A Hero's Guide to Summer Vacation - Manual de un héroe para las vacaciones de verano

Written by Pablo Cartaya

*Publisher: Kokila

*Print length: 288 pages

*ISBN-10: 0451479750

*ISBN-13: 978-0451479754

*Reading age: 8 - 12 years

*Grade level: 3 - 7

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Reality proves more epic than fantasy in this family road trip story starring a reluctant young hero and his curmudgeonly grandfather.

A Pura Belpré Children’s Author Honor Book

Gonzalo Alberto Sánchez García has never considered himself the hero of his own story. He’s an observer, quietly snapshotting landscapes and drawing the creatures he imagines emerging from them. Forced to spend the summer with his estranged grandfather, Alberto William García—the very famous reclusive author—Gonzalo doesn't expect to learn that heroes and monsters are not only the stuff of fantasy.

But that’s precisely what happens when Gonzalo’s CEO mother, Veronica, sends Alberto on tour to promote the final book in his fantasy series for children and Gonzalo must tag along, even though he feels no connection to his grandfather or the books. Together, they embark on a cross-country road trip from Mendocino to Miami in a classic 1968 Oldsmobile Cutlass S convertible named Mathilde. Over the course of ten epic days on the highway, they will slay demons, real and imagined; confront old stories to write new ones; and learn what it truly means to show up for your family.

Manual de un héroe para las vacaciones de verano

Tres generaciones, tres mil millas, un verano inolvidable.

Gonzalo Alberto Sánchez García nunca se ha considerado el héroe de su propia historia. Es un observador silencioso, que captura paisajes y dibuja a los animalitos que imagina en ellos. Obligado a pasar el verano con su abuelo a quien no ve muy seguido, Alberto William García —el famoso autor ermitaño— Gonzalo no espera descubrir que los héroes y los monstruos existan más allá de la fantasía.

Pero eso es precisamente lo que ocurre cuando la madre de Gonzalo, Verónica, una exitosa ejecutiva, envía a Alberto de gira para promocionar el nuevo libro de su serie de fantasía infantil, y Gonzalo debe acompañarlo, a pesar de no sentir conexión alguna con su abuelo o con sus libros. Juntos, emprenden un viaje por carretera de costa a costa, desde Mendocino hasta Miami, en un clásico Oldsmobile Cutlass S Convertible de 1968 al que llaman Mathilde. A lo largo de diez días épicos en la carretera, enfrentarán demonios, reales e imaginados; revisitarán viejas historias que servirán para escribir nuevas; y aprenderán lo que realmente significa estar presente para la familia.

Review

“A touching intergenerational road trip epic that juxtaposes heavy themes surrounding loss with playful yet sophisticated interpretations of artistic integrity.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review

“Cartaya weaves humor, heartbreak, and a host of literary tropes and techniques into this complex tale of three grieving road trippers.”—Booklist, starred review

“Wondrous.” —Shelf Awareness, starred review 

“Cleverly structured and sweetly engaging.”—Kirkus Reviews

“In this exploration of grief, generational impact, and healing, readers will find a book they can’t put down.” —School Library Journal

“This intergenerational book spins each character's grief together and then, gives them a hero.” —Edith Campbell for School Library Journal’s Pearl’s & Ruby’s blog

“Con humor, corazón y mucho viaje interior, esta novela es ideal para tweens que buscan una lectura cálida y emocionante, perfecta para el verano.” —People En Español

Pablo Cartaya is a sought-after speaker, actor, educator, and the award-winning author of The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora, Marcus Vega Doesn't Speak Spanish, Each Tiny Spark, The Last Beekeeper, and Curveball. Learn more about Pablo at PabloCartaya.com and follow him online @PHCartaya.

Las novelas de Pablo Cartaya exploran la identidad, el lugar y los espacios intermedios. Su primera novela sobre un niño que defiende a su comunidad, El épico fracaso de Arturo Zamora, recibió críticas con tres estrellas y es un Libro de Honor del Pura Belpré 2018. Cuando Pablo no escribe, pasa tiempo con su familia o sueña con su próximo viaje a Puerto Rico. Conoce más sobre Pablo en pablocartaya.com y sígalo en Twitter @phcartaya.

