Breaking Through and Senderos fronterizos (Spanish edition of Breaking Through) selected by National Endowment for the Humanities and American Library Association for “We the People Bookshelf” Program for 2008
Booklist Editors’ Choice
American Library Association Best Book for Young Adults
The Américas Award for Children and Young Adult Literature
Pura Belpré Honor Book Award from the American Library Association
The Tomás Rivera Book Award
New York Public Library 2002 Book for the Teen-age.
Smithsonian Notable Book
American Booksellers Association Pick of the Lists
Choice List of Books for 2002 from Children’s Literature
The William Allen White Children’s and Young Adult Book Award 2003-2004 Master List
“The Reading the World Award
Selected for the “Silicon Valley Reads: One Book, One Community” (2003)