Georgie Hall, the spindly nine-year-old stalwart of The Fledgling, confronts the US president over the "peace Missile"—after visionary promptings (the Minute Men, "Uncle Freddy's beloved Henry Thoreau," the world in flames) from the tattered flag in the Hall's Concord attic. Better than the fantasy is the satire: smarmy President Toby announcing a letter contest for the nation's children to herald his new sequined flag—most of which letters (who needs so many?) go unread into the White House furnace, while Georgie is vainly trying to mail hers on time. Best is the ensuing children's-march-to-Washington: Georgie carrying the flag; siblings Eleanor and Eddie, 14 and 12, along for support; president's grandson Robert Toby, Eleanor's crush, a surprisingly ready recruit; Georgie's bossy friend Frieda soon taking command. Five children, with knapsacks and permission slips, heading for U.S. One . . . and soon to be joined by sixth-grader Cissie, pushing baby brother Carrington in his stroller. (No, he doesn't need diapers; yes, he has a permission slip.) Walking isn't like riding, Eleanor quickly decides; and Route 1 is an all-American Strip—noisy, smelly, littered, and not meant for walking at all. Policemen stop them; bikers harass them. Nights, they search for a soft, off-the-road spot. But newspapers begin to pick up their trail; churches and schools offer food and shelter; "The March Becomes a Crusade." Meanwhile, back at the White House, the state contest-winners, chosen for their innocuously patriotic letters, add on hopes-for-peace. New marchers join the Concord band. White House concern mounts. Tot TV-personality Veronica Glassmore marches briefly—hogging the limelight, spying for the president. And all along president's grandson Robert has been mysteriously disappearing: could he be a traitor? No: he'll usher Georgie into his grandfather, and their joint appeal, on top of "all those thousands of little kids tramping through his head," will win the president over just before the scheduled missile-firing. Kids may add this in with the fantasy; what'll win them over are the scrappy kid-characters, the perils of the open Strip, the story-telling ginger and snap.
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 1984
ISBN: 0064403114
Page Count: 276
Publisher: Harper & Row
Review Posted Online: May 1, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 1984
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
A sweet, nuanced, and reflective coming-of-age love story filled with moments of true beauty between family and friends.
Bestseller Dessen returns with the story of a teen who enters an unexpected whirlwind of a summer adventure with family she barely knows.
After high school graduation, Finley Hope expected to spend her customary two awkward weeks with her distant mother, Cat, who left when she was 4, before heading off to begin the life she’s planned around her boyfriend, Colin. But Cat abruptly changes their New York City itinerary, instead taking Finley with her to help prepare her rural family home for sale. Within days, Colin breaks up with Finley over a video call. Reeling from heartbreak, Finley throws her phone into the lake, entering an unexpected period of offline clarity. She also suffers the shock of accidentally discovering that Cat has cancer. But, immersed in the rhythms of the small town, Finley befriends new people—including Ben, a shy, awkward, but adorable cook at her aunt’s diner—while uncovering pieces of her mother’s past and the judgment that led her to keep her distance. Dessen excels at identifying pivotal aspects of young adulthood, allowing them to unfurl with authenticity and robust characterization. With time and reflection, Finley, who’s cued white, recognizes how much of her life she’s surrendered to others’ expectations. Through this forced pause and sudden change in plans, she discovers strength, independence, and the transformative power of being fully present in a place she never intended to be.
A sweet, nuanced, and reflective coming-of-age love story filled with moments of true beauty between family and friends. (Fiction. 12-18)Pub Date: May 5, 2026
ISBN: 9798347108770
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Dec. 12, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2026
PERSPECTIVES
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