Caste§eda's fine first novel, Among the Volcanoes (1991), described Isabel's struggle to get medical help for her mother in the face of the Mayan traditions of her Guatamalan village and the opposition of her fiancÇ, Lucas. The present book opens with their marriage, her mother's death, and a letter offering Isabel a chance to become a teacher, a dream Lucas now supports. Though the program lasts only a few weeks and students get stipends exceeding their needs, there are difficulties: Isabel's family now depends on her, and Lucas's parents and grandparents must also agree to her going. This is achieved in a debate marvelous for its indirection, a telling contrast to the more direct discourse Isabel encounters at the small government-run school. Life under the threat of warring soldiers and guerrillas has also rendered the other naturally affectionate Mayan women secretive and cautious, inhibiting both the communication of ideas and the sharing of the terrible troubles they have all experienced. Still, instructional techniques are taught; more importantly, after a suspenseful sequence in which Isabel's support is sought against the terrorists, the women become more open with one another, and she learns to ``imagine'' herself as a strong woman whose true calling is to teach and to nurture her family. Told in a vivid, lyrical style, rich in details of Mayan culture and Guatamalan life and politics, a novel with characters who are not only well realized as individuals but also effectively embody the groups and viewpoints contending for their ravaged country. (Fiction. 12+)
Pub Date: Aug. 1, 1994
ISBN: 0-525-67431-4
Page Count: 208
Publisher: Dutton
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 1994
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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