Despite the book’s occasional long-windedness and repetitiveness, some teen readers may still find themselves rooting for...
Comedian and YouTube personality Hofstetter pens a memoir about attending a prominent Manhattan high school, where he faces bullying, overcomes shyness, finds his true friends, learns about relationships and his naiveté, and discovers passions for writing and comedy.
The narrative is told in first-person and in three parts: opener, feature, and headliner—the same outlined acts that make up a typical American comedy show. Hofstetter begins by depicting an easy, relaxed elementary and middle school experience in Queens, New York. As the youngest of four siblings, he tells readers, “I never realized my family didn’t have money”—a detail that is contingent on where an individual lives, as Hofstetter’s family of six in a three-bedroom house might seem quite luxurious to some. Dated references will be lost on young readers, but what won’t be lost are the references to an often stoned teacher, minimal mentions of sex (both on the phone and in the flesh) between inexperienced teens, and weapons at school—a kid pulls out a knife on young Hofstetter twice. The redheaded, white Jewish teen begins high school attempting to keep a low profile and remain an outcast; his journey includes much work with the United Synagogue Youth and navigation of sexual politics, and by the end, readers will recognize character growth.
Despite the book’s occasional long-windedness and repetitiveness, some teen readers may still find themselves rooting for young Steve. (Memoir. 13-17)Pub Date: March 20, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-4197-2870-9
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Amulet/Abrams
Review Posted Online: Jan. 21, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2018
An enjoyable, if predictable, romantic holiday story.
Is an exuberant extended family the cure for a breakup? Sophie is about to find out.
When Sophie unexpectedly breaks up with her boyfriend, she isn’t thrilled about spending the holidays at her grandparents’ house instead of with him. And when her grandmother forms a plan to distract Sophie from her broken heart—10 blind dates, each set up by different family members—she’s even less thrilled. Everyone gets involved with the matchmaking, even forming a betting pool on the success of each date. But will Sophie really find someone to fill the space left by her ex? Will her ex get wind of Sophie’s dating spree via social media and want them to get back together? Is that what she even wants anymore? This is a fun story of finding love, getting to know yourself, and getting to know your family. The pace is quick and light, though the characters are fairly shallow and occasionally feel interchangeable, especially with so many names involved. A Christmas tale, the plot is a fast-paced series of dinners, parties, and games, relayed in both narrative form and via texts, though the humor occasionally feels stiff and overwrought. The ending is satisfying, though largely unsurprising. Most characters default to white as members of Sophie’s Italian American extended family, although one of her cousins has a Filipina mother. One uncle is gay.
An enjoyable, if predictable, romantic holiday story. (Fiction. 13-16)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-368-02749-6
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Review Posted Online: June 22, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2019
An emotional debut that celebrates the joy that comes from healing.
Two teens’ summer romance gets complicated by a long-kept family secret.
Jupiter Moon Ray Evans’ parents were in a car accident the day she was born—her father died, and her mom suddenly became both a widow and a mother. Ray is named after the dad she never knew, and his absence is a tangible part of her family. She hates that her birthday can never just be about her, but this year her best friend from boarding school is coming to Memphis, and they are celebrating at the roller rink, the one place Ray can get lost in her own world. While skating she meets Orion, and for both of them, it is love at first sight. Orion is also missing a piece of his family: Almost 10 years ago his little sister was hit and killed by a bus, and his happy family was destroyed. Orion finds a feeling of peace in swimming, which helps with his sensory processing disorder as well as providing an escape from his dad’s grief. Although the two Black teens will be in different states in the fall, they tentatively pursue a relationship. However, when a family secret that links them is revealed, they must decide if they can ever be anything to one another. Through a blend of prose and found poetry, this quiet novel thoughtfully explores the impact of absence on love.
An emotional debut that celebrates the joy that comes from healing. (Fiction. 13-17)Pub Date: May 31, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-42925-9
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Crown
Review Posted Online: March 1, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2022
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