Dad is terminally ill, and Phillip's parents have left their midwestern farm and moved to New England. Now, Dad's hands grow soft while he watches TV; Mom is overprotective and has too little to do in a suburban house. Phillip's job at an animal hospital offers camaraderie, but not always comfort: together, he and the vets agonize over the pain that owners inflict on their pets and the deaths of discarded kittens. Feeling alienated at school, Phillip escapes to an abandoned house in the woods, to which he brings two rescued kittens. Though the school's best response is to wonder whether he's suicidal, Phillip does have supportive friends, especially nice Kris, in his class, and her sensible Aunt Mil. But his parents are so self-absorbed, and his own unrecognized grief for his father is so intense that Phillip is withdrawing not only from school but from other relationships. A turning point comes when his mother is called away, leaving Phillip in charge. At first his father's suddenly revealed craving to be alone feels like rejection, but it triggers some healthy realizations about how all the members of this nice but repressed family need to level with each other, reach out, and have something of value to do. Here, Haas—choosing telling words and incidents with unusual care—draws a perceptive portrait of a teenager of integrity, grappling with his parents' pain and his own. A fine performance, expanding on the concerns for animal rights and the characters introduced in The Sixth Sense (1988). (Fiction. 12+)
Pub Date: Oct. 23, 1992
ISBN: 0-688-10179-8
Page Count: 182
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 1992
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 contemporary hero’s journey, brilliantly told.
The 17-year-old son of a troubled rock star is determined to find his own way in life and love.
On the verge of adulthood, Blade Morrison wants to leave his father’s bad-boy reputation for drug-and-alcohol–induced antics and his sister’s edgy lifestyle behind. The death of his mother 10 years ago left them all without an anchor. Named for the black superhero, Blade shares his family’s connection to music but resents the paparazzi that prevent him from having an open relationship with the girl that he loves. However, there is one secret even Blade is unaware of, and when his sister reveals the truth of his heritage during a bitter fight, Blade is stunned. When he finally gains some measure of equilibrium, he decides to investigate, embarking on a search that will lead him to a small, remote village in Ghana. Along the way, he meets people with a sense of purpose, especially Joy, a young Ghanaian who helps him despite her suspicions of Americans. This rich novel in verse is full of the music that forms its core. In addition to Alexander and co-author Hess’ skilled use of language, references to classic rock songs abound. Secondary characters add texture to the story: does his girlfriend have real feelings for Blade? Is there more to his father than his inability to stay clean and sober? At the center is Blade, fully realized and achingly real in his pain and confusion.
A contemporary hero’s journey, brilliantly told. (Verse fiction. 14-adult)Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-310-76183-9
Page Count: 464
Publisher: Blink
Review Posted Online: April 30, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2017
PERSPECTIVES
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