A fierce, timely, and beautifully executed ode to artistic expression imbued with a spirit of optimism.
Spirited teens create music under the towering shadow of an oppressive government.
In present-day Rosario, Argentina, an angel comes to collect a girl who doesn’t remember her own name. Before it’s time to go, the angel shares the story of the Aguirre brothers and the origins of their band, Río Babel. In 1976, Daniel Aguirre dreams of becoming a rock star, spurred on by the poetic lyrics of his brother, Adrián. Against a backdrop of hyperinflation, police violence, and political turmoil, the brothers and their bandmates hone their craft, undeterred even by a traumatizing brush with the police. The March 24 coup d’etat brings down Isabel Perón’s fragile government and a military junta seizes power, promising harsh national reform. When a member of Río Babel goes missing, a demo of one of their songs mysteriously ends up on the radio, spreading like wildfire as a protest anthem and inviting more calamity for the teens. Within the framework of a bittersweet conversation between an angel and a girl, this historically grounded tale of a fictional band and the fates that befall its members unfurls in bouts of profound tragedies and hopeful triumphs, all wonderfully presented in Méndez’s rich, lyrical prose. The author gives each character palpable depth, including those who exist on the story’s margins, and the occasional interjection of historical context provides insightful color.
A fierce, timely, and beautifully executed ode to artistic expression imbued with a spirit of optimism. (additional reading) (Historical fiction. 12-18)Pub Date: May 5, 2026
ISBN: 9781646146376
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Levine Querido
Review Posted Online: Feb. 16, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2026
PERSPECTIVES
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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