In a time before cell phones and helicopter parents, there was a time of freedom and adventure.

When Freddy O'Brian's mother finally marries her Hispanic boyfriend Ronaldo, the family moves into Ronaldo's home in the Union City barrio of Decoto. Despite some trepidation, Freddy quickly makes friends, including his best friend Mike, and soon learns that a barrio is just like any other neighborhood, except maybe a little bit more so. The story takes place over three years of high school or three seasons of wrestling, where Freddy has established a place and an identity for himself. Over these years, though, Freddy has grown up at a slower pace than his friend Mike, who keeps forgetting about his best friend Freddy as he works his way through a series of girlfriends. Decoto Kids is a funny and touching story of friendship, identity, loss, and wrestling.

About the Author:

Franklyn O'Connor grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and lived in Decoto while wrestling at James Logan High School. He retired in 2015 after teaching English for thirty years in the Los Angeles Unified School District. His experiences coaching wrestling in East L.A. along with his years in Decoto have shaped this story.