A bright young cast of aspiring spies elevates this measured thriller.
In Warner’s YA novel, a series opener, capable teens face off against terrorists.
Kansas high-school freshman Jack Straw dreams of becoming a spy. The same goes for his karate-skilled trio of best friends (Philomela “Phil” Nightingale, Peter Rochelle, and Collin Jensen), who all know how to take care of themselves. But they look out for others as well, like a meek schoolmate whom a bully targets. So when Jack learns his sister’s best friend, Kelly—an Afghan refugee—is in trouble, his instinct is to protect her. A terrorist cell, after Kelly’s family for allegedly leaking Al Qaeda names, may be planning to sneak into the United States for revenge. Jack makes it his mission to ensure Kelly’s safety and hands out assignments to his pals (Peter is tasked with befriending a girl whose thuggish brothers may have details on anything “a bit sketchy”). When the terrorists finally show up, it won’t just be Kelly’s family in peril but Jack, his friends, and their families, too. Warner assembles a dynamic young cast; Collin is the youngest and smartest (taking senior-level classes), while Phil, the sole female in Jack’s clique, is arguably the toughest one. (Simple, black-and-white illustrations provide profile pics of the teen leads.) This taut, fast-paced narrative is surprisingly somber, and not just due to the serious fights that the teens get caught up in. They’re also prone to anger in a variety of circumstances, as when Collin intimidates Phil’s ex without knowing any specifics about their breakup. While the friends land in more than one precarious spot, they don’t find many opportunities for espionage, as much of their time is spent keeping loved ones out of harm’s way. Nevertheless, Jack and his crew have the makings of exemplary secret agents—they’re whip-smart, plucky, compassionate, and most assuredly able to carry a series.
A bright young cast of aspiring spies elevates this measured thriller.Pub Date: June 4, 2024
ISBN: 9781685134709
Page Count: 254
Publisher: Black Rose Writing
Review Posted Online: May 7, 2024
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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
This grittily provocative debut explores the horrors of self-harm and the healing power of artistic expression.
After surviving a suicide attempt, a fragile teen isn't sure she can endure without cutting herself.
Seventeen-year-old Charlie Davis, a white girl living on the margins, thinks she has little reason to live: her father drowned himself; her bereft and abusive mother kicked her out; her best friend, Ellis, is nearly brain dead after cutting too deeply; and she's gone through unspeakable experiences living on the street. After spending time in treatment with other young women like her—who cut, burn, poke, and otherwise hurt themselves—Charlie is released and takes a bus from the Twin Cities to Tucson to be closer to Mikey, a boy she "like-likes" but who had pined for Ellis instead. But things don't go as planned in the Arizona desert, because sweet Mikey just wants to be friends. Feeling rejected, Charlie, an artist, is drawn into a destructive new relationship with her sexy older co-worker, a "semifamous" local musician who's obviously a junkie alcoholic. Through intense, diarylike chapters chronicling Charlie's journey, the author captures the brutal and heartbreaking way "girls who write their pain on their bodies" scar and mar themselves, either succumbing or surviving. Like most issue books, this is not an easy read, but it's poignant and transcendent as Charlie breaks more and more before piecing herself back together.
This grittily provocative debut explores the horrors of self-harm and the healing power of artistic expression. (author’s note) (Fiction. 14 & up)Pub Date: Aug. 30, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-101-93471-5
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Delacorte
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2016
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