Though predictable, this offering may be relevant for those looking for more books on the ever-important topic of bullying.
Incarcerated five years ago for sending a photo of a classmate in character underwear to all of his friends—resulting in the boy’s suicide—18-year-old Kenny has since been on the move with his family, seeking anonymity.
Starting his senior year at a new school with an assumed name, Dan, he immediately gets himself in trouble when he stops a bully from beating up perennial victim Brandon. He is horrified to realize that pretty senior Julie was watching but didn’t help. Dan is attracted to Julie but angered by her unwillingness to come to Brandon’s aid as the bullying continues unabated. Their bumpy relationship is plagued by their inability to resolve that basic issue. Good Samaritanism comes up repeatedly in a public-speaking class they share, always causing more strife. Coincidences—or hints—abound: Julie’s bullied half brother committed suicide five years ago, and her last name is the same as Dan/Kenny’s victim. Dan also struggles with guilt, as evidenced by a sarcastic alter-ego voice in his head, “Kenny,” with whom he shares sometimes-confusing conversations, in which Kenny speaks in italics: “Oh, man, this is hilarious, Kenny said. I shot him a glare.” Dan’s likable first-person voice rings with authenticity, but the improbably contrived, slow-moving plot undermines this debut.
Though predictable, this offering may be relevant for those looking for more books on the ever-important topic of bullying. (Fiction. 12 & up)Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2012
ISBN: 978-1-4022-7337-7
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: June 26, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2012
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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