The Land of 10,000 Madonnas

February 1, 2016
Cal, Trevor, Ben, Matt, and Lillian were the cousins, best friend, and girlfriend of the late Jesse Serrano, a boy born with a hole in his heart whose body finally succumbed to the inevitable. Heartbroken and lost, the five recent high school graduates head on a mission to Europe, plotted by Jesse, to find the mother who abandoned him as a baby. Resentment, confusion, and despair about losing Jesse threaten to upend the trip, as the teens squabble about their lost friend, his wishes, and their presence (or lack thereof) during the last months of his life. Hattemer’s vivid third-person narrative and occasional excerpts from Jesse’s journal create a layered story of big questions and intense relationships, new and old. Even as cousin Cal and ex-girlfriend Lillian bicker, the travel adventures are peppered with humor and quirky characters. Hattemer (The Vigilante Poets of Selwyn Academy) never resorts to melodrama or sensationalizes anyone’s grief, making for a moving read for readers of all ages. Ages 12–up. Agent: Uwe Stender, Triada U.S. Literary Agency.

January 15, 2016
Before dying from a congenital heart condition, Jesse liquidated his college fund to send his best friend, three cousins, and girlfriend to Europe; it's up to them to figure out why. They agree they're meant to search for Jesse's mother, who early abandoned him and his art-historian father, who's decorated their apartment with reproductions of madonnas (the mother of Christ standing in for Jesse's missing human parent). Jesse's cousins--Cal and her older brother, Trevor, and their fussy cousin, Ben--spent childhood holidays with Jesse. Easygoing Trevor is happy to escape his debt-accumulating, social networking venture. Cal's conflicted; Jesse entrusted her with his notebook, though she hadn't seen him for years. Jesse sent Ben maps for the trip, put his friend Matt in charge of finances, and extracted a promise from his beautiful girlfriend, Lillian, that she's not sure she can fulfill. Smart, attractive, and affluent (Lillian's black, the rest are white), the five debate, quarrel, and ponder as they follow clues from Germany to Italy. Narrative potholes--six shifting points of view (Jesse's comes via his notebook) and flashback-heavy reflection--slow the pace. Character motivations are unpersuasive. Jesse is too distant and not different enough from the other special, Salinger-esque wunderkinder to play the central role he's assigned. The narrative architecture collapses under its weak high concept, but sharp observation, sly humor, and moments of brilliance mitigate defects; if readers are left with crumbs, at least they're delicious. (Fiction. 12 & up)

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March 1, 2016

Gr 9 Up-Born with a hole in his heart, Jesse Serrano dies at 17, and though his loved ones have always known he would die young, his family and friends are left bereft and confused at how to sort through the grieving process. But Jesse had a plan for his final goodbye: plane tickets and a map to Europe mailed to his cousins, best friend, and girlfriend without much of an explanation as to the trip's purpose. For his cousins, Cal, Ben, and Trevor, there is the guilt of having been caught up more in the last years of high school than in their cousin's life, and for his best friend, Matt, and girlfriend Lillian, the trip comes as a shove back into the world after a year of grief. It takes a while for the group to become comfortable with one another, particularly Cal and Lillian. Cal is carrying a notebook titled "Juvenalia" left to her by Jesse, which she refuses to share; Lillian is angry and prideful about sharing the memory of Jesse; and it takes numerous explosive fights for them to break through their protective walls and relate. The group figure out their mission and somewhat resentfully and hopefully trudge their way through Europe on their quest. VERDICT John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Rainbow Rowell fans will be deeply moved by Hattemer's novel of a pilgrimage.-Joanna Sondheim, Columbia Grammar & Preparatory School, New York City

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 1, 2016
Grades 9-12 Hattemer follows The Vigilante Poets of Selwyn Academy (2014) with an unconventional story of grief and camaraderie. Jesse Serrano was born with a hole in his heart, so when he dies before he can finish high school, it's difficult but not a shock for those who loved him. Five of his closest friends and cousins are unexpectedly drawn together by Jesse's final wish: to find his mother, who left when he was a baby. Armed with his notebook, a few pictures, and some maps, they board a plane to Frankfurt, Germany, and begin the search. Fluid use of flashbacks, excerpts from Jesse's juvenilia, and character perspectives bring the lovable Jesse to life and impart the teens' very different personalities. The story has a John Green flavor, as its humor, intelligence, and quirkiness are underscored by the characters' unshakable grief. A stronger sense of placeand enthusiasm for the tripmight have made the narrative more compelling. Still, the journey proves worthwhile, and readers will find themselves in good company along the way.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)