A vivid Spanish countryside setting and captivating journey bring new depth to a classic architecture.
“We all rescue each other on the Camino.”
Each of the six teens walking together with their guides on the Spanish portion of the Camino de Santiago has a different reason for being there—and each will test the limits of their bodies, hearts, and spirits during their once-in-a-lifetime journey. Manny, Claire, Shania, Troy, Diego, and Greg are an unlikely sextet who have committed crimes back home in Toronto but have qualified for a diversion program in lieu of spending time in juvenile detention. To pass the program, they must spend a week and a half walking a portion of the Camino, journaling, and attending mandatory daily group sessions. When they first meet, Diego compares them to the crew of The Breakfast Club—and like the movie characters, they go on to complete their punishment with fellow offenders, learning to care deeply for each other, and themselves, along the way. Alternating chapters are told from three of the peregrinos’, or pilgrims’, points of view: Shania’s, Troy’s, and Diego’s. The teens soon learn that everyone has their own complicated reasons for ending up there, and the author doesn’t shy away from difficult topics, including gay conversion therapy and grief. The group is ethnically diverse and includes gay and lesbian characters; each faces personal challenges that will help many readers feel seen.
A vivid Spanish countryside setting and captivating journey bring new depth to a classic architecture. (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Oct. 6, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-945053-97-9
Page Count: 324
Publisher: Duet
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2020
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 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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