Putting Makeup on the Fat Boy

May 16, 2011
Wright (When the Black Girl Sings) gives voice, complexity, and heart to the kind of character often relegated to a cliché sidekick role. Sixteen-year-old Carlos Duarte's dream is to become a famous makeup artist ("I've had subscriptions to Vogue and Harper's Bazaar since I was fourteen... so I knew what I was doing was beyond genius"). His considerable skills land him a plum job working the FeatureFace Cosmetics counter at Macy's, despite the reservations of manager Valentino. It's not long before Valentino and Carlos clash, and things at home are tough as well: Carlos's mother has lost her job, and his older sister is getting abused by her boyfriend, who is also harassing Carlos for being gay. Carlos's single-minded drive for success leaves some casualties in his wake (as when a $300 borrowed pair of "beyond incredible" boots are damaged when he's assaulted), but his big heart, optimism, and powers of persuasion are infectious. And given the very realistic harassment Carlos regularly suffers, those attributes are a survival skill, too. He's a walking example of the inner strength teens needâregardless of their sexuality. Ages 12âup.

July 1, 2011

Gr 8 Up-Carlos Duarte, 16, has tremendous confidence. He does what he does and makes few apologies-and what he does best is makeup. The teen is fearless in his determination to realize his dream of becoming a makeup artist to the stars. His first job is at the FeatureFace counter, the premiere makeup company in Macy's flagship store. He is sure that this job will launch him into the stratosphere of fame, but pride and ambition cause him to take action without considering the consequences. Carlos struggles to develop a sense of accountability, and making his life more difficult are his sister's abusive boyfriend and his own one-sided crush on a boy in school. Readers will simultaneously root for and marvel at this fascinating character, though their support will be tested by his mean-spirited comments. Unfortunately, Carlos tends to overwhelm the plot and the other characters, who fall a little flat in his shadow. It is a relief that Wright does not give the story a tidy ending, opting instead to leave a few strands untied. After all, Carlos still has places to go.-Naphtali L. Faris, Youth Services Consultant, Missouri State Library, Jefferson City, MO

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 15, 2011

Carlos, 16 and fabulous, just knows he's going to be famous.

Cocky but playful--"I had just the slightest touch of color in my cheeks. I'd given myself a manicure. I looked beyond excellent!"--Carlos strides purposefully toward his goal: Makeup artist to the stars. Zipping around Manhattan, he obtains employment with a hip, prestigious cosmetics company in Macy's and nabs a position working for the star of a Saturday Night Live equivalent. His campy voice ("seriously gorgeous bootay. Tight and round and perched, honey, perched!") turns bitchy sometimes. He also needs to learn accountability for his actions: Macy's makeup really can't leave the store before being paid for, no matter how famous the star requesting it, and Stella McCartney boots begged from a friend must be returned pristine. Carlos loses that friend but narrowly saves his job; he also fights his sister's abuser (who calls Carlos "maricón") and strains for dignity when a kind but clueless straight boy tells Carlos to his face that he doesn't return his crush. Wright's occasionally flashy but mostly straightforward (often even clunky) prose should work equally well for bookish and non-bookish readers; the excellent treatment of a gay, Latino teen is marred only by ruthless slamming of fat friend Angie.

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