several previously published stories, nine new flash fiction pieces, and a play by Mike D. García based on Rice's short story "She Flies." Rice skillfully balances humor and sensitivity in his writing, and his imaginative tales and colorful characters appeal to young readers on many levels. Culture and place figure prominently in these narratives; most are set in the lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas and explore issues encountered in contemporary Mexican American life near the border. The collection is specifically for middle-school readers, especially those living in Hispanic communities. “If you’re a public-school teacher, you’ll want Heart-Shaped Cookies in your classroom because it will get your students reading again.” —Texas Books in Review “Throughout, Rice displays a gift for descriptive turns of phrase. . . . An intriguing variety of stories about growing up Mexican." —Kirkus Reviews