A suspenseful, emotionally charged mystery that hits the mark.
A trio of teen detectives attempts to solve the mystery of two girls who are missing from their small Louisiana hometown.
Iris Blackthorn is many things, including pansexual, an amateur sleuth, and the younger sibling of cheerleader Stella, who has been gone for over a year. In pursuit of this mystery, Iris becomes friends with Sammy Valdez-Taylor, a lesbian hacker, and Imani Turner, a dedicated costume designer who uses they/them pronouns. Together they start a detective agency. Heather Nasato, the ex-girlfriend Iris is on amicable terms with, asks the agency to investigate her boyfriend, as she believes he is cheating on her. Shortly after they report proof of his infidelity to Heather, she also goes missing. With the stakes even higher, Iris and her team desperately look for any clues that Heather may have left behind, including any hidden in How to Find a Missing Girl, the podcast Heather made about Stella’s disappearance. Along for the ride, whether Iris wants her there or not, is Lea Li Zhang, student journalist and the bisexual, polydactyl ex–best friend Iris has complicated feelings about. The characters’ distinct personalities seamlessly blend into the twisty narrative. Along with lots of action and suspense, the portrayal of managing realistic emotional trauma brings introspective depth that will have readers thinking as they devour pages to get to the exhilarating conclusion. Names and physical descriptions cue racial diversity in the cast.
A suspenseful, emotionally charged mystery that hits the mark. (resources) (Mystery. 14-18)Pub Date: Sept. 19, 2023
ISBN: 9780316511506
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2023
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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