Readers familiar with the first book will be glad to see Ben’s return; newcomers will be glad they finally met him....
In this darkly humorous sequel, Koertge continues the adventures of 16-year-old Ben Bancroft, “the Spaz,” the kid with cerebral palsy readers met in the insightful and engaging Stoner & Spaz (2001).
At the close of the first book, Ben was enjoying the sweet smell of success with the premiere of his first documentary, High School Confidential, and a beautiful girl, A.J., had just hit on him. His happiness is short-lived, because Colleen, Ben’s sharp-tongued friend who is in rehab, leaves the premiere to hook up with some random guy to get stoned. This book picks up a few days later, with Ben still confused about his feelings about Colleen. He loves her beauty and wit and the fact that she totally gets him, but he knows Grandma will never approve. A.J. represents everything his grandmother wants for him, but why does Ben feel like her project rather than a friend whenever they're together? Koertge writes crisp dialogue and ably captures both Ben’s bewilderment as he moves from loser recluse to Mr. Popularity and his complex feelings toward A.J. and Colleen. Ben’s long-absent mother’s appearance offers an opportunity to recognize the value of his grandmother. Movie buffs will appreciate the references to films, a hallmark of Ben’s first outing.
Readers familiar with the first book will be glad to see Ben’s return; newcomers will be glad they finally met him. (Fiction. 14 & up)Pub Date: Aug. 9, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-7636-5081-0
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: June 28, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2011
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
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
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