Becoming Beatriz

September 2, 2019
At 15, Puerto Rican Beatriz Mendez has been a Diabla for three years, but the death of her older brother, Junito, at the hands of a Haitian rival gang and the increased pressure to prove her loyalty lead her to question the criminal, often violent path she’s accepted as inevitable. Charles (Like Vanessa) creates a vivid sense of time and place in her second novel, set in Newark, N.J., in the 1980s. Beatriz’s talent for dance leads to the chance to audition for her favorite television show, Fame. This opportunity, along with the consequences of her brother’s untimely death, challenge her to make difficult choices about her present in order to become who she’s meant to be, regardless of expectations from her fellow Diablos, her tight-knit family, and larger society. Her growing friendship and attraction to Nasser, a new classmate of Haitian descent, and her kinship with Fame’s Debbie Allen are meaningful additions, providing outside perspectives into what Beatriz considers an inescapable, normal lifestyle. A memorable portrayal of an ambitious young woman whose growing belief in her own skill and worth allow her to reach beyond her current circumstances. Ages 12–up. Agent: Laura Perkins, Andrea Brown Literary Agency.

Author and narrator Tami Charles tells the story of Beatriz Mendez, whose dreams of becoming a professional dancer are shattered the night her brother is murdered. But when the opportunity to dance on her favorite TV show arrives, Beatriz is torn between caring for her grieving mother and her brother's gang and taking a chance on her future. Charles crafts an approachable character with an authentic performance, fluidly delivering Spanish words and phrases throughout the story. While some characters are given slight accents, little distinguishes which speaker is talking. Nonetheless, during moments when Beatriz loses herself in dance, Charles's narration gains energy and rhythm, poetically commanding the listener's attention. A.K.R. � AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine