Each Tiny Spark

May 15, 2019
A nuanced novel about a neurodiverse preteen's political and social awakening by a Pura Belpré Honor-winning author. Sixth grader Emilia Rosa Torres sometimes has a hard time keeping up with schoolwork and concentrating on one thing at a time, but her software-developer mother and superinvolved abuelita help her keep on task. Days before her father's return to their Atlanta suburb from his most recent deployment, her mother goes on a business trip, leaving the middle schooler to juggle his mood swings, her friend troubles, and her looming assignments all on her own. When a social studies project opens her eyes to injustices past and present, Emilia begins to find her voice and use it to make an impact on her community. Writing with sensitivity and respectful complexity, Cartaya tackles weighty issues, such as immigration, PTSD, and microaggressions, through the lens of a budding tinkerer and activist who has ADHD. The members of this Cuban American family don't all practice the same religion, with Emilia's Catholic grandmother faithfully attending Mass multiple times a week and the protagonist's mother celebrating her culture's Yoruba roots with Santería. Conversations on race and gender crop up through the narrative as Emilia's grandmother likes to emphasize her family's European heritage--Emilia can pass as white, with her fair complexion, light eyes and auburn hair. All of these larger issues are effortlessly woven in with skill and humor, as is the Spanish her family easily mixes with English. A pitch-perfect middle-grade novel that insightfully explores timely topics with authenticity and warmth. (author's note) (Fiction. 9-12)

COPYRIGHT(2019) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

June 1, 2019

Gr 4-7-There's a lot going on in Emilia Torres's life. On the day her mom leaves town for a job interview, her dad gets home from a long deployment and something isn't quite right with him. Abuela is trying to run her life, Emilia has an unusual type of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and, worst of all, a class assignment splits students down the middle and creates a rift between kids who have been friends for years. As difficult as it is for her to focus, can Emilia figure out how to placate her grandmother and help her dad heal while standing up against injustice? Cartaya excels at showing realistic tween drama-no explosions, jumping off cliffs, or magic fairies here. However, there's a lot going on, and it may be as hard for younger readers to keep track of everything as it is for Emilia. Although Emilia's problems are not all neatly resolved by the last page, she grows stronger as she moves forward, which is an inspiring conclusion for readers facing their own complicated life situations. VERDICT Hand to tween fans of realistic fiction, especially those who have enjoyed Cartaya's earlier books.-Elizabeth Friend, Wester Middle School, TX

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from June 10, 2019
Tension ignites in this layered, culturally rich novel set in an Atlanta suburb when Cuban-American Emilia’s software developer mother leaves on a business trip just as her father returns from military deployment. Cartaya (Marcus Vega Doesn’t Speak Spanish) sensitively portrays how this upheaval amplifies the 12-year-old’s Inattentive Type ADHD—without her mother’s support, Emilia struggles to cope with assignments, friendships, and devoted but controlling Abuela. Amid this turmoil, Emilia and her father bond over welding, but the girl doesn’t comprehend his mood swings, which she gradually comes to understand as PTSD. Cartaya deftly sketches her family’s variable takes on Emilia’s heritage—her abuela touts their European roots and Emilia’s fair skin, while her mother highlights her Yoruba ancestry—and seamlessly weaves Spanish into the narrative. As a school project awakens Emilia’s awareness of her town, she takes an interest in timely immigration issues as well as economic and racial prejudices around proposed school redistricting, and she comes to recognize and confront a friend’s bigotry. The narrative appropriately tackles tough topics with grace through the lens of this memorable heroine. Ages 10–up. Agent: Jess Regel, Foundry Literary + Media.

August 1, 2019
Grades 5-8 If you've ever wondered how it is inside the mind of a person with inattentive type ADHD, this book offers a peek. Emilia Rosa struggles with her distractibility, but when something interests her, like tinkering with old cars or the controversies surrounding some district rezoning in her Georgia town, she latches on and digs deep. Her middle-school social studies project on local tourism brings out the activist in her, leading to a chain reaction that causes some minor hullaballoo in her school. Meanwhile, Emilia is trying to reconnect with her father, who's home from active duty; missing her mother, who's working away from home; and struggling to understand her abuela. This story covers themes like honoring your roots, seeking the truth, cultivating empathy, and being a good communicator. Besides a look at a distractible thinker's thought processes, this book also offers insight on the immigrant experience. For Emilia, all it takes is one, tiny spark to get the ball rolling, and plenty of kids will relate to her passion and perseverance.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)