Misunderstandings abound in this electric and diverse retelling of a classic rom-com.
Snowberry offers a YA boarding-school take on William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing.
When 18-year-old Emma Bishop hears that Prescott Boys’ Academy, the sister school to her own Ellis Academy for Girls, has burned down, one of her first thoughts is a wish that “Benedict Quarington had died in the fire.” She doesn’t actually mean it, of course, but ever since they met at London’s Hyde Park10 years ago, trading insults over a stray ball, Emma and Ben have maintained a rivalry built on sharp wit and clever barbs. Now, Prescott’s destruction forces the integration of the two schools, and Emma and Ben find themselves unwillingly in close proximity as co–vice presidents of the combined student body. Complicating matters further is the blossoming relationship between their friends and fellow student-council members, Rachel Ellis and Fisher Locke. After the school’s Welcome Masquerade dance, Rachel and Fisher’s romance becomes official, shifting the group’s dynamics—and incorporating a lot more bad poetry. As the new couple and their friends begin spending more time together, Emma and Ben are frequently—and reluctantly—placed into each other’s orbit. Sensing what Emma and Ben can’t admit, their pals concoct a carefully staged scheme, designed to push the pair toward recognizing their true feelings. Before long, the line between antagonism and affection blurs. Readers will find the dynamic between Emma and Ben to be magnetic as their banter evolves quickly from spitefulness to flirtatiousness. Some aspects of the characters’ backgrounds feel underdeveloped, though, such as Emma’s deep fear of fire. Still, a standout element is the novel’s thoughtful inclusivity, particularly in its representation of asexuality. “Tiger” Moriarty, a nonbinary and aro/ace student, is a particular highlight, providing Dogberry-esque comic relief while serving as a grounding presence to the other characters and assisting them in their journeys to better understand themselves.
Misunderstandings abound in this electric and diverse retelling of a classic rom-com.Pub Date: June 9, 2026
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: April 15, 2026
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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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