Marcus Vega Doesn't Speak Spanish by Pablo Cartaya

 

Yesterday, I finished reading Marcus Vega Doesn't Speak Spanish by Pablo Cartaya. This adventurous realistic fiction novel, is about Marcus Vega, a fourteen-year-old boy who is running a business at school to earn money for his family's Cookie Monster Cash. When a bully, Stephen Hobert, targets Marcus's younger brother, Charlie, just days before spring break, Marcus punches the other boy and faces suspension. Deciding that her family needs a vacation from their life in Springfield, Pennsylvania, Marcus's mother obtains plane tickets to take them to Puerto Rico for five days. Marcus insists that they should use the trip to find his father, but his mother is reluctant because of how he left their family years ago. Armed with a camera from Danny, a boy who recently started using his business's walking services, Marcus meets the family he never knew he had while taking photos and searching all around the island for his father.

This novel was absolutely delightful to read. At the beginning, I thought it was hilarious how Marcus was using his school's rules to make money. While he does help teachers and other staff members out of generosity, his classmates pay him fees if they want him to walk them to and from school as protection from bullies (Marcus is big for his age), hold their cell phones in his locker, or not tell the principal if they litter. I also really enjoyed Marcus's relationship with Charlie, his younger brother who has Down syndrome, because of their closeness. Marcus is very protective of Charlie, and they genuinely like spending time together, which is truly wonderful. During his family's trip to Puerto Rico, it was interesting to see Marcus's feelings towards his father change. At first, he's eager, but as he gets closer to actually finding his father, he feels nervousness, doubt, and even anger about his father leaving, which is one of the most powerful moments of the book. Some of the other things I liked about the book were the people Marcus and his family meet in Puerto Rico, the misadventures that take them to different parts of the island, and Marcus's newfound love for photography using the camera Danny gave him. The end of the novel is satisfying and shows how it's not about the destination, but the journey. If you want to read a book about discovering home and identity, Marcus Vega Doesn't Speak Spanish is the perfect choice.