A quiet story of personal growth for reluctant readers.
In this novel in verse, an introspective high schooler discovers new self-confidence.
Ruthie keeps to herself, unlike her vibrant sister, Meron. Her mother, a nurse, struggles with compulsive hoarding; their house is full of “piles” and “NEW THINGS,” which prevents Ruthie from inviting anyone over, though she does sneak things out of the house and leave anonymous gifts for people. Compassionate attention from her new crush, Trey, gradually brings Ruthie out of her shell. She makes friends with his social circle and begins to stand up for herself. All the while, she’s processing a diagnosis of vitiligo, which is worsened by the stress she’s under. Diefendorf’s spare poetry traces Ruthie’s development from a lonely girl struggling in isolation to someone able to recognize and articulate her feelings. Trey praises her for being “kind / and generous and fun” and someone who “really sees people.” As trust grows between them, he reveals that he struggles with reading and offers accepting words about Ruthie’s mother’s mental illness. The treatment of Ruthie’s vitiligo is refreshingly casual, with not too much angst surrounding her living with it. Ruthie shares affecting connections with Trey and Meron, and readers will applaud her journey to deciding to come out of hiding and live unapologetically. Ruthie has tan skin and wavy brown hair, and Trey has “deep / chocolate eyes” and light brown skin. Names cue ethnic diversity in the supporting cast.
A quiet story of personal growth for reluctant readers. (Verse novel. 12-18)Pub Date: Oct. 16, 2025
ISBN: 9781978598102
Page Count: 200
Publisher: West 44 Books
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2025
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
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
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