An emotionally charged exploration of family and identity.
In Workman’s YA debut, three identical conjoined sisters overcome bullying to compete in a televised talent competition.
In 1978, 16-year-olds Elliana (Ellie), Bellamona (Mona) and Gabriella (Gabby) Banfear are the world’s only documented conjoined triplets. Their mother abandoned them as babies, so they live with their father Benson—a polyglot who works long hours as a translator—and their Great Pyrenees dog BeeGee. The triplets are talented seamstresses, singers, and instrumentalists, and achieve top grades at Hollywood High. They are relentlessly bullied, however, by classmate Twyla-Violet Higgins, who achieved brief fame as an 8-year-old actor and now fronts a band called Empress that has made it to the finals of the teen edition of the TV talent show Your Shooting Star. While Benson often addresses his daughters by the collective hypocorism “Papilio” (Latin for butterfly), Twyla-Violet has popularized the pejorative “Caterpillar,” inspired by the shuffling movement the sisters make to pass through doorways. Her enmity appears relentless…and only goes up a notch when one of Empress’ rivals, the Bee Gees tribute band Boogie Children, has to replace its lead singer and invites Papilio to join them for the finals. The Banfear triplets are huge Bee Gees fans, and they are thrilled to make friends with 15-year-old lead guitarist Michael Thompson and his younger brothers Robbie, Jason, and Brian. They also see appearing on Your Shooting Star as a chance to track down their absent mother, either through a direct appeal on national television or, if by some miracle they win the contest, by using their share of the prize money to hire a private investigator. Only three things stand in their way: their own self-doubt, Twyla-Violet (backed by her overbearing father/manager Edward), and the fact that Benson won’t let them perform on the show. Ellie forges Benson’s signature; Gabby impersonates him on the phone; and the sisters even stand up to Twyla-Violet. But will their deceptions come back to haunt them?
Workman writes in the third person, narrating mostly from Papilio’s perspective with straightforward, effective prose. The writing’s only real flaw is a weakness for stilted expository monologues: “I’m struggling to meet this tough deadline, but I’m enjoying translating this Spanish novel into English. It’s an exciting spy story set during the Spanish-American War but a very long book that also needs editing. It’s a tough dual job.” Off-key verbalizations aside, the triplets emerge as an inspiring collective protagonist, distinct in their individual personalities but united in shared virtues such as positivity, thoughtfulness, determination, compassion, and willingness to forgive. To the author’s credit, the sisters also exhibit less salubrious tendencies (mendacity, rash imprudence) and are called out for these, such as when Michael berates Mona for Papilio involving Twyla-Violet’s mother and little sister in their retaliation scheme. The result is a nuance of characterization that extends to Benson, whose love for his children has led him to lie to them and act most reprehensibly. The realistic balancing of character traits elevates the triplets’ tale from a simple feel-good triumph to something more long-lasting and affecting. While Twyla-Violet’s bullying has the potential to be triggering, the plot is more than just a repudiation. The story is well paced and, though it follows a predictable line, unfolds with enough surprises to keep YA readers on their toes and rooting for a favorable outcome.
An emotionally charged exploration of family and identity.Pub Date: March 19, 2025
ISBN: 9798989806720
Page Count: 260
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: Feb. 16, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2025
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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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