I would like to share a Middle School Chapter book with you. Shine On, Luz Véliz! by Rebecca Balcarcel (Author) which I received a copy of in exchange for this review.
What Charlie and I didn’t like was seeing the main character get hurt but that happens in real life just as it does in books. Once she can’t play Soccer it feels like no, one likes her including her dad. Then she finds coding and enters a contest but someone or something happens and no, I’m not going to tell you what happens you need to pick up a copy of Shine On, Luz Véliz! to find out what happens.
With Christmas around the corner this book would make a wonderful Gift for children who like Soccer or enjoy coding as well as families who read books together. Not only that Shine On, Luz Veliz! is the second novel by Pure Belpré Honor winner Rebecca Balcárcel! and you can bet your bottom dollar I can’t wait to pick up both books not only for Charlie but my nieces and nephews as well.
A beautiful coming-of-age story for fans of Front Desk and Merci Suárez Changes Gears, this book celebrates identity, language, heritage, family, and the determination to follow one’s own inner light.
Have you ever been the best at something . . . only to lose it all?
Luz Véliz is a soccer star―or rather, she was a soccer star. With her serious knee injury, it’s unlikely she’ll be back on the field anytime soon. But without soccer, who is she? Even her dad treats her differently now—like he doesn’t know her or, worse, like he doesn’t even like her. When Luz discovers she has a knack for coding, it feels like a lifeline to a better self. If she can just ace the May Showcase, she’ll not only skip a level in her coding courses and impress Ms. Freeman and intriguing, brilliant Trevor—she’ll have her parents cheering her on from the sidelines, just the way she likes it.
But something—someone—is about to enter the Vélizes’ life. And when Solana arrives, nothing will be the same, ever again.
Unforgettable characters, family drama, and dauntless determination illuminate Luz’s journey as she summons her inner strength and learns to accept others and embrace the enduring connection of family. Through it all, Luz’s light is a constant—a guide for others, a path forward through the dark, and an ineffable celebration of her own eternal self.
This is the second novel by Pure Belpré Honor winner Rebecca Balcárcel!
FAST-PACED FAMILY DRAMA: Fast-paced, deeply felt, and with all the high highs and low lows of adolescence, this story is downright fun—a page-turner even while it’s dealing with serious issues.
WHO AM I? This book grapples with a topic so many young people deal with daily: one’s relationship to heritage and culture. Luz confronts her ties to her home country, the place of her father’s birth, and her family itself in a thoughtful, emotional journey filled with humor, urgency, and grace.
CODING IS COOL!: Coding is a language many kids enjoy learning and are encouraged to master. The way this book frames coding and computer programming as an opportunity for communication, bonding, and building fun, practical skills will speak loudly to kids already interested in the field while also resonating with those who aren’t.
AN ALL-AMERICAN EXPERIENCE: This is an important book for its thought-provoking, empathetic look at immigration in the United States and at how the threat of deportation informs the experiences of some of our country’s most vulnerable communities. With lyrical prose, deeply felt characters, and a relatable story, Shine On, Luz V&eacaute;liz! adds substantively to our fraught discussion about immigration and opens it to young readers.
AUTHOR ON THE RISE: Rebecca Balcárcel won the Pura Belpré Author Honor, which recognizes literature for children or youth that best portrays the Latino cultural experience, for her first book, The Other Half of Happy. She is a beloved presence in the children’s literature community and is making her mark as a writer to watch.
Perfect for:
• Kids who love reading about family and friend drama
• Kids who love coding
• Parents
• Grandparents
• Educators
• Fans of Meg Medina, Rebecca Stead, and Kelly Yang
About the author: Rebecca Balcarcel
Rebecca loves her cat, popcorn, and chocolate! She is the author of SHINE ON, LUZ VÉLIZ! and THE OTHER HALF OF HAPPY, a Pura Belpre Honor book and ALSC Notable Book. She was born to a Guatemalan dad and an Anglo-American mom in Iowa. She’s lived in Texas since age ten, took an MFA in Creative Writing and Literature from Bennington Writing Seminars, and is now Associate Professor of English at Tarrant County College. Rebecca is also YouTube’s SixMinuteScholar. Look for the 2023 release of BOUNDLESS: Twenty Voices Celebrating Multicultural and Multiracial Identities, which Rebecca co-edited and to which she contributed. Visit her at rebeccabalcarcel.com!
Thank you, Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
