Secret Saturdays

by Torrey Maldonado

Overview

Read Torrey Maldonado's posts on the Penguin Blog and the new Penguin Community.

A poignant look into one fatherless twelve-year-old’s struggles with friendship and trust.

Sean is Justin’s best friend, at least Justin thought he was. But lately Sean has been acting differently. Sean’s been telling lies, getting into trouble at school, and hanging out with a tougher crowd, even getting into fights. This isn’t like Sean at all.

When Justin finally discovers that Sean’s been secretly going to visit his father in prison and is dealing with the shame of that, Justin wants to do something to help before his friend spirals further out of control. But what if confronting Sean means Justin loses his very best friend? In the end, he decides it doesn’t matter; he’s got to man up.

Set in one of New York’s most dangerous neighborhoods, Secret Saturdays is an affecting read highlighted by strong characters and an authentic, heartening voice.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781101171769
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	04/15/2010
Sold by:	Penguin Group
Format:	eBook
Pages:	208
Lexile:	HL580L (what's this?)
File size:	2 MB
Age Range:	10 Years

About the Author

Torrey Maldonado is ateacher born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, where hestill lives. Secret Saturdays is inspired by his life and theexperiences of his students.

What People are Saying About This

Rita Williams Garcia

“Torrey Maldonado sticks his finger in an all too familiar hole of a brokenhearted urban community. Playground tough with a sweet center.”—Rita Williams-Garcia, Newbery Honor-winning and New York Times bestselling author of One Crazy Summer

Editorial Reviews

Sixth-graders Justin and Sean have been best friends since fourth grade and have a lot in common: raised in Brooklyn projects by their mothers, they're both half black/half Puerto Rican and share a love of rapping. So when Sean starts sneaking away with his mother on Saturday morning trips and increasingly acting like a bully, Justin feels a rift forming. Debut author Maldonado convincingly portrays roughneck playgrounds where boys are expected to be “hard,” and to “[d]is or get dissed on.” Justin's narration resonates with the authenticity of a preteen doing his best in an urban landscape that has taught him all he knows: “It sucks not having a father or uncle, because I see boys out here playing football and doing things with their dads and uncles. I have to do that stuff with my mother. Which is cool. But kind of gay too.” There are some heavy-handed moments—a TV talk show about male emotions helps Justin decide to speak with Sean about his feelings—but the book remains a moving portrayal of the hope to be found through honest relationships. Ages 10-up. (Apr.)

Publishers Weekly

This urban tale explores inner-city life for a middle school audience with sympathy and humor, while underscoring the emotional effects of hardship on the characters’ lives…readers will find both insight and hope in Justin’s efforts to help his friend.”—The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books (BCCB)
— The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books (BCCB)

“This is a story of friendship, survival, deception and relationships…a fast read, entertaining and high interest.”—Library Media Connection
— Library Media Connection

“Torrey Maldonado sticks his finger in an all too familiar hole of a brokenhearted urban community. Playground tough with a sweet center.”—Rita Williams-Garcia, Newbery Honor-winning and New York Times bestselling author of One Crazy Summer — Rita Williams Garcia

From the Publisher

Torrey Maldonado sticks his finger in an all too familiar hole of a brokenhearted urban community. Playground tough with a sweet center.”—Rita Williams-Garcia, Newbery Honor-winning and New York Times bestselling author of One Crazy Summer

Rita Williams Garcia

This is a story of friendship, survival, deception and relationships…a fast read, entertaining and high interest.”—Library Media Connection

Library Media Connection

This urban tale explores inner-city life for a middle school audience with sympathy and humor, while underscoring the emotional effects of hardship on the characters’ lives…readers will find both insight and hope in Justin’s efforts to help his friend.”—The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books (BCCB)

The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (BCCB)

Its voice...is infectiously readable, and its characters are sympathetically and memorably realized.

Booklist

02/01/2017
Gr 5–8—Friends Justin and Sean, both 12, live in the Red Hook projects in Brooklyn, are Puerto Rican and African American, and have absentee fathers. Sean is straying further from their friendship, avoiding their scheduled sleepovers, lying, and not doing as well in school. He's been getting into more and more fights when he used to advocate dissing instead of fists. Where is Sean going on Saturdays? Maldonado explores issues of manhood, friendship, and family in this heartfelt, humorous, and poignant urban tale.

School Library Journal