Readers undeterred by the narrative left turn will be enthralled by Burian’s eerie depictions of the Sedona community and...
A teen with a mother as unpredictable as she is ingenious must learn to stand up for herself in this Las Vegas–based exploration of identity and family.
Vanessa “Van” Lowell has her own definition of normal. Normal is following her mother, Sofia—a consultant who is equal parts intelligent and eccentric—to remote, far-flung destinations around the globe. Normal is living with her beloved former nanny, Ida: her rock. Normal is being cocooned in their strange, sturdy family and not needing anyone else. But when they move to the Silver Saddle hotel for Sofia’s latest job, everything changes. The white 17-year-old makes her first-ever friend (and maybe more) and joins a band, discovering the rush that comes from performing live. But with a mother like hers, stability can’t last long—especially when Sofia’s astrotherapist convinces her to partake in a spiritual mission in Sedona. Beginning as a humorous “new girl in town” tale, Burian’s debut takes a sharp turn into the more serious realms of mental illness, familial betrayal, and a potentially very dangerous cult midway through the book. This plot deviation is disorienting, and Sofia’s character traits may strike some readers as over the top.
Readers undeterred by the narrative left turn will be enthralled by Burian’s eerie depictions of the Sedona community and left pondering the deep emotional complexities of parent-child relationships . (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: June 18, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-5072-0075-9
Page Count: 272
Publisher: Simon Pulse/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: March 14, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2017
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
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head.
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
BOOK REVIEW
SEEN & HEARD
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