Written for young adults, the Urban Underground series confronts issues that are of great importance to teens, such as friendship, loyalty, drugs, gangs, abuse, urban blight, bullies, and self-esteem to name a few. More than entertainment, these books can be a powerful learning and coping tool when a struggling reader connects with credible characters and a compelling storyline. The highly readable style and mature topics will appeal to young adult readers of both sexes and encourage them to finish each eBook. Cesar Chavez HS Series - Mona Lisa is average. Not pretty. Not ugly. Sheâs very insecure and lacks self confidence. Monaâs mom harps on her to start dating. Then Julio begins to show an interest in her. Heâs on the track team and a close friend of Ernestoâs. When Mona returns Julioâs interest, though, her mom is upset because Julio is not from a good family. Heâs poor. His father is practically a bum. They live in a mobile home, and not the plush kind. Not the type of âpeopleâ Mrs. Corsella approves of. And she hatches a plan to get her daughter to date someone more socially acceptable. Mona becomes defiant, running away from home. Her mom is convinced sheâs been kidnapped by Julio. But Julio turns out to be the hero when Mona calls him to rescue her in Phoenix after she is approached by a smarmy guy and loses all of her cash.