A thoughtful, optimistic, and highly engaging novel with a strong sense of place and robust characterization.
A new kid in town navigates tragedy and change in this accessible Australian import.
High schooler Denim Davies hates living with his dad in a caravan park in the small coastal town of Driftwood. He’d rather be back home in Melbourne, but his mother’s death and his family’s economic hardship have forced his father to seek new opportunities. Only Denim’s new friendship with Mina, a goth girl with a heart of gold, helps him put up with obnoxious class bully Tyler. Outside of school, Denim browses in local secondhand shops to find items he can sell online. By flipping vintage and collectible pieces, he hopes to help his dad afford a permanent home for them. But Denim must figure out what to do when one of his discoveries presents him with a moral dilemma. Realistic, well-written dialogue that includes some Australian slang and bite-size chapters that welcome reluctant readers support Fraser’s exploration of rich and meaningful themes related to family losses, grief, and compassion. The dynamic characters, who largely present white, deal with tragedies maturely, bonding as they metaphorically flip their difficult circumstances into personal growth. Denim admirably navigates self-management under pressure, and his interactions with his father reflect refreshingly positive male relationships. Overall, this work challenges stereotypical assumptions and promotes hopefulness and empathy. The appealing, open-minded protagonist radiates resilience in a complicated teenage world.
A thoughtful, optimistic, and highly engaging novel with a strong sense of place and robust characterization. (Fiction. 12-18)Pub Date: Sept. 9, 2025
ISBN: 9781761112898
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Rhiza Edge
Review Posted Online: June 13, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2025
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
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
