The Dream Weaver

April 1, 2020
Zoey, 12, and her older brother, Jos�, have gotten used to moving around constantly to follow their dad's ever changing career path since Mami died. Everything is shifting yet again as Jos� prepares to leave for college at the end of summer, Zoey gets her first period, and Dad announces that he's moving to New York without them to chase another allegedly lucrative business opportunity. Now Zoey craves the opportunity to discover what her own dreams are. Staying with her maternal grandfather and working at his bowling alley on the Jersey Shore for the summer while Dad gets settled in his new job allows Zoey to take a break from her role as the family peacemaker and have a little fun--like joining a struggling middle school bowling team, competing in the league championship, and forming friendships along the way. She still has work to do as she fights to save the failing bowling alley that feels like her only link to the family she misses. Zoey's insecurities feel authentic to her age, and more complex emotional conflicts and challenges are revealed throughout the course of the story. Zoey's mom and grandparents are Cuban American, and her dad is implied white. Zoey's new friends are diverse. A heartfelt debut novel rooted in the importance of family ties, the bonds of friendship, and bowling. (Fiction. 9-13 )

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May 1, 2020

Gr 3-5-Twelve-year-old Zoey is used to going along with her dad's ever-changing dreams, even if it means moving every few months. After all, he's the only parent that Zoey and her older brother Jos� have left. When Zoey's father announces that he's heading to a new job in New York City and leaving Zoey and Jos� to stay with their Cuban grandfather at the Jersey Shore, she's not sure how to feel. However, Zoey is soon distracted by trying to save her grandpa's bowling alley from bankruptcy, and a middle school bowling league that desperately needs another member. Zoey is a realistic and likeable protagonist doing her best for her family and new community in a stressful situation. Grief is a frequent topic, but it never dominates the story: Zoey and her family are still dealing with both her mom and abuelita's recent deaths, and their absence is often mentioned. While Zoey's family members are sometimes sel f-absorbed, their affection for each other and their care for Zoey is always clear. The outcomes for the bowling league and bowling alley are slightly predictable, but earned all the same. VERDICT Alegre has written a warm, funny, empowering book that's sure to appeal to fans of Meg Medina's Merci Suarez Changes Gears or Pablo Cartaya's The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora. Recommended for all collections.-Kelsey Socha, Springfield City Library, MA

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 1, 2020
Grades 4-6 Zoey's family is constantly moving because of her father's rotating pipe dreams. This summer, in pursuit of his latest venture in New York City, he drops her and her college-bound brother off at their grandfather's on the Jersey Shore. There Zoey is surrounded by memories of her mother, who died several years ago, and the 12-year-old begins working through her grief by spearheading a campaign to save her grandfather's bowling alley, all while making friends, standing up to her father, and finding her own confidence. Woven into this sweet middle-grade novel are themes of biculturalism?Zoey is Cuban and white, and Spanish is sprinkled throughout?and self-esteem. The trials of being the only girl in the family is presented honestly here, and especially poignant are Zoey's struggles with body positivity and her first period. There's never any doubt that her family issues will be resolved, but young readers will happily follow along as Zoey pursues her dreams. A charming debut about grief, the bonds of family and friendship, and bowling.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)