Mexican American Rosa is passing as white to attend a Phoenix high school that will help her get into college to study journalism. It’s 1955, and Brown v. Board of Education has been legislated, but that doesn’t mean going to the all-white school is easy. Rosa aims to lie low until graduation. When she discovers that Julianne (white), her only friend at school, is dating Ramón, her longtime best friend, Rosa is dismayed. She’s also angry with their idealistic plan to attend the school dance as an interracial couple. Rosa knows the danger this could provoke but reluctantly agrees to participate by going to the dance with Tim, a white football player, while pretending to be Ramón’s date for the benefit of Julianne’s parents. The worst-case scenario unfolds when Julianne’s father, the sheriff, sees through the charade and shoots Ramón, accidentally hitting and killing Julianne as well. He claims that the shots were fired to prevent Ramón kidnapping his daughter, and as the sole eyewitness, only Rosa can challenge his statement. Ramón’s brother Marco invites Rosa to attend a meeting of activists, where she becomes inspired by their campaign to fight racism and oppression and drawn into a romance with Marco. Quiet Rosa discovers her courage and voice when she speaks out about the murders and the sheriff’s cover-up. Her journey from the sidelines to public activist highlights the slow pace of cultural change lagging behind legal milestones while demonstrating the hope found in community engagement.

In this Romeo and Juliet–inspired retelling set during the civil rights era, a Mexican American girl is driven to join a movement for justice after her white classmate and best friend from the barrio are tragically murdered.

*PURA BELPRÉ YOUNG ADULT AUTHOR HONOR BOOK
*TÓMAS RIVERA BOOK AWARD WINNER
*YALSA BEST FICTION FOR YOUNG ADULTS SELECTION
*CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY SELECTION FOR BEST TEEN FICTION
*ILA NOTABLE BOOK FOR A GLOBAL SOCIETY
*NCSS-CBC NOTABLE SOCIAL STUDIES TRADE BOOK FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

Rosa Capistrano has been attending posh North Phoenix High School to boost her chances of a college education and a career in journalism, thanks to the groundbreaking Brown v. Board of Education verdict for desegregation. But though she's legally allowed to be there, it's still unsafe for Mexican Americans. That’s why she's secretly passing as Rosie, a white girl. All she has to do to secure her future is make sure her Mexican home life and her white school experience never intersect.

However, Rosa's two worlds collide when her best friend, Ramon, and classmate Julianne meet and find themselves entangled in a star-crossed romance. Rosa is terrified about what their relationship could mean for her and them . . . and her worst fears are soon realized in an unspeakable tragedy. Rosa is thrown into the center of a town-wide scandal and her true identity is put in the spotlight. With the help of Marco, Ramon's brooding and volatile brother whose passion ignites hers, Rosa must choose what is more important to her—protecting her fragile future or risking everything to help her friends find justice.

Rosa by Any Other Name is a harrowingly beautiful coming-of-age tale that shines a light on an important and often overlooked facet of US history. An extensive author's note with research details and a further reading list are included.