A realistic exploration of post-trauma life and the power of friendships with appeal for reluctant readers.
Nick’s life comes to an abrupt turning point following a surfing accident.
When the wave Nick was surfing—of the type ominously called a ledge for its dangerous nature—rolls on top of him, it sends his body crashing onto a rock, and he ends up using a wheelchair for an indefinite period. The prognosis is rather bleak: The active and energetic teen who once exceled at football might never recover the use of his legs….The road to recovery, while laborious and sad—with countless painful sessions of physical therapy and multiple letdowns from a continuously smaller circle of former friends—is also marked with newly found and uplifting friendships: Ahmad, the physical therapist and a Syrian refugee, whose family quickly embraces the paralyzed teen; Ahmad’s teenage cousin O.C., a partial amputee whose anger and irascibility resonate all too familiarly with Nick; Arnie, the drifter who saved Nick’s life by calling 911; and Keira, the goth girl from school who went unnoticed for all these years. The author does a remarkable job of depicting the harsh realities of life-changing trauma, realistically taking readers through the challenging and frustrating times that follow. Carefully chosen, uncomplicated vocabulary doesn’t detract from the depth with which each character is explored, making for an accessible and engaging read. Nick, Keira, and Arnie are assumed to be white.
A realistic exploration of post-trauma life and the power of friendships with appeal for reluctant readers. (Fiction. 12-18)Pub Date: Jan. 28, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-4598-2461-4
Page Count: 144
Publisher: Orca
Review Posted Online: Oct. 20, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2019
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
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
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