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
Exactly what the title promises.
A grieving teen’s devotion to romance films might ruin her chances at actual romance.
Liz Buxbaum has always adored rom-coms, not least for helping her still feel close to her screenwriter mother, who died when she was little. Liz hopes that her senior year might turn into a real-life romantic fantasy, as an old crush has moved back to town, cuter and nicer than ever. Surely she can get Michael to ask her to prom. If only Wes, the annoying boy next door, would help her with her scheming! This charming, fluffy concoction manages to pack into one goofy plot every conceivable trope, from fake dating to the makeover to the big misunderstanding. Creative, quirky, daydreaming Liz is just shy of an annoying stereotype, saved by a dry wit and unresolved grief and anger. Wes makes for a delightful bad boy with a good heart, and supporting characters—including a sassy best friend, a perfect popular rival, even a (not really) evil stepmother—all get the opportunity to transcend their roles. The only villain here is Liz’s lovelorn imagination, provoking her into foolish lies that cause actual hurt feelings; but she is sufficiently self-aware to make amends just in time for the most important trope of all: a blissfully happy ending. All characters seem to be White by default.
Exactly what the title promises. (Romance. 12-18)Pub Date: May 4, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-5344-6762-0
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021
BOOK TO SCREEN
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