At its best, this is an accessible guidebook for creating fiction that illustrates the complexity of the process while...
In this second collaboration inspired by their writing blog (The Curiosities, 2012), three fantasy novelists aim to illuminate their craft through stories created for that purpose.
Stiefvater’s Petra is a bright, klutzy teen with a gift for oratory, hired to read to an elderly shut-in who affirms Petra’s undervalued gifts while modeling the gracious poise Petra longs for. Though grateful, Petra senses a sinister, hidden agenda at work. In Gratton’s novella, set in a world recovering from war, a young, disillusioned soldier returns to the site of his deployment, this time to deactivate deadly bombs, and there finds love that draws him out of his comfort zone. Yovanoff’s tale, in several iterations, portrays a girl haunted by a boy recently drowned in a shallow creek. Through short essays and annotations, the authors share the challenges and dilemmas they faced writing these stories. Stiefvater and Gratton, especially, offer advice and encouragement to aspiring writers: tips on characterization, worldbuilding, theme, revision, and more; they point out where and why they changed, condensed, or deleted scenes. Yovanoff’s tale is weakest, the dead teen serving mainly to showcase the protagonist’s sensitivity and alienation, and it conveys a chilly narcissism that distances readers. That is echoed in vague, abstract annotations too inward-looking to empower novice writers.
At its best, this is an accessible guidebook for creating fiction that illustrates the complexity of the process while offering practical tips for managing it. (Fiction. 12-18)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-4677-2398-5
Page Count: 296
Publisher: Carolrhoda Lab
Review Posted Online: July 14, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2015
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 suspenseful story that starts off with great promise but fails to deliver.
A teenage girl struggles with the question of whom to trust in the age of social media exposure.
Thanks to Connie’s mom’s family vlog, her life is anything but private. She enjoyed it at first, but now, between the mean comments online and the cruel mockery from peers in real life, Connie feels like she’s in a prison. Her sister, Isla, says it’s worth it for the money, but Connie isn’t sure if that’s really true. Connie’s anger over Mom’s refusal to heed warnings that revealing so much puts them in danger continues to build. When she’s left alone for two weeks while Mom and Isla go on a college road trip, local girls start dying, and a fan reaches out on social media in an unsettling way, leaving Connie worried about her safety. White-presenting Connie’s sense of humor is charming, and her insights will earn readers’ sympathy as the tension builds. As emotions rise, Preston’s poetic language beautifully captures Connie’s feelings about her mom’s obsession with social media and her confusion about who is worthy of her trust. The topics of safety and the uncharted waters of social media are skillfully woven into the plot. However, some inconsistencies weaken the overall story: Apart from Connie, the characters are too lightly developed, and some plot points don’t align with earlier events and motivations, making the ultimate revelation a disappointment.
A suspenseful story that starts off with great promise but fails to deliver. (Thriller. 12-18)Pub Date: Dec. 2, 2025
ISBN: 9798217028009
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Delacorte
Review Posted Online: Nov. 22, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2026
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