A satisfying and emotionally resonant coming-of-age tale.
In Phen’s YA novel, a Mexican teenager discovers the value of devotion through an indelible bond with a loyal and resilient dog.
In 1974, 14-year-old Ernesto lives in a modest home near Tijuana, Mexico, with his mother, father, and sister. His father works in construction and worries about having enough money to support the family. Ernesto earns extra money doing odd jobs after school, but his passion is art— despite his father’s disapproval. His favorite place to draw is the beach, where he sketches the people and places that make his community come to life. While drawing on the beach one afternoon, he sees five dogs attack a sixth, apparently a stray. He rescues the dog, whom he names Oro, and cares for him with the help of Raúl, a compassionate and ambitious young man who plans to work in America. As Ernesto’s bond with Oro deepens, the dog becomes a fixture in the community, known for his loyalty to Ernesto and his kindness to very young children. After a tragic fire ravages his community, Ernesto resolves to earn more money to help his family rebuild their home and embarks on a risky journey to California to find Raúl and see if he can help him get a job. The author’s YA debut is a sensitively observed story of dedication and resilience with an unforgettable bond between a teenager and his dog at its emotional center. Ernesto is an amiable protagonist who’s eager to help support his impoverished family (even though his parents prefer him to focus on his studies). Phen’s writing style is clear and sturdy, with poignant poetic flourishes that highlight Ernesto’s love for Oro (“How can I show you the eyes of my friend which were windows to his heart?”). While Ernesto’s journey is often harrowing, the author keeps a strong focus on his optimism and the valuable life lessons he has learned from his relationship with Oro.
A satisfying and emotionally resonant coming-of-age tale.Pub Date: July 1, 2025
ISBN: 9798991223010
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 20, 2025
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 astonishing book will generate much-needed discussion.
After 15-year-old Will sees his older brother, Shawn, gunned down on the streets, he sets out to do the expected: the rules dictate no crying, no snitching, and revenge.
Though the African-American teen has never held one, Will leaves his apartment with his brother’s gun tucked in his waistband. As he travels down on the elevator, the door opens on certain floors, and Will is confronted with a different figure from his past, each a victim of gun violence, each important in his life. They also force Will to face the questions he has about his plan. As each “ghost” speaks, Will realizes how much of his own story has been unknown to him and how intricately woven they are. Told in free-verse poems, this is a raw, powerful, and emotional depiction of urban violence. The structure of the novel heightens the tension, as each stop of the elevator brings a new challenge until the narrative arrives at its taut, ambiguous ending. There is considerable symbolism, including the 15 bullets in the gun and the way the elevator rules parallel street rules. Reynolds masterfully weaves in textured glimpses of the supporting characters. Throughout, readers get a vivid picture of Will and the people in his life, all trying to cope with the circumstances of their environment while expressing the love, uncertainty, and hope that all humans share.
This astonishing book will generate much-needed discussion. (Verse fiction. 12-adult)Pub Date: Oct. 17, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-4814-3825-4
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Caitlyn Dlouhy/Atheneum
Review Posted Online: July 1, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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