A poignant, engaging, and affirming novel.
Azar Rossi hastens to put a band together in this stand-alone story featuring several characters from Abtahi’s debut, Perfectly Parvin (2021).
Self-conscious Azar loves writing song lyrics and drumming, but nodules on her vocal cords and frequent throat infections affect the sound of her voice, resulting in the already reserved ninth grader’s avoiding not only singing, but talking. When she accidentally damages costly supplies in the janitor’s closet, her principal suggests she represent their school at an upcoming battle of the bands. The winner gets $10,000—so she can show her contrition, possibly cover the expenses, and at least add one extracurricular to her record. Her adoring but overworked mom struggles to make ends meet, so Azar obliges, surprising even herself by asking popular White athlete Eben to be the lead singer. Bassist Nadim, a new student from Beirut, plus Argentinian American Matty on guitar fill out the rest of the band, forcing headstrong Azar to learn the art of compromise as she works with other talented musicians. Azar has an Italian American dad; her maternal grandparents are from Iran and Argentina. Cultural details about Azar’s family enhance this positive story, with distinctive and hilarious first-person narration, of literally finding one’s voice. Azar’s cousin points out that Azar seems to fit the definition of demisexual, which tracks with her growing relationship with love interest Eben.
A poignant, engaging, and affirming novel. (Fiction. 12-18)Pub Date: Aug. 23, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-10945-8
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books
Review Posted Online: June 7, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
PERSPECTIVES
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
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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