Summer Reading 2024

Welcome back to school, everyone! Here is an update of all the books I've read since the middle of June. First, I read Falling Short by Ernesto Cisneros. This sports fiction novel is about Isaac and Marco, two sixth-grade boys who are neighbors and best friends. Isaac is a star basketball player who wants to get better grades this school year, while Marco wants to gain his father's approval by making the basketball team because getting good grades isn't enough for him. Although they both face challenges in achieving their goals, they help each other out even when there's a chance of failure. Because I enjoyed the author's debut novel, Efrén Divided, I was definitely excited to read what he came up with next. Falling Short did not disappoint. I could empathize with both boys, and I loved the basketball scenes. Not to mention, the climax was so satisfying. I definitely recommend this book if you like basketball or friendship stories.

Next, I read Cross My Heart and Never Lie by Nora Dåsnes. This realistic fiction graphic novel is about Tuva, a 12-year-old girl who is starting seventh grade. Although she has several goals for the school year, including writing a whole diary, building a base in the bog with her best friends, and going to a sleepover birthday party, nothing quite goes according to plan. After her friend, Linnea, gets a boyfriend, it causes a rift with their other friend, Bao, who can't imagine falling in love, and Tuva gets caught between them. When she develops a crush on a new girl, Miriam, Tuva doesn't know what to tell her friends. As the girls in their grade decide whether they're on Team Linnea or Team Bao, Tuva still feels like a kid and wants to know how to be a teenager. I loved reading this graphic novel so much. I could definitely relate to Tuva because I had a crush in middle school, but at the same time it took me longer to grow up. I definitely felt behind other girls in several ways. Additionally, I liked how Tuva connected with Miriam when there were issues among the other girls in their grade and Linnea and Bao wanted Tuva to pick one of them. Finally, the artwork and the diary format were fun. It definitely gave me a great deal of insight into Tuva. Anyone who likes coming of age stories should read Cross My Heart and Never Lie.

Then, I read Starfish by Lisa Fipps. This realistic fiction novel-in-verse is about Ellie Montgomery-Hofstein, a girl who has lived by the Fat Girl Rules ever since she began being bullied about her weight when she wore a whale bathing suit at her fifth birthday party. Years later, she is tired of being shamed about her weight by almost everyone around her, including her own mom. The only place she feels safe is her swimming pool where she can take up as much space as she wants. After her best friend, Viv, moves away, Ellie befriends her new neighbor, Catalina, who likes her just the way she is. When she begins going to therapy and finds another ally in her dad, Ellie decides to stop living by the Fat Girl Rules and stand up to her mom. I thought this was such a beautiful story about self-acceptance. I hated how Ellie's mom wanted her to get weight-loss surgery, even though there could be complications, and felt so bad for Ellie that her mom couldn't accept her just the way she is. On the other hand, I thought Ellie's therapist was amazing and loved how she had so many unique methods to help Ellie. Starfish is perfect for anyone struggling with self-esteem and can also be enjoyed by those who like stories about friendship or family.

Another book I read in June is Children of Anguish and Anarchy, the conclusion to the Legacy of Orïsha series by Tomi Adeyemi. This fantasy novel is about Zélie, a gifted maji who is captured on a foreign ship following the uprising of the maji that brought the end of the monarchy in Orïsha. After she meets King Baldyr, the leader of the Skulls, and learns of his plans, she goes on a quest with her brother Tzain, Amari, and still-alive Inan to find allies in New Gaīa and unite the people of Orïsha against King Baldyr. I read the first two books in this series a few years ago and I really wanted to like the final book, but it fell short of my expectations. It felt disconnected from the other books and the ending left me heartbroken. I do think I would have liked this book better if it had been a spin-off series because it also seems rushed. Overall, I only recommend Children of Anguish and Anarchy if you've read the rest of the series and need closure.

 

Over the rest of the summer, I read the Charlie Thorne series by Stuart Gibbs. In the first book, Charlie Thorne and the Last Equation, a 12-year-old girl genius, Charlie Thorne, is recruited by Dante Garcia, a CIA agent who also happens to be her half brother, to find Pandora, an equation that Albert Einstein discovered. Along with another CIA agent, Milana Moon, the trio have to locate the equation using Charlie's code-breaking skills before the Furies, a small terrorist group from Eastern Europe, reach it. Traveling around the world, Charlie must determine whom to trust and figure out how to protect the equation from those who will use it for nefarious purposes. In the following three books, Charlie Thorne and the Lost City, Charlie Thorne and the Curse of Cleopatra, and Charlie Thorne and the Royal Society, Charlie, Dante, and Milana go on adventures to search for Charles Darwin's discovery in South America, Cleopatra's mysterious item in Egypt, and Sir Isaac Newton's secret treasure from Cambridge University to Australia and Hawaii. I absolutely adored every book in this series. Even though she faces many dangers, I thought it was so cool how Charlie was able to go to different countries on action-packed adventures. These books were filled with suspense, secret codes, and chase scenes. I also liked how Charlie's relationships with Dante and Milana grew over time. Anyone who likes action and adventure should read this series. You won't regret it!

 

Efrén Divided by Ernesto Cisneros

Last week, I read Efrén Divided by Ernesto Cisneros. This realistic fiction novel is about Efrén Nava, a seventh-grade boy whose parents are undocumented even though he and his younger twin siblings, Max and Mía, were born in the U.S. One day, Efrén can't find his mother after he returns home from school and learns that she was deported to Tijuana, Mexico. When his father takes another job to earn the money to bring her back, Efrén has to look after Max and Mía. Meanwhile, at school, Efrén helps his best friend, David, with his campaign to become school president. After David's opponent, Jennifer Huerta, drops out of school when she and her mother are also deported, Efrén realizes he can't just stand by even if it means betraying David. As the days go on and Efrén deals with the challenges of taking care of his siblings, he channels his inner Soperboy to try to reunite his family.

While reading this book, I was surprised by how suspenseful it was. I just had to find out if Efrén's family would be reunited with Amá, his mother. Although I was disappointed by the ending, I thought it was realistic. I was also engaged by the conflict between Efrén and David. At the beginning, I thought they had a strong friendship, but everything changed when Efrén decided to enter the race for school president. I didn't blame David for feeling betrayed, but at the same time, I could see how he might not be the best candidate because his causes weren't exactly noble. At times, it even seemed like he treated the position as a joke. I did wonder if Efrén and David would make up, though, because I didn't want either of them to be the bad guy after I found out why David wanted to be school president. Additionally, I especially loved Efrén's relationship with his siblings, Max and Mía. It was sweet how he tried his best to take care of them like Amá would, even if he didn't always succeed. One of my favorite parts was when Max and Mía made campaign posters with Efrén to hang up at school. I even got a little teary-eyed. Overall, I enjoyed Efrén Divided. With the realistic, if not happy, ending, this book is a noteworthy choice for those going through a similar situation, but I would also recommend it to anyone who wants to read about strength of family.