Shine On, Luz Véliz!

March 1, 2022
Grades 4-7 Sixth-grader Luz V�liz'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.

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April 15, 2022
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 V�liz'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(2022) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Starred review from July 1, 2022

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 V�liz 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

Copyright 2022 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 1, 2022
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

(Copyright 2022 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

January 1, 2022
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.

(Copyright 2022 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)