Summary: Marcus Vega Doesn’t Speak Spanish
At 6-feet-tall and 180-pounds, eighth-grader Marcus Vega is hard to miss. Despite using his size to protect smaller kids who are often bullied at school, some students still don’t like him. After one of those students calls Marcus’s brother the R-word because of his Down Syndrome diagnosis, Marcus gets in a fight with him, leading to a suspension. His single mother, worn down from the stress of raising both boys decides to take a spontaneous trip to Puerto Rico where their father is from. Desperate to learn more about himself by getting to know his father, Marcus insists on meeting his flighty father–with life-changing results.
The Good
I listened to this on audio, and the production is fantastic. It’s narrated by the author and this is one of those rare instances where the author is actually a phenomenal voice actor and brings his characters to life better than anyone else possibly could have. My heart truly went out to Marcus and the way he is judged by the people in his life because of his size, much like Max in Conklin’s A Perfect Mistake.
A huge part of this story is Marcus’s relationship with his brother Charlie, who has Down Syndrome and a big personality. Charlie is spunky, funny, and confident. Understandably, Marcus feels protective of his brother and wants to defend him from the harsh world around them. But I loved how clearly Charlie’s voice comes through and the way it becomes obvious that Charlie can handle himself.
Finally, the whole story revolves around their experience in Puerto Rico, meeting family, traveling round parts of the country, and learning about the culture and the unfair way Puerto Ricans have been sidelined by the US, despite supposedly being US territory and some Puerto Ricans even serving in the US military. I loved the way Marcus gradually learns about his dad and who he really is, ultimately understanding what matters most in his life.
Content Notes
Here are some specifics to know about the content.
Content Warnings
- Death: None mentioned
- Alcohol/substance abuse: None
- Violence: One scene in which Marcus fights with a schoolmate
- Sexual content: None
Diversity
- Ethnic: Most of the main characters are Latine.
- Sexual orientation: Most main characters are cued straight.
Recommended for ages: 10+
Good for Kids Who Like:
- Books starring Latin-American protagonists
- Body image middle grade books
- Angsty middle grade books
- Bullying stories
- Travel middle grade books
- Books about kid-dad relataionships
Publisher Details
Publisher details | Puffin Books |
Author: | Pablo Cartaya |
Illustrator: | N/A |
Publication date: | July 9, 2019 |
Audiobook? | Yes, Libro.fm |
Page count: | 288 |
Cover artists | Designer: |
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