10/11/2021
After 17-year-old Ri Fernández, who is Mexican American and white, finds a letter her grandmother had hidden away, revealing her absent mother’s location and desire to reconnect (“I’ve had a mom who wanted to be in my life all along. And Grandma never told me”), Ri, who could not read the Spanish-language letter without Google Translate, decides to transfer from French to Spanish class. The decision quickly sets Ri on a path of rebelliousness and introspection, leading her to meet up with her mother in secret, reject her Mexican grandmother’s push to assimilate, and reassess her closest relationships with fresh eyes. In Ri’s open, occasionally sarcastic first-person narration, Barthelmess (Quiet No More ) examines identity, complicated intergenerational relationships, and the power of connection to one’s cultural heritage and community with sincerity and insight in this nuanced contemporary coming-of-age novel. Ri is an absorbing protagonist who’s allowed to mess up, reckon with the complexities of her identity and privilege, and grow on the page, and readers will find much to love in Ri’s journey as she sets out to define who she is and what she wants for herself. Ages 13–up. Agent: Sarah Gerton, Curtis Brown. (Oct.)
"Barthelmess’ story thoughtfully explores intergenerational cultural dynamics and racial microaggressions as it follows Ri on her journey of self-discovery. An honest and engaging narrative." — Kirkus Reviews
"This lush coming-of-age tale will fire readers’ emotions as they follow Ri’s quest to learn more about her heritage ... full of hope and realistic situations, [it] will speak to those who enjoy stories exploring identity and true purpose." — Booklist
"Barthelmess examines identity, complicated intergenerational relationships, and the power of connection to one’s cultural heritage and community with sincerity and insight in this nuanced contemporary coming-of-age novel. Readers will find much to love in Ri’s journey as she sets out to define who she is and what she wants for herself." — Publishers Weekly
"A moving story of acceptance, this will give readers space to consider what they can’t change, what they must fight to change, and what they shouldn’t have to." — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
“A relatable, compelling, and powerful story that offers a way forward, a way to reclaim and redefine one’s self.” — Randy Ribay, author of the National Book Award finalist Patron Saints of Nothing
“An earnest and heartfelt look at biracial identity, complicated family dynamics, and the discovery of awho we are and who we hope to become.” — Crystal Maldonado, author of Fat Chance, Charlie Vega
“A hopeful coming-of-age story about new friendships, first love, and figuring out how to bridge two worlds. It's a tender novel that glimmers with all of the wonder of self-discovery.” — Monica Gomez-Hira, author of Once Upon a Quinceañera
“A moving story about family, the challenges facing biracial teens, and the importance of forgiveness.” — Ismée Williams, author of This Train Is Being Held
A stunning story about having faith in oneself, one’s friends, and one’s family. Ri and all the people she loves are so real and full of heart that it’s impossible not to root for them" — Samantha Mabry, author of Tigers, Not Daughters
"A solid addition to young adult collections." — School Library Journal
A relatable, compelling, and powerful story that offers a way forward, a way to reclaim and redefine one’s self.
"This lush coming-of-age tale will fire readers’ emotions as they follow Ri’s quest to learn more about her heritage ... full of hope and realistic situations, [it] will speak to those who enjoy stories exploring identity and true purpose."
A hopeful coming-of-age story about new friendships, first love, and figuring out how to bridge two worlds. It's a tender novel that glimmers with all of the wonder of self-discovery.
"A moving story of acceptance, this will give readers space to consider what they can’t change, what they must fight to change, and what they shouldn’t have to."
Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
An earnest and heartfelt look at biracial identity, complicated family dynamics, and the discovery of awho we are and who we hope to become.
A stunning story about having faith in oneself, one’s friends, and one’s family. Ri and all the people she loves are so real and full of heart that it’s impossible not to root for them"
A moving story about family, the challenges facing biracial teens, and the importance of forgiveness.
