Queerceañera

April 15, 2024
A coming of age in the wake of the coming-of-age party. Between his best friend, April; his older sister, Carmen; and his divorced dad, Mexican American Texan teen Joaquin has a strong support system. They all adore him and fully accept the fact that he's gay--but not having his "traditional Catholic" mom's support still gets to him. It's not even that she openly rejects him, either; it's...complicated. To help make up for that difficult relationship, though, Dad and Carmen come up with the idea of throwing Joaquin a queercea�era. Sure, he's 17 and a boy, but his extended family is into it, and they're all happy to celebrate him. Planning the event is stressful but also enjoyable--or it is until his mom starts expressing negative opinions, such as "It's a bit silly to be playing dress-up like this, no?" Enter Felix, her godson who just wants to help. But lying by saying he's going to be Joaquin's chambel�n, or escort, quickly escalates, and now the whole family thinks they're boyfriends. The fact that Felix was Joaquin's best friend and first kiss (who later ghosted him) only makes the situation more awkward. The cast of characters in this delightful and honest story is endearing, and their lively banter helps make for a page-turner. Between the hilarious family antics and the Spanish that's seamlessly woven throughout, this book doesn't miss. Impossible to put down. (Romance. 13-18)

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May 15, 2024
Grades 9-12 Queercea�era (noun): a coming-of-age party for a young queer person, irrespective of gender (according to the Zoida family). Joaquin's queercea�era is the result of his dad's and sister's support after his mother posts a homophobic caption on Instagram. Fake dating his mother's godson, Felix, was not in the plan--but as preparations for the party continue, Joaquin has to deal with the return of his childhood crush on the other boy. All of the side characters on Joaquin's path to his queercea�era burst with personality, making their relationships both realistic and genuine. Even his interactions with his homophobic mother are complex, each one carrying an immense amount of tension tinged with the hope that she will finally take a concrete step toward accepting her son. Although the story itself is seemingly straightforward, the amount of investment the characters inspire makes even the mundane scenes riveting. Crespo has created a narrative that celebrates a world where found family comes together with blood family to create a vibrant, enthusiastic community fully supportive of Joaquin's entire self.

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Starred review from December 30, 2024

Gr 8 Up-Joaquin Zoido plans to have a quiet summer. He wants to work on his art and bask in being out and proud as his 18th birthday approaches. He doesn't like making waves, especially when his barely-there mom seems to be pulling further away from him since he came out. He never does anything right by her, yet her godson Felix is perfect. What if she knew that Felix was his first kiss and first love? What if she knew Felix broke his heart when he moved away and ghosted him? Joaquin's dad and sister, his biggest supporters, decide to throw him a huge queercea�era. Joaquin resists, but when the entire extended family gets involved to celebrate him, he feels validated and embraces the chaos. Felix takes things a step further to protect Joaquin from his mother by lying that he is Joaquin's boyfriend and is escorting him to the party! Fake dating someone you love is hard, especially when Felix showers him with all the romance Joaquin has longed for. As the party approaches and the summer burns with unspoken feelings, can Joaquin get back his first love and make his mother see him in a new light? This heartfelt story builds like a telenovela as Joaquin's Mexican American family gathers to create the most beautiful queercea�era, while the drama of fake-dating and second-chance romance adds to the mayhem. Romance enthusiasts will enjoy the new twists to these tropes, while the flowing dialogue and poignant moments make the story hard to put down. VERDICT A must for every YA collection.-Maria Ramusevic

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