Matteo
-
-
5.0 • 1 Rating
-
-
- $7.99
Publisher Description
A 2024 LAMBDA AWARD FINALIST
"This enchanting, modern homage to Pinocchio reminds us anything is possible if we're true to ourselves." —Cynthia Leitich Smith, award-winning author of Ancestor Approved and Sisters of the Neversea
Eleven-year-old Matteo has never felt like one of the other boys. He’s sure that will change when he joins the Blue Whales, the baseball team his dad once played for. This is his chance to grow into a son his father can be proud of.
And grow Matteo does, but not the way he expected. Instead, he starts sprouting leaves and finding bark all over his skin. Alarmed, Matteo starts digging for the truth about what’s happening to him—and finds that all clues lead back to the oak tree at the center of town, which Creeksiders have always believed is a little bit magic. As his parents start noticing something is wrong, the truth gets harder to hide—and Matteo makes some surprising discoveries about himself, his hometown, and his entire family tree.
From Michael Leali, author of The Civil War of Amos Abernathy, this earnest deconstruction of what it means to be a “real boy” is full of humor and heart, and a surefire home run for readers of Mark Oshiro, Anne Ursu, and Katherine Applegate.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Leali (The Civil War of Amos Abernathy) tackles the booms and busts of small-town life alongside themes of acceptance in this feel-good, Pinocchio-inspired tale. When 11-year-old white-cued adoptee Matteo Lorenzini's Black best friend—and secret crush—Omar Jones made the Creekside Blue Whales baseball team last year, it caused a rupture in their friendship. But this year, Matteo is on the team as well, and Omar now defends Matteo from their teammates' bullying. Baseball and school life soon become the least of Matteo's worries, however, when he starts sprouting leaves and bark every time he lies in an attempt to avoid embarrassment. He confides in his Latinx-cued best friend Azura Gonzalez, who speculates that Matteo's foliage woes could be connected to Creekside's beloved and ailing giant oak tree. While Matteo and Azura try to figure out the connection between his powers and the tree, he uses his abilities to scare bullies, reconnect with Omar, and uncover more about his birth family's past. Though the story's many plot threads get a bit woolly, Leali sensitively renders Matteo's worries about his changing body and budding sexuality via a sweet fairy tale–like atmosphere, charming characters, and fantastical premise. Ages 8–12.
