Shine on, Luz Véliz! / Rebecca Balcárcel.

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Title:

Shine on, Luz Véliz! / Rebecca Balcárcel.

Author:

Balcárcel, Rebecca, author.

ISBN:

9781797209678

Physical Description:

262 pages ; 22 cm

Abstract:

Eleven-year-old injured soccer player Luz has a hard enough time reframing her identity as a computer programmer, but when her Guatemalan half-sister moves in, she learns what it truly means to start over. Includes author's note.

Reading Level:

Ages 8-12. Chronicle Books.

Grades 4-6. Chronicle Books.

Subject Term:

Girls -- Juvenile fiction.

Belonging (Social psychology) -- Juvenile fiction.

Computer programming -- Juvenile fiction.

Sisters -- Juvenile fiction.

Families -- Texas -- Juvenile fiction.

Emigration and immigration -- Juvenile fiction.

Neighbors -- Juvenile fiction.

Guatemalan Americans -- Juvenile fiction.

Belonging -- Fiction.

Computer programming -- Fiction.

Sisters -- Fiction.

Family life -- Texas -- Fiction.

Emigration and immigration -- Fiction.

Neighbors -- Fiction.

Guatemalan Americans -- Fiction.

Appartenance (Psychologie sociale) -- Romans, nouvelles, etc. pour la jeunesse.

Programmation (Informatique) -- Romans, nouvelles, etc. pour la jeunesse.

Sœurs -- Romans, nouvelles, etc. pour la jeunesse.

Familles -- Texas -- Romans, nouvelles, etc. pour la jeunesse.

Émigration et immigration -- Romans, nouvelles, etc. pour la jeunesse.

Voisins -- Romans, nouvelles, etc. pour la jeunesse.

Américains d'origine guatémaltèque -- Romans, nouvelles, etc. pour la jeunesse.

Filles -- Romans, nouvelles, etc. pour la jeunesse.

JUVENILE FICTION -- General.

Girls

Belonging (Social psychology)

Computer programming

Emigration and immigration

Family -- Juvenile fiction.

Immigration and emigration -- Juvenile fiction.

Family life -- Fiction.

Immigration and emigration -- Fiction.

Geographic Term:

Genre:

Available:*

Library	Material Type	Item Barcode	Shelf Number	Status
Searching... Avon-Washington Township Public Library	Juvenile Fiction Book Hardback	120791003115283	J BAL	Searching... Unknown

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Summary

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

Reviews (4)

School Library Journal Review

Gr 3--6--A great novel about the struggles of friendship and family, and that what makes a person who they are is more than what other people think of them. Luz Véliz has been a star her entire life on the soccer field. She has excelled at the sport, and it earned her parents' praise and the admiration of her classmates. When an injury keeps her from playing soccer, maybe for the rest of her potential career, Luz needs to figure out who she is off the field. Her dad is distant, and a life-altering revelation rocks her Guatemalan family when a big secret is revealed. How much change can one sixth grader take? As Luz feels her world falling apart, she discovers robotics class, which helps her thrive in a way she's never known before. The class introduces Luz to the world of coding and computers. It might even be the solution to her problems, as well as neighbor Mr. Mac, an elderly engineer who has always been there with a helping hand and a mentoring spirit. Luz learns that she can be great on the field but has always had more to offer than only her athletic ability. This novel touches on many timely topics such as immigration and refugees, and how families can look different on the outside than they do on the inside. Readers will be able to connect with Luz's struggle of fitting in and making new friends. VERDICT A must-have for middle school collections; fans of Jessica Kim's Stand Up, Yumi Chung and Kelly Yang's Front Desk will love this coming-of-age novel.--Erica Coonelly

Horn Book Review

Eleven-year-old Luz Veliz was a rising soccer star until a broken leg sidelined her. Now she's not sure who she is, or how to relate to her Guatemalan American father, who had proudly coached her team. A chance encounter with her school's robotics class provides her with a new goal: to earn a coveted place in advanced robotics the following fall. With the help of a tech-loving retired neighbor, Mr. Mac, she's well on her way. Then her parents reveal some shocking news: she has a Guatemalan half-sister who is coming to live with the family. Mr. Mac says, "A self is not discovered, but created"; what kind of self will Luz create in this new reality? Balcarcel (Belpre honoree for The Other Half of Happy) deftly interlaces many themes, including identity (both cultural and personal), girls in STEM, immigration, and family trauma. The well-drawn characters are realistically flawed: Luz is full of adolescent angst and anger at her family's upheaval, while her half-sister, Solana, eventually reveals that her perfect manners and cheerful demeanor are an effort to be a model immigrant. Effective pacing keeps readers invested in Luz's family's trials and tribulations from beginning to end. K Rachael Stein May/June 2022 p.137(c) Copyright 2022. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Kirkus Review

A sixth grader turns to computer coding after a serious sports injury while adjusting to the unexpected arrival of her half sister. Before she got hurt, playing soccer was central to both Luz Véliz's identity and her relationship with her dad, who coached her team. Looking to excel again--at something that won't hurt her still delicate knee--and to improve her recently strained relationship with her dad by making him proud, Luz throws herself into coding. She has nine weeks to prepare a computer program for a school showcase that may earn her a spot in an advanced robotics class. Luckily, Luz's kindly neighbor, who used to work in the tech industry, agrees to tutor her. However, just as Luz begins to find her footing off the soccer field, she learns her father has a daughter in Guatemala. After losing her mother, 13-year-old Solana not only moves in, she shares Luz's room. Solana is outgoing and immediately popular at school, making Luz feel further displaced and jealous. But Luz's voice resonates: She is sympathetic even in her darkest moments and is appropriately called out and remorseful when she crosses the line. She comes to understand the challenges faced by Guatemalan immigrants, both in risk of deportation and violent threats to life back home. The plot is absorbing and skillfully paced, laced with insight and warmth as Luz learns to embrace both her new sister and her new sense of self. Inspiring, smart, and beautifully written. (inspiration board, recipes, author's note) (Fiction. 8-12) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Booklist Review

Sixth-grader Luz Véliz's identity has always been wrapped up in soccer, but then a knee injury leaves her sidelined and feeling lost. One day, however, Luz catches sight of a seriously cool-looking class (Robotics Two) where robots are scooping up Ping-Pong balls. To join, she must first take an intro to coding class (with fifth-graders) and drop soccer as her elective. She quickly decides to go all in, joining the intro class, getting extra lessons from a tech-savvy neighbor, and deciding to enter a coding project at the science fair, which could get her into Robotics Two early. Then Luz gets some news that shakes up her life even more than the soccer injury: her dad has a 13-year-old daughter in Guatemala who is coming to live with them. Full of family drama and efforts to find oneself, this tale brims with hope as Luz learns to open her heart, connect with her heritage, accept change, and ponder what the future might hold. A lovely and touching coming-of-age story.