A Hero's Guide to Summer Vacation
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- Pre-Order
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- Expected May 6, 2025
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- $10.99
Publisher Description
Reality proves more epic than fantasy in this family road trip story starring a reluctant young hero and his curmudgeonly grandfather.
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 didn’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.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Though 12-year-old Cuban American painter Gonzalo Alberto Sánchez García has always been introverted and quiet, his father's death prompts him to retreat further inward. Intending to cheer him up, Gonzalo's mother sends him to Mendocino, Calif., to spend time with his curmudgeonly grandfather, famous author Alberto. She also hopes that Gonzalo's presence will boost Alberto's mood during the press tour for the final book in his beloved children's series, which Gonzalo has never read. As they tour from Mendocino to Miami, they uncover more about what motivates their art as well as their shared pain and grief. Gonzalo also learns he was named after the hero of Alberto's books, prompting him to dive into the series, which helps him better understand his grandfather and his family's history. While Gonzalo's personable first-person POV relays most of the duo's adventure, Cartaya (Curveball) cleverly inserts chapters addressed to the audience in which a confident omniscient narrator explains literary techniques readers can use to analyze the unfolding action. It's a touching intergenerational road trip epic that juxtaposes heavy themes surrounding loss with playful yet sophisticated interpretations of artistic integrity. Ages 8–12.
