A riveting story of a fight for justice.
Novak’s second novel in his YA series tells a tale of New York City’s Travers Park—“the lungs, heart and soul of northern Queens.”
The story of 15-year-old Moses “Mose” Middleton and PS Q722’s chess club ensemble continues with newcomers adding interest and tension. Mose learns that his girlfriend Esther is overcommitted to extracurriculars and wants a break from their relationship. She’s also taking a break from chess club, which leaves Mose feeling bereft. The following day, Mose and his friend P.D. Morales head to Travers Park to play chess; there, they find an “official-looking notice” stating that playing chess there is prohibited and that tables will soon be removed by the parks department. Wealthy parents had created a Facebook page to complain about a “criminal element” creating “‘unsafe conditions” in the park; it’s clear that the teens’ beloved neighborhood is being co-opted by rich newcomers. The kids ignore the warning and climb over the barrier to play their game, but someone films them on their iPhone while “giving [them] the evil eye.” The boys run off, but police track them down and take them into custody—an event that galvanizes members of the community to fight for the park. Novak uses the chess club as the foundation for a strong community, bonded by common causes: a struggle for their neighborhood, for their honor in an upcoming chess tournament in Philadelphia, and, at the most basic level, for their chess tables in Travers Park. The author effectively weaves in what Mose calls “choice nuggets of commie wisdom” through Viktor Fleischmann, the chess master; the words of Jane Austen through fans Esther and Mose; and generational wisdom throughout. Along the way, Novak authentically weaves discussions of Nuyorican culture, police brutality, gentrification, and diversity. Strong characters fight for what they believe in, learning life lessons along the way. Gen-Z slang is interspersed throughout and is integral to the story.
A riveting story of a fight for justice.Pub Date: July 10, 2023
ISBN: 9798851131608
Page Count: 222
Publisher: Self
Review Posted Online: Aug. 15, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away.
A Mexican American boy takes on heavy responsibilities when his family is torn apart.
Mateo’s life is turned upside down the day U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents show up unsuccessfully seeking his Pa at his New York City bodega. The Garcias live in fear until the day both parents are picked up; his Pa is taken to jail and his Ma to a detention center. The adults around Mateo offer support to him and his 7-year-old sister, Sophie, however, he knows he is now responsible for caring for her and the bodega as well as trying to survive junior year—that is, if he wants to fulfill his dream to enter the drama program at the Tisch School of the Arts and become an actor. Mateo’s relationships with his friends Kimmie and Adam (a potential love interest) also suffer repercussions as he keeps his situation a secret. Kimmie is half Korean (her other half is unspecified) and Adam is Italian American; Mateo feels disconnected from them, less American, and with worries they can’t understand. He talks himself out of choosing a safer course of action, a decision that deepens the story. Mateo’s self-awareness and inner monologue at times make him seem older than 16, and, with significant turmoil in the main plot, some side elements feel underdeveloped. Aleman’s narrative joins the ranks of heart-wrenching stories of migrant families who have been separated.
An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away. (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: May 4, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-7595-5605-8
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind.
In this companion novel to 2013’s If He Had Been With Me, three characters tell their sides of the story.
Finn’s narrative starts three days before his death. He explores the progress of his unrequited love for best friend Autumn up until the day he finally expresses his feelings. Finn’s story ends with his tragic death, which leaves his close friends devastated, unmoored, and uncertain how to go on. Jack’s section follows, offering a heartbreaking look at what it’s like to live with grief. Jack works to overcome the anger he feels toward Sylvie, the girlfriend Finn was breaking up with when he died, and Autumn, the girl he was preparing to build his life around (but whom Jack believed wasn’t good enough for Finn). But when Jack sees how Autumn’s grief matches his own, it changes their understanding of one another. Autumn’s chapters trace her life without Finn as readers follow her struggles with mental health and balancing love and loss. Those who have read the earlier book will better connect with and feel for these characters, particularly since they’ll have a more well-rounded impression of Finn. The pain and anger is well written, and the novel highlights the most troublesome aspects of young adulthood: overconfidence sprinkled with heavy insecurities, fear-fueled decisions, bad communication, and brash judgments. Characters are cued white.
A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind. (author’s note, content warning) (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Feb. 6, 2024
ISBN: 9781728276229
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Jan. 5, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
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