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THE OTHER SIDE OF LOST

Mari’s story may not chart any new territory, but readers will be glad to have made the journey with her.

Seeking a bond with her estranged cousin, a social media maven turns to nature to reconnect with herself.

Teen Instagram influencer Mari has felt lost since her cousin’s death. Bri was her best friend, her family, her everything. But as Mari rose to fame, the duo grew distant, and Bri’s sudden death—a hiking accident while preparing for the backpacking trip the two had always talked of taking—means they will never be able to repair their relationship. Tired of feeling inauthentic and performative, Mari publicly quits social media on what would have been their shared 18th birthday and, thanks to supplies from her aunt, takes Bri’s hiking gear and impulsively begins a trip along the John Muir Trail. Along the way she befriends a dynamic group of peers who instantly take her into their fold, providing the companionship—and, with one, romantic connection—that she sorely lacked in her previous life. Despite the physical pain of hiking with new boots, a full pack, and absolutely no training, Mari decides she’s ready—no, needs—to hike as far as her body will take her. Mari’s emotional journey is predictable and tidy, but her first-person narration is compelling and her determination, inspiring. The book follows a white default.

Mari’s story may not chart any new territory, but readers will be glad to have made the journey with her. (Fiction. 14-18)

Pub Date: Aug. 7, 2018

ISBN: 978-0-06-242424-2

Page Count: 320

Publisher: HarperTeen

Review Posted Online: April 29, 2018

Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2018

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INDIVISIBLE

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

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IF HE HAD BEEN WITH ME

There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head.

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  • New York Times Bestseller

The finely drawn characters capture readers’ attention in this debut.

Autumn and Phineas, nicknamed Finny, were born a week apart; their mothers are still best friends. Growing up, Autumn and Finny were like peas in a pod despite their differences: Autumn is “quirky and odd,” while Finny is “sweet and shy and everyone like[s] him.” But in eighth grade, Autumn and Finny stop being friends due to an unexpected kiss. They drift apart and find new friends, but their friendship keeps asserting itself at parties, shared holiday gatherings and random encounters. In the summer after graduation, Autumn and Finny reconnect and are finally ready to be more than friends. But on August 8, everything changes, and Autumn has to rely on all her strength to move on. Autumn’s coming-of-age is sensitively chronicled, with a wide range of experiences and events shaping her character. Even secondary characters are well-rounded, with their own histories and motivations.

There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head.   (Fiction. 14 & up)

Pub Date: April 1, 2013

ISBN: 978-1-4022-7782-5

Page Count: 336

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Review Posted Online: Feb. 12, 2013

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2013

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