Sal used to know his place with his adoptive gay father, their loving Mexican American family, and his best friend, Samantha. But it's senior year, and suddenly Sal is throwing punches, questioning everything, and realizing he no longer knows himself. If Sal's not who he thought he was, who is he?
From the Printz Honor-winning author, this is "another stellar, gentle look into the emotional lives of teens on the cusp of adulthood" (Kirkus Reviews, starred review).
"The themes of love, social responsibility, death, and redemption are expertly intertwined with well-developed characters and a compelling story line. This complex, sensitive, and profoundly moving book is beautifully written and will stay with readers." —School Library Journal (starred review
"Sal is one of those characters you wonder about after the book is closed." —Booklist
"What the world needs now is a book like this one. . . . Read it." —Bill Konigsberg, Stonewall Award–winning author of Openly Straight
Sal used to know his place with his adoptive gay father, their loving Mexican American family, and his best friend, Samantha. But it's senior year, and suddenly Sal is throwing punches, questioning everything, and realizing he no longer knows himself. If Sal's not who he thought he was, who is he?
From the Printz Honor-winning author, this is "another stellar, gentle look into the emotional lives of teens on the cusp of adulthood" (Kirkus Reviews, starred review).
"The themes of love, social responsibility, death, and redemption are expertly intertwined with well-developed characters and a compelling story line. This complex, sensitive, and profoundly moving book is beautifully written and will stay with readers." —School Library Journal (starred review
"Sal is one of those characters you wonder about after the book is closed." —Booklist
"What the world needs now is a book like this one. . . . Read it." —Bill Konigsberg, Stonewall Award–winning author of Openly Straight
Critiques-
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Starred review from January 2, 2017
Sáenz (Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe) explores the relationships of a high school senior during troubling times, in a coming-of-age story suffused with warmth and compassion. Sal is devastated when he learns that his beloved grandmother, Mima, is dying of cancer, but that isn’t the only thing on his mind. He’s frightened by the violent impulses within him that have unexpectedly surfaced after one classmate calls his gay adoptive father a “faggot” and another calls Sal a “pinche gringo” (Sal punches both offenders). Then there’s the unopened letter from Sal’s late biological mother. Luckily, Sal has support from several loving individuals, including his adopted Mexican-American family, who welcomed him with open arms at age three, and two close friends: Sammy, who remains loyal even after suffering a tragedy of her own, and Fito, who has emerged a survivor despite an unstable family life. Written in short chapters that eloquently describe Sal’s deepest fears and most intense moments of affection, the story celebrates compassion and the love of family. Ages 12–up. Agent: Patricia Moosbrugger, Patricia Moosbrugger Literary. -
December 15, 2016
Three college-bound Latino teens navigate their ways through senior year in El Paso. Born to white parents, Salvador was adopted at the age of 3 by a gay, Mexican-American man and embraced by his extended family. His closest friends are Sam, an extroverted girl with a drama-filled life, and Fito, a gay boy who for all intents and purposes is homeless. Sal tries to maintain a calm, controlled life, but when a student hurls the word "faggot" at him, he responds quickly with his fists. He starts to wonder if he's inherited violent tendencies from his biological father, whom he never knew. In dialogue-rich prose, Saenz explores Sal's internal struggles with his churning emotions during a year of life-changing events: "all of a sudden I felt like I was living my life in a relay race and there was no one else to hand the baton to." Journallike chapters of varying lengths are prefaced with spare titles--"WFTD = Comfort"; "Me. Alone. Not." The well-constructed pacing of the novel, with its beautifully expansive prose punctuated by text messages between Sal and Sam, demonstrates the author's talent for capturing the richness of relationships among family and friends. The author of Printz Honor-winning Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe (2012) offers another stellar, gentle look into the emotional lives of teens on the cusp of adulthood. (Fiction. 14-17)COPYRIGHT(2016) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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Starred review from January 1, 2017
Gr 9 Up-It is the first day of senior year, and Sal feels as if his life is exactly as it should be. He has always been certain of his place with his adoptive gay father and their loving Mexican American extended family. Sal's best friend, Samantha, is almost like his sister. She really gets him, and more often than not, she finishes his sentences and knows exactly what he is thinking, even when he won't admit it. Sal is an inward thinker who struggles with anger that has begun to boil just under the surface. After tragedy strikes Samantha's life and leaves her reeling, Sal and his father take responsibility for her well-being and bring her into their family circle. At the same time, Sal befriends Fito, a streetwise teen trying to find his place in a world not of his own choosing. Sal and Samantha show Fito that his life has purpose, just as they discover the same about their own lives. Sal's history unexpectedly haunts him, and life-changing events force him and Samantha to confront serious issues of faith, loss, and grief. The themes of love, social responsibility, death, and redemption are expertly intertwined with well-developed characters and a compelling story line. This complex, sensitive, and profoundly moving book is beautifully written and will stay with readers. VERDICT A must-purchase title, recommended for all school and public libraries.-Amy Caldera, Dripping Springs Middle School, TX
Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
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New York Times Book Review
"[A] mesmerizing, poetic exploration of family, friendship, love and loss. In Sal, Sáenz gives his readers a young man equal parts strong, vulnerable, wise and loving." — New York Times Book Review
"Sáenz's optimistic view of young people — and adults in general — shines through and lifts the reader up." — Hypable.com
"This new novel has all the same qualities that made you fall in love before: deeply human protagonists, a gentle, warm manner of addressing difficult issues, and finding a sense of identity." — Bustle
"The author of Printz Honor-winning Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe offers another stellar, gentle look into the emotional lives of teens on the cusp of adulthood." — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"The themes of love, social responsibility, death, and redemption are expertly intertwined with well-developed characters and a compelling story line. This complex, sensitive, and profoundly moving book is beautifully written and will stay with readers. VERDICT: A must-purchase title." — School Library Journal (starred review)
"Written in short chapters that eloquently describe Sal's deepest fears and most intense moments of affection, the story celebrates compassion and the love of family." — Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Wraps readers in a 464-page hug, sharing longing and insight that ultimately affirms the goodness of strong families with the generosity to draw in and rescue those in need of steady, solid, unconditional love." — Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"Saenz is a treasure whose works should not be missed." — Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)
"What the world needs now is a book like this one. Profoundly important and moving. Read it." — Bill Konigsberg, Stonewall Award-winning author of Openly Straight and The Porcupine of Truth
"Thought-provoking and uplifting, this compelling coming-of-age novel treats the complexities of being human with compassion, and—above all—love." — Francisco Jiménez, Pura Belpré Honor-winning author of Breaking Through and Reaching Out
"A needed, lovely, and powerful book" — Connie Griffin, Bookworks, Albuquerque
"Sáenz presents readers with several beautifully drawn relationships... Sal is one of those characters you wonder about after the book is closed. Maybe Sáenz will tell us more." — Booklist
