An issue-driven story that ably grapples with the harsh realities of adolescence.
In Tillit’s third YA series installment,a teenage boy realizes the true meaning of friendship and belonging after his defense of another person upends his school life.
The story follows 17-year-old Blake Dockins in the immediate aftermath of protecting his classmate Zonta Jones from being sexually assaulted by fellow football teammate Carlos, a teen he’d considered his friend, in the girls’ bathroom at school. Although he’s injured from the encounter, Blake is mostly concerned about how the incident will be seen by his peers. He made some racially insensitive comments in class several months ago and many classmates rightfully regard him with open disdain; he ruined his chances with his crush, Emma Tang-Lee, and soured his friendship with another girl. Some classmates reluctantly see him more positively after his intervention in the assault, but his wrestling and football teammates freeze him out for the same reason. Blake has long tried to keep his diagnosed autism a secret by working to fit in with his fellow athletes. However, he’s starting to have doubts about their sense of right and wrong. As Blake tries to repair his damaged relationships with peers outside sports, he may successfully make amends––and make a genuine friend or two. Tillit manages to cover a surprising amount of ground in this slim tome, not only developing Blake as a character but also subtly including references to previous installments without losing new readers. The cast of teens come from diverse backgrounds, and they also offer readers a peek into the diversity of thought that exists among today’s American youth as they deal with issues surrounding racism, sexual harassment, academic stress, drug abuse, housing insecurity, and more over the course of the series. Readers will likely find themselves engaged with Blake’s personal journey, and other characters’ plotlines are equally compelling, resulting in a gritty but hopeful coming-of-age novel.
Pub Date: April 17, 2023
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: 186
Publisher: My Easy Read Books
Review Posted Online: Jan. 30, 2024
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
A sweet if muddled tale of the magic of Appalachia.
A teenage witch goes up against the evil king of the mountain to save a cursed village.
Witch-in-training Verity Vox has spent a year apiece in different villages, helping in any way she can as she learns her art. When it’s time to move on, she receives a sign that shows her where to go next. When the latest sign appears in the form of a note begging for help that floats down on a leaf, she’s eager for the challenge. Verity winds up in Foxfire, a village in the Appalachian mountains that’s been magically cut off from the rest of the world for years, leaving its people close to starvation. The root of their suffering is a man they know as Earl, who lives in the hills and strikes deals with the townspeople that ultimately cause crops to wither, folks to disappear, and the only bridge out of the valley to crumble. Verity is determined to change the villagers’ fortunes, but to do so she’ll have to face off against not just Earl but the ancient power of the mountains itself. Loosely based on the Germanic Erlking legend and told in a voice reminiscent of folktales, the story features a queer romance and a cast that presents white. The convoluted magic system undercuts the strong themes of reciprocity, poverty, and privilege, but Appalachian readers will instantly recognize home.
A sweet if muddled tale of the magic of Appalachia. (Fantasy. 13-18)Pub Date: Aug. 5, 2025
ISBN: 9798890032706
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Page Street
Review Posted Online: May 30, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2025
SEEN & HEARD
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