Jerry Flack, a nice but rather dorky sixth-grade boy, decides to run for class president against a handsome, popular classmate. And it’s not easy. Besides having all the conventional middle-grade weapons—looks, athletic ability, and popularity—antagonist Gabe Marshall has no problem fighting dirty, embarrassing his competitor, then showing everyone humiliating pictures of his mortification. As Gorman’s nerdy everyman hero begins to fight back and his rivalry with Gabe escalates, Jerry has to decide what kind of battle he wants to wage and what ethical and personal principles he’s willing to sacrifice to win. More inherently dramatic but not as credible or emotionally astute as Dork in Disguise (1999), this action-packed sequel wants to have it both ways—to have Jerry win the battle by showing off his dorky credentials and smarts, while at the same time making these well-known liabilities seem cool and classy. It’s a great fantasy, though as any kid will testify, not enormously realistic, and because it’s not as fresh, funny, or psychologically convincing as its predecessor, Gorman is unable to make the reader believe it. A by-the-numbers subplot about Jerry’s little sister going through a somewhat different but still comparable experience with an older bully adds story bulk but lacks emotional heft. Nevertheless, an enjoyable, often amusing read with a resourceful protagonist that has something to say about both being true to and standing up for one’s self. (Fiction. 8-12)
Pub Date: June 1, 2002
ISBN: 0-06-029409-4
Page Count: 176
Publisher: HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2002
Simple, bella, un regalo permenente: simple and beautiful, a gift that will stay.
Renowned Latin American writer Alvarez has created another story about cultural identity, but this time the primary character is 11-year-old Miguel Guzmán.
When Tía Lola arrives to help the family, Miguel and his hermana, Juanita, have just moved from New York City to Vermont with their recently divorced mother. The last thing Miguel wants, as he's trying to fit into a predominantly white community, is a flamboyant aunt who doesn't speak a word of English. Tía Lola, however, knows a language that defies words; she quickly charms and befriends all the neighbors. She can also cook exotic food, dance (anywhere, anytime), plan fun parties, and tell enchanting stories. Eventually, Tía Lola and the children swap English and Spanish ejercicios, but the true lesson is "mutual understanding." Peppered with Spanish words and phrases, Alvarez makes the reader as much a part of the "language" lessons as the characters. This story seamlessly weaves two culturaswhile letting each remain intact, just as Miguel is learning to do with his own life. Like all good stories, this one incorporates a lesson just subtle enough that readers will forget they're being taught, but in the end will understand themselves, and others, a little better, regardless of la lengua nativa—the mother tongue.
Simple, bella, un regalo permenente: simple and beautiful, a gift that will stay. (Fiction. 9-11)Pub Date: March 1, 2001
ISBN: 0-375-80215-0
Page Count: 160
Publisher: Knopf
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2001
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
After Castro’s takeover, nine-year-old Julian and his older brothers are sent away by their fearful parents via “Operation Pedro Pan” to a camp in Miami for Cuban-exile children. Here he discovers that a ruthless bully has essentially been put in charge. Julian is quicker-witted than his brothers or anyone else ever imagined, though, and with his inherent smarts, developing maturity and the help of child and adult friends, he learns to navigate the dynamics of the camp and surroundings and grows from the former baby of the family to independence and self-confidence. A daring rescue mission at the end of the novel will have readers rooting for Julian even as it opens his family’s eyes to his courage and resourcefulness. This autobiographical novel is a well-meaning, fast-paced and often exciting read, though at times the writing feels choppy. It will introduce readers to a not-so-distant period whose echoes are still felt today and inspire admiration for young people who had to be brave despite frightening and lonely odds. (Historical fiction. 9-12)
Pub Date: Aug. 3, 2010
ISBN: 978-1-59643-168-3
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Review Posted Online: June 14, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2010
BOOK REVIEW
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