"This lush coming-of-age tale will fire readers’ emotions as they follow Ri’s quest to learn more about her heritage ... full of hope and realistic situations, [it] will speak to those who enjoy stories exploring identity and true purpose."
A moving story about family, the challenges facing biracial teens, and the importance of forgiveness.
02/04/2022
Gr 9 Up —After 17-year-old Maria "Ri" Fernández's mom left when she was little, Maria was raised by her grandparents. Now, it is only Ri and her Grandma, who works long hours as an assistant to a wealthy family to ensure Ri has everything she needs. After finding a two-year-old letter her Grandma had hidden in which her mom expressed a wish to be part of the teen's life, Ri is determined to meet her. When she finally comes face to face with her mom, she is furious that her Grandma had kept them apart. Plus, her Grandma only wanted Ri to speak English and isolated them from their Mexican community. At the same time, Ri's friendship with her longtime friend Brittany, who is white, starts to crumble as Ri realizes that Brittany also displays passive aggressive and insulting behavior towards Ri's Latinx friends. Important discussions about heritage and embracing one's culture take place, including colorism within the Latinx community. This fast-paced novel highlights issues like open communication and among family and friends and addiction. VERDICT A solid addition to young adult collections.—Selenia Paz
2021-08-18
Maria is a high school junior in Santa Barbara, California, torn between her anger toward her maternal grandmother, who denies her any cultural connections to her Mexican ancestry, and her admiration for this same woman who raised her and works tirelessly keeping house for a wealthy family in order to give Ri access to more opportunities. Ri’s grandmother wants her to assimilate, even discouraging her from learning Spanish, exchanging their Catholic church for a Whiter version of Christianity, and urging her to hang out with the kids she deems good influences like her White friend, Brittany. Ri, whose biological father was a White American she’s never met, usually obeys her grandmother’s wishes—until the day she discovers a letter in Spanish from her estranged mother, written two years earlier, that upends everything. Ashamed that she had to use an online translation tool to understand the letter, Ri switches from French to Spanish class to connect with her heritage. There, she discovers that her Latinx classmates are not all fluent and she is not the only outsider, as she had believed, and that these kids whom her friends, guidance counselor, and grandmother had warned her against also hold complex relationships with their cultural identities. Barthelmess’ story thoughtfully explores intergenerational cultural dynamics and racial microaggressions as it follows Ri on her journey of self-discovery.
An honest and engaging narrative. (Fiction. 14-18)
Narrator Frankie Corzo delivers a coming-of-age story focusing on relationships and racism. Ri lives with her grandmother in a household that forbids talking about their Mexican heritage. When she finds a letter written in Spanish from her estranged mother, she secretly takes a Spanish class and connects with new Hispanic and Latino friends, which causes a rift with her childhood friend, Brittany. Tension increases when Ri finally meets her mother behind her grandmother’s back. Corzo’s performance primarily focuses on the strain in Ri’s relationships whenever secrets are revealed, opportunities for Corzo to depict complex emotions and deliver authentic drama. The story ranges from mundane scenes of high school life to intense moments of self-discovery, and Corzo’s narration makes Ri an approachable heroine. G.M. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine
DECEMBER 2021 - AudioFile
Narrator Frankie Corzo delivers a coming-of-age story focusing on relationships and racism. Ri lives with her grandmother in a household that forbids talking about their Mexican heritage. When she finds a letter written in Spanish from her estranged mother, she secretly takes a Spanish class and connects with new Hispanic and Latino friends, which causes a rift with her childhood friend, Brittany. Tension increases when Ri finally meets her mother behind her grandmother’s back. Corzo’s performance primarily focuses on the strain in Ri’s relationships whenever secrets are revealed, opportunities for Corzo to depict complex emotions and deliver authentic drama. The story ranges from mundane scenes of high school life to intense moments of self-discovery, and Corzo’s narration makes Ri an approachable heroine. G.M. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine
DECEMBER 2021 - AudioFile
