An accessible, emotionally complex narrative about overcoming injury and anger for teens.
High schooler Perry’s track scholarship is threatened by a severe injury in Thompson’s YA novel.
Perry Fletcher has a bright, exciting future ahead of him as a high school senior track athlete with an eye on a state college scholarship—that is, until he slips while chasing a porch pirate who’s made off with a parcel on this rainy Saturday. A doctor eventually diagnoses him with a torn medial meniscus that will likely require surgery, leaving Perry with strong feelings of anger, fear, and frustration as he watches his chances of becoming a college athlete dwindle. “I don’t care what she or anybody else says. I’m going to work through the pain and keep going.” He persists with his running and tries to focus on being a volunteer peer tutor for others in his school. He’s in for a nasty surprise, though, when he realizes that Doyle, the student he’s assigned to assist, is not only his sister’s boyfriend, but also the boy who stole the package off his porch in the first place. When he secretly slips out to go running one day, Perry spots signs that Doyle’s life is much more difficult than he initially anticipated—he’s living in his car. Doyle may be a thief, but his circumstances mean that Perry must learn to take a compassionate approach to truly help both Doyle and himself. This high-interest, low-reading-level novel is set in Open Dyslexic font and formatted with wide white margins; its concise sentences and short chapters make its content accessible to a variety of teen audiences. Thompson’s newest with Finding Forward Books, the follow-up to Standing for Me (2025) shows a simpler approach to story, one that doesn’t sacrifice too much emotional or narrative complexity. Its message about the moral high ground is somewhat didactic in the vein of many hi-lo “social problem” stories, but many readers may still find literary value and reliability in Perry’s struggles.
An accessible, emotionally complex narrative about overcoming injury and anger for teens.Pub Date: July 16, 2022
ISBN: 9781737315759
Page Count: 108
Publisher: Self
Review Posted Online: Dec. 30, 2025
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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 contemporary hero’s journey, brilliantly told.
The 17-year-old son of a troubled rock star is determined to find his own way in life and love.
On the verge of adulthood, Blade Morrison wants to leave his father’s bad-boy reputation for drug-and-alcohol–induced antics and his sister’s edgy lifestyle behind. The death of his mother 10 years ago left them all without an anchor. Named for the black superhero, Blade shares his family’s connection to music but resents the paparazzi that prevent him from having an open relationship with the girl that he loves. However, there is one secret even Blade is unaware of, and when his sister reveals the truth of his heritage during a bitter fight, Blade is stunned. When he finally gains some measure of equilibrium, he decides to investigate, embarking on a search that will lead him to a small, remote village in Ghana. Along the way, he meets people with a sense of purpose, especially Joy, a young Ghanaian who helps him despite her suspicions of Americans. This rich novel in verse is full of the music that forms its core. In addition to Alexander and co-author Hess’ skilled use of language, references to classic rock songs abound. Secondary characters add texture to the story: does his girlfriend have real feelings for Blade? Is there more to his father than his inability to stay clean and sober? At the center is Blade, fully realized and achingly real in his pain and confusion.
A contemporary hero’s journey, brilliantly told. (Verse fiction. 14-adult)Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-310-76183-9
Page Count: 464
Publisher: Blink
Review Posted Online: April 30, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2017
PERSPECTIVES
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