A harrowing and ultimately uplifting tale of self-discovery, surviving emotional abuse, and coming of age in a complex world.
In this award-winning Australian import, a 17-year-old from a repressive family enters high school and starts to see that her father might be more than just “strict.”
Astrid desperately longs for “a normal life.” But her father, claiming that capitalism undermines the family unit, bans processed foods and doesn’t allow Astrid and her mother to have mobile phones. Astrid was home-schooled by her mom in their pristine, supposedly idyllic home, but when her father’s unemployment leads to her mom’s going out to work, Astrid enters high school and gets a thrilling taste of teenage life. Her new friend Cathy encourages her to share her musical talents, and her crush, Leila, helps Astrid recognize her own queerness. But Astrid’s escalating integration into the outside world can’t remain secret from her dad, whom she comes to see is abusive. Now Astrid must decide how to escape. In her debut, Crawford handles sensitive issues deftly, capturing Astrid’s delicate balance between self-awareness and naïveté, although her nonbinary brother, Nick, provides some clunky explanations of LGBTQ+ issues. Astrid’s constant anxiety and self-scrutiny often make for a palpably distressing read, leavened by the moments of teen giddiness that shine through. Up-to-the-minute social media and cultural references paired with witty, believable teen dialogue make the setting feel current and lived in. Astrid’s family presents white, and the supporting cast is ethnically diverse.
A harrowing and ultimately uplifting tale of self-discovery, surviving emotional abuse, and coming of age in a complex world. (resources) (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: April 7, 2026
ISBN: 9781761602566
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Walker Books Australia
Review Posted Online: Jan. 19, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2026
PERSPECTIVES
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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