Koja (Straydog, 2002) gives the tried and true “oddball new student vs. the bullies” theme a well-oiled workout. Comfortably invisible within the crowd, Justin at first wants nothing to do with new transfer Michael, or “Jinsen,” to use his “spiritual name.” After all, his shaved head, oversized shirt, and habit of wandering about the lunchroom with a begging bowl quickly earn him the nickname “Buddha boy” from alpha male McManus and his circle of goons. As he watches Jinsen respond calmly to escalating harassment, though, Justin’s reserve begins to break down—particularly after he discovers that Jinsen is a superb artist, and learns that he had once been an incorrigible sociopath who had turned his life around with a conversion to Buddhism after being orphaned. Fortunately for the tale’s credibility, Jinsen’s self-possession isn’t superhuman, and after two prized art projects are vandalized, only Justin’s well-timed intervention gives him the moment he needs to regain his hard-won balance. Justin also does the friend thing by blowing the whistle on McManus, and unlike so many similar situations in teen fiction, justice is thoroughly, satisfyingly served. Koja barely touches on Buddhist practices and principles, but she does show how loving one’s enemies rather that hating them often makes them crazy, as well as securing the moral high ground. Jerry Spinelli she is not (or not yet), but fans of Crash (1996), Loser (2002), and the like will enjoy the familiar scenery. (Fiction. 12+)
Pub Date: March 4, 2003
ISBN: 0-374-30998-1
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Frances Foster/Farrar, Straus & Giroux
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2003
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
Exactly what the title promises.
A grieving teen’s devotion to romance films might ruin her chances at actual romance.
Liz Buxbaum has always adored rom-coms, not least for helping her still feel close to her screenwriter mother, who died when she was little. Liz hopes that her senior year might turn into a real-life romantic fantasy, as an old crush has moved back to town, cuter and nicer than ever. Surely she can get Michael to ask her to prom. If only Wes, the annoying boy next door, would help her with her scheming! This charming, fluffy concoction manages to pack into one goofy plot every conceivable trope, from fake dating to the makeover to the big misunderstanding. Creative, quirky, daydreaming Liz is just shy of an annoying stereotype, saved by a dry wit and unresolved grief and anger. Wes makes for a delightful bad boy with a good heart, and supporting characters—including a sassy best friend, a perfect popular rival, even a (not really) evil stepmother—all get the opportunity to transcend their roles. The only villain here is Liz’s lovelorn imagination, provoking her into foolish lies that cause actual hurt feelings; but she is sufficiently self-aware to make amends just in time for the most important trope of all: a blissfully happy ending. All characters seem to be White by default.
Exactly what the title promises. (Romance. 12-18)Pub Date: May 4, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-5344-6762-0
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021
BOOK TO SCREEN
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