Simultaneously lyrical and discordant; finds a universal sweet spot.
In 1999, a neurodiverse Black teen is trying to survive another summer school merry-go-round.
Rising senior Pernell introduces himself to readers from the place he escapes to—a bathroom stall in an out-of-the-way corner of his high school, where he dictates his thoughts and feelings on a small digital recorder. For the third summer in a row, he’s in “clown college” alongside the usual suspects. In this verse novel, Pernell shares the chaos swirling inside his head—the confusion and clattering emotions. His mind doesn’t work like everyone else’s, and his well-meaning parents are so busy helping him that they aren’t truly hearing him. All Pernell wants is to become the last Cypher King of the 20th century, the rap champion of the lunchroom. He hoped this summer would be better, but he’s stuck with English teacher Ms. Harding, his academic nemesis (“imagine a Stormtrooper mixed with a wicked stepmother”). The pressure builds until it finally boils over in a major clash with Ms. Harding. Goodwin’s YA debut is a powerful tale about figuring out how to keep it together when everyone treats you like you’re broken. Readers will empathize with Pernell’s struggles as he’s misunderstood and punished and his considerable facility with language goes unrecognized. A turning point comes with a formal diagnosis of ADHD and support that helps him flourish. Period references enhance the feeling of immersion in the late-20th-century setting.
Simultaneously lyrical and discordant; finds a universal sweet spot. (Verse fiction. 12-18)Pub Date: Oct. 14, 2025
ISBN: 9781665973120
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Atheneum
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
A troubling depiction of an unhealthy relationship.
A battered girl and an injured rugby star spark up an ill-advised romance at an Irish secondary school.
Beautiful, waiflike, 15-year-old Shannon has lived her entire life in Ballylaggin. Alternately bullied at school and beaten by her ne’er-do-well father, she’s hopeful for a fresh start at Tommen, a private school. Seventeen-year-old Johnny, who has a hair-trigger temper and a severe groin injury, is used to Dublin’s elite-level rugby but, since his family’s move to County Cork, is now stuck captaining Tommen’s middling team. When Johnny angrily kicks a ball and knocks Shannon unconscious (“a soft female groan came from her lips”), a tentative relationship is born. As the two grow closer, Johnny’s past and Shannon’s present become serious obstacles to their budding love, threatening Shannon’s safety. Shannon’s portrayal feels infantilized (“I looked down at the tiny little female under my arm”), while Johnny comes across as borderline obsessive (“I knew I shouldn’t be touching her, but how the hell could I not?”). Uneven pacing and choppy sentences lead to a sudden climax and an unsatisfyingly abrupt ending. Repetitive descriptions, abundant and misogynistic dialogue (Johnny, to his best friend: “who’s the bitch with a vagina now?”), and graphic violence also weigh down this lengthy tome (considerably trimmed down from its original, self-published length). The cast of lively, well-developed supporting characters, especially Johnny’s best friend and Shannon’s protective older brother, is a bright spot. Major characters read white.
A troubling depiction of an unhealthy relationship. (author’s note, pronunciations, glossary, song moments, playlists) (Romance. 16-18)Pub Date: Nov. 28, 2023
ISBN: 9781728299945
Page Count: 626
Publisher: Bloom Books
Review Posted Online: Oct. 21, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2023
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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