Rising high-school senior Nick Doran walks to the beat of his own drummer—literally—and away from life’s problems—in this case, military school orientation, a consequence of accidentally starting a chimney fire. Leaving his parents a message on the answering machine (their regular form of communication), Nick sets out to spend the summer with his notoriously irresponsible aunt Wanda. But living with Wanda in her tiny cabin means living among the other “hippies” (O.K. Sunbeam, Jolly Roger, Rode Kool, Loosie Starshine, and Wanda’s quasi-boyfriend, Deke) at Happiness Far (the “m” lost long ago) and earning your keep, one of his aunt’s “how to make a house a home” philosophies. Summer at the Far progresses into communal festivities interrupted by “Stoners” (affluent teens of the neighboring Stone Coach Woods subdivision) attacks; Wanda losing her job again, due to her carelessness; Nick’s isolation from his parents, who still grieve for Nick’s older brother; his romance with “Stoner” Diana; and his protection of Diana and her sisters from their sexually abusive father. Although Nick learns to communicate with his all-too-human parents, both Nick and Wanda accept responsibility for their actions (i.e., mature), and Nick finds a home where he can stay, the plot and its happily-ever-after ending seem entirely implausible. What will keep readers plodding along are Many’s (The Great Pancake Escape, p. 452, etc.) strengths in characterization (albeit clichéd at times), strong appeal to male YAs, and humor in the face of life’s most trying time—growing up. (Fiction. YA)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2002
ISBN: 0-8027-8828-9
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Walker
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2002
A compelling romance inhabited by complex and appealing characters.
When star hockey player Alec Barczewski’s estranged childhood friend, Dani Collins, moves to town, they end up in a mutually beneficial fake-dating relationship that reignites old feelings.
Following her parents’ divorce, Dani and her mom move in with Dani’s hockey legend grandfather in Southview, Minnesota, where she spent a month every summer as a child and where her friendship with Alec grew. Between visits, the two were pen pals, but they eventually fell out of touch. Despite some tensions over their loss of friendship, the high school seniors reconnect. Desperate to get off Harvard’s waitlist, Dani needs another extracurricular activity, while Alec—whose reputation took a hit when a photo of him holding a bong appeared on social media—is eager to improve his tarnished image for NHL scouts. The pair strike a deal: They’ll fake date, making Alec look like a stable guy whose academically gifted girlfriend is related to hockey royalty, and in exchange, he’ll get Dani a team manager position that will catch the eye of Harvard’s admissions officers. Eventually, complicated feelings about their past, stressful family relationships, and their brewing romance boil over. Romance fans will love the deliciously tension-filled scenes between Alec and Dani, who are believable friends with heavy demands weighing on them. They feel like real teenagers, and readers will enjoy rooting for them as the well-paced story unfolds. Main characters present white.
A compelling romance inhabited by complex and appealing characters. (Romance. 14-18)Pub Date: Sept. 30, 2025
ISBN: 9781665921268
Page Count: 448
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Aug. 2, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2025
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
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