Each Tiny Spark

By Pablo Cartaya

•             Age Range: 10 - 12 years
•             Grade Level: 5 - 6
•             Hardcover: 336 pages
•             Publisher: Kokila (August 6, 2019)
•             Language: English
•             ISBN-10: 0451479726
•             ISBN-13: 978-0451479723

From award-winning author Pablo Cartaya comes a deeply moving middle grade novel about a daughter and father finding their way back to each other in the face of their changing family and community.

Emilia Torres has a wandering mind. It's hard for her to follow along at school, and sometimes she forgets to do what her mom or abuela asks. But she remembers what matters: a time when her family was whole and home made sense. When Dad returns from deployment, Emilia expects that her life will get back to normal. Instead, it unravels.

Dad shuts himself in the back stall of their family's auto shop to work on an old car. Emilia peeks in on him daily, mesmerized by his welder. One day, Dad calls Emilia over. Then, he teaches her how to weld. And over time, flickers of her old dad reappear.

But as Emilia finds a way to repair the relationship with her father at home, her community ruptures with some of her classmates, like her best friend, Gus, at the center of the conflict.

Each Tiny Spark by Pablo Cartaya is a tender story about asking big questions and being brave enough to reckon with the answers.

Review

*"A pitch-perfect middle-grade novel that insightfully explores timely topics with authenticity and warmth." 

—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

*"[A] layered, culturally rich novel." 

—Publishers Weekly, starred review

"Hand to tween fans of realistic fiction."

—School Library Journal


"Plenty of kids will relate to [Emilia's] passion and perseverance."

—Booklist

Pura Belpré Award Ganadores 2018

From: http://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/belpremedal

The award is named after Pura Belpré, the first Latina librarian at the New York Public Library. The Pura Belpré Award, established in 1996, is presented annually to a Latino/Latina writer and illustrator whose work best portrays, affirms, and celebrates the Latino cultural experience in an outstanding work of literature for children and youth. It is co-sponsored by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), and REFORMA, the National Association to Promote Library and Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish-Speaking, an ALA affiliate. 

2018 Author Award Winner  

Lucky Broken Girl, by Ruth Behar. Published by Nancy Paulsen Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC

In Lucky Broken Girl, fifth-grader Ruthie Mizrahi, newly arrived to the United States from Cuba in the 1960’s, is confined to a full-body cast after a life-changing accident. Surrounded by her Cuban-Jewish family and a diverse group of neighbors, Ruthie finds strength and courage to heal and grow. The book was published byNancy Paulsen Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC.

“Ruth Behar draws from her childhood experience to tell a story that celebrates Latinx experience while affirming the resilience of children facing both universal and specific challenges,”said Pura Belpré Award Committee Chair Alicia K. Long.

2018 llustrator Award Winner

La Princesa and the Pea, illustrated by Juana Martinez-Neal, written by Susan Middleton Elya, and published by G. P. Putnam’s Sons, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC

La Princesa and the Pea is a tale set amid guinea pigs, stone arches, and fuzzy indigenous Peruvian textiles. Juana Martinez-Neal’s mischievous characters play out the classic princess-and-the-pea tale—with a twist. Cultural elements inspired by the Peruvian village of Huilloc and the Colca Canyon add vibrancy and playfulness in Martinez-Neal’s acrylic and colored pencil illustrations.

“Martinez-Neal’s masterful character and setting design, along with her incorporation of Peruvian cultural elements, make this book exquisite and unmatched,” said Pura Belpré Award Committee Chair Alicia K. Long.

2018 Author Honor Books

The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora, by Pablo Cartaya. Published by Viking, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC 

In The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora, Arturo spends the summer working at his beloved Abuela’s Cuban restaurant in a Miami neighborhood. When Arturo learns of a greedy land developer’s plans to tear down the building, he enlists the help of his friends to save the restaurant. This humorous coming-of-age tale celebrates family, music and poetry, and embraces failure as a springboard to growth. 

The First Rule of Punk, by Celia C. Pérez. Published by Viking, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC 

12-year-old Malú O’Neill-Morales is biracial, Latinx, and punk. Tasked with being a “señorita,”she instead follows the first rule of punk: “Be Yourself.” Malú creates zines about her inner thoughts while navigating a new school where she’s not seen as Latinx enough, starting a punk band along the way. 

