# They Call Her Fregona: A Border Kid's Poems - Hardcover

by **David Bowles** (Author)

**A companion to the Pura Belpré Honor book _They Call Me Güero_**

"You can be my boyfriend." It only takes five words to change Güero's life at the end of seventh grade. The summer becomes extra busy as he learns to balance new band practice with his old crew, Los Bobbys, and being Joanna Padilla's boyfriend. They call her "fregona" because she's tough, always sticking up for her family and keeping the school bully in check. But Güero sees her softness. Together they cook dollar-store spaghetti and hold hands in the orange grove, learning more about themselves and each other than they could have imagined. But when they start eighth grade, Joanna faces a tragedy that requires Güero to reconsider what it means to show up for someone you love.

Honoring multiple poetic traditions, _They Call Her Fregona_ is a bittersweet first-love story in verse and the highly anticipated follow-up to _They Call Me Güero_.

### Author Biography

**DAVID BOWLES** grew up in the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas, where he teaches at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. He's the author of several award-winning titles, including _They Call Me Güero_, _The Smoking Mirror,_ the 13th Street series, and _Feathered Serpent, Dark Heart of Sky: Myths of Mexico._ His picture book debut, _My Two Border Towns_, is available in English and Spanish. In 2020, David co-founded #DignidadLiteraria, a grassroots activist hashtag and movement dedicated to promoting equity for Latinx people in publishing. You can find him online at davidbowles.us and @DavidOBowles on most social media platforms.  

**Number of Pages:** 256

**Dimensions:** 1 x 8.3 x 5.4 IN

**Publication Date:** September 06, 2022

## Details

- **Price:** 17.99 USD
- **Vendor:** Books by splitShops
- **Type:** Books
- **Tags:** Books by splitShops, Shopify Collective

## Variants

| Variant | Price | Available |
|---------|-------|-----------|
| Default Title | 17.99 USD | In stock |

## Images

- They Call Her Fregona: A Border Kid's Poems - Hardcover

---

> Source: [Smart supply deals](https://smartsupplydeals.com/products/they-call-her-fregona-a-border-kids-poems-hardcover)
> Updated: 2026-07-23