A coming-of-age story with a rich cast of interesting characters.
A fun, thoughtful small-town tale of teen romance and family connection.
Olly Smith-Nakamura has just moved from the Bay Area to Frog Wallow, West Virginia, where one of her fathers grew up. She’s going through a lot, having recently experienced a breakup with her girlfriend and lost her Grandpa George. Adjusting to Appalachia after living in California is difficult; she understands it makes financial sense to take over Grandpa George’s hardware store since Dad lost his job and Papa had to close his restaurant, but her life back home seemed much better. In Frog Wallow, Olly stands out just by virtue of being biracial and having two dads; Papa, her biological father, is Japanese American, and her African American biological mother is Dad’s sister. Olly is also a lesbian. Things take an interesting turn when Olly meets competitive Ariel, nicknamed Miss Perfect, who in truth wants out from her ultracontrolled life. The two initially clash but later find out they have more in common than anticipated. Unfolding in a world in which Covid is still present but the early pandemic lockdowns are over, Olly’s growth is strongly supported by her family as she embraces her African American roots. While the book is at times slow paced and generous on the telling rather than showing, it’s an enjoyable read that explores a queer romance in a rural setting.
A coming-of-age story with a rich cast of interesting characters. (Romance. 13-18)Pub Date: Nov. 15, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-63679-249-1
Page Count: 264
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books
Review Posted Online: Sept. 27, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2022
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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