2018 Illustrator Honor Books

All Around Us, illustrated by Adriana M. Garcia, written by Xelena González, and published by Cinco Puntos Press 

The cycle of life is explored through the eyes of a grandfather and his granddaughter, in the Mestizo tradition. Vivid digital images use colorful contours and vibrant color to depict visible and invisible circles in everyday life.  

Frida Kahlo and Her Animalitos, illustrated by John Parra, written by Monica Brown, and published by NorthSouth Books, Inc., an imprint of NordSüd Verlag AG 

The connections between Frida Kahlo and her xoloitzcuintles, monkeys, turkeys, and other pets are palpable in John Parra’s warm, expressive acrylic illustrations. Details of Mexican folk art ground the story as facial and body expressions from Frida and animalitos reinforce their relationship, showing how Frida was comforted and inspired by her pets and how her personality was shaped by and reflected in them.  

The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora

By Pablo Cartaya        

• Print Length: 256 pages
• Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers (May 16, 2017)
• Publication Date: May 16, 2017
• Sold by: Penguin Group (USA) LLC
• Language: English

Save the restaurant. Save the town. Get the girl. Make Abuela proud. Can thirteen-year-old Arturo Zamora do it all or is he in for a BIG, EPIC FAIL? 

For Arturo, summetime in Miami means playing basketball until dark, sipping mango smoothies, and keeping cool under banyan trees. And maybe a few shifts as junior lunchtime dishwasher at Abuela’s restaurant. Maybe. But this summer also includes Carmen, a cute poetry enthusiast who moves into Arturo’s apartment complex and turns his stomach into a deep fryer. He almost doesn’t notice the smarmy land developer who rolls into town and threatens to change it. Arturo refuses to let his family and community go down without a fight, and as he schemes with Carmen, Arturo discovers the power of poetry and protest through untold family stories and the work of José Martí.

Funny and poignant, The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora is the vibrant story of a family, a striking portrait of a town, and one boy's quest to save both, perfect for fans of Rita Williams-Garcia.

* Starred Review

In this inspiring middle-grade debut, Cartaya presents a delightful portrayal of boyhood, skillfully navigating Arturo through the awkwardness, funniness, and messiness that often accompany young love. And in the author’s depiction of the Zamoras—a mostly Cuban-American family full of distinct, lovable characters—the book also testifies to the importance of community. Irresistibly exquisite. - Kirkus Reviews

Advance Praise for The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora:

"Pablo Cartaya's sensational debut is a love letter to boyhood, poetry, and family. Quite simply, this is the book I've been waiting for."

—Matt de la Peña, New York Times bestselling and Newbery Medal–winning author of The Last Stop on Market Street

"This story of hope will make you laugh, cry, sigh, and cheer for brave Arturo and his whole cool familia. Along the way, you'll end up hungry for Cuban food, ravenous for poetry, and determined to stand up to bullies who try to destroy communities. ¡Bravo!"

—Margarita Engle, Newbery Honor–winning author of The Surrender Tree

“In this story of family and community and the first blush of love, Pablo Cartaya weaves together a tenderness of poetry, food, and home.  Our young hero Arturo reminds us of what counts in this life, and his story is a heart-song.”

—Kathi Appelt, Newbery Honor winner, National Book Award finalist, and New York Times bestselling author

“Arturo Zamora proves that words have the power to win some of the biggest fights. The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora is an epic success!” 

—Christina Diaz Gonzalez, award-winning author of The Red Umbrella

Pablo Cartaya has always been a hopeless romantic. In middle school he secretly loved reading Shakespeare’s sonnets (don’t tell anyone), and he once spent his allowance on roses for a girl he liked. He also wrote her eight poems. Bad ones. He’s been writing ever since. Pablo has worked in Cuban restaurants and the entertainment industry, and he graduated with an MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts. All of these experiences have helped him write stories that reflect his family, culture, and love of words. Pablo lives in Miami with his wife and two kids, surrounded by tías, tíos, cousins, and people who he calls cousins (but aren’t really his cousins). Learn more about Pablo at pablocartaya.com.