The pages sing with fresh, lyrical prose; a must-read.
A young teen mourns the death of his father.
Thirteen-year-old Domingo José Sepulveda Jr. begins his coming-of-age narrative at his father’s funeral in New York City in 1999. The family came to the U.S. from the Dominican Republic when Domingo was 6, and Papi died of brain cancer before the age of 40. Now Domingo sees Papi in his dreams and as a waking apparition. Papi, it seems, is going to haunt him in the form of a pigeon until Domingo can process his death. Domingo’s best friend, Naño (whose profanity-laced speech adds junior high authenticity), joins his ghostly nighttime adventures in a nearby park. In the Dominican Republic, his cousin Matias possesses a magical meteorite that controls nature. Bonifacio juxtaposes these moments of magical realism with scenes of harsh reality, such as gun violence at the local basketball courts. Domingo’s beautifully fluid, Spanish-infused, first-person narration contains literary allusions and rich, culturally grounded dialogue and descriptions of family get-togethers (including mouthwatering food). The settings—like Domingo’s Brooklyn neighborhood and Hato Mayor in the Dominican Republic, where he lived as a small child—pulse with life and love. Domingo’s personal growth takes place over the course of a year, during which he ponders religion and faith as he tries to make sense of adult situations. Humanity shines through in this work that is notable for its cast of memorable, well-wrought characters.
The pages sing with fresh, lyrical prose; a must-read. (Literary fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Aug. 15, 2026
ISBN: 9798899480409
Page Count: 192
Publisher: Curbstone Books/Northwestern Univ.
Review Posted Online: May 18, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2026
BOOK REVIEW
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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