An absorbing, deeply human tale of finding common ground in the perpetual struggle to do the next right thing.
In this series opener set in the world of the Chaos Walking trilogy, the next generation of young people on New World tackle mysterious new threats alongside more familiar problems of human nature.
Though their mom, Viola, now spends most of her time in the city, brothers Ben and Max have grown up on their family’s farm, doing remote schooling and helping with chores. When a skinless creature—a god—runs screaming from the woods covered in flames, their usual tranquility is shattered. Max has begun suffering from devastating nightmares, and a curious, giant object has appeared in the sky, drawing nearer. Surely these things are related—but how? As more flaming gods arrive, and the situation grows more dire, the brothers and their parents find themselves split, following different paths toward answers. The dual-perspective narration sharpens the white-presenting leads’ edges; the differences between earthy Max, who’s trans and adopted, and nonspeaking, serious-minded Ben create a compelling contrast. The high emotional stakes and plenty of unanswered questions will linger in readers’ minds, and though knowledge of the original series will provide depth to the reading experience, it isn’t necessary to appreciate this book. Ness expertly weaves discussions of environmentalism, xenophobia, disability, gender identity, misinformation and disinformation, and more around explorations of family, personal agency, and belonging, creating a creative science-fiction roller coaster.
An absorbing, deeply human tale of finding common ground in the perpetual struggle to do the next right thing. (Science fiction. 12-18)Pub Date: April 7, 2026
ISBN: 9781536248302
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: Dec. 12, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2026
BOOK REVIEW
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
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head.
The finely drawn characters capture readers’ attention in this debut.
Autumn and Phineas, nicknamed Finny, were born a week apart; their mothers are still best friends. Growing up, Autumn and Finny were like peas in a pod despite their differences: Autumn is “quirky and odd,” while Finny is “sweet and shy and everyone like[s] him.” But in eighth grade, Autumn and Finny stop being friends due to an unexpected kiss. They drift apart and find new friends, but their friendship keeps asserting itself at parties, shared holiday gatherings and random encounters. In the summer after graduation, Autumn and Finny reconnect and are finally ready to be more than friends. But on August 8, everything changes, and Autumn has to rely on all her strength to move on. Autumn’s coming-of-age is sensitively chronicled, with a wide range of experiences and events shaping her character. Even secondary characters are well-rounded, with their own histories and motivations.
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head. (Fiction. 14 & up)Pub Date: April 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-4022-7782-5
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Feb. 12, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
SEEN & HEARD
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