A political thriller about serious ideas that’s replete with irreverent humor and poignant relationships.
An unsuspecting teen inspires a political movement that sees him elected president of the United States in this YA debut by bestselling middle-grade author Chainani.
When 17-year-old Benton Young, deep in thrall to a girl who has challenged him to imagine what he really wants for the world, makes a video that he hopes will impress her, it never occurs to him that it will go viral and become the catalyst for an electoral upheaval that unseats adult heads of state all over the world, replacing them with teens. This funny novel blends action sequences with journal entries and heartfelt portrayals of realistic relationships. Benton has felt abandoned by his mom, who’s cued white, ever since she divorced his Black father and remarried. He comes to understand how important his two best friends, Jax and Freddy, are to him as they stick by his side through all the chaos he’s experiencing. The author realistically captures the massive frustration and anger felt by young people toward politicians who have neglected the planet and their constituents in pursuit of their own power. Although this thriller eventually branches into something that feels almost fantastical, it’s very much grounded in real world ideas and is populated with sympathetic characters. The varied and colorful graphic design of the pages is appealing, adding visual interest and enhancing the story’s atmosphere.
A political thriller about serious ideas that’s replete with irreverent humor and poignant relationships. (Thriller. 14-18)Pub Date: May 5, 2026
ISBN: 9780593905180
Page Count: 480
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Feb. 2, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 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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