A revelatory summer. A makeshift familia that’s imperfect but feels right. This coming-of-age tale chimes with discreet moments of humor and lots of heart, all centered around questions of heritage, identity, compassion, and acceptance and exemplified by the scrappy, vivid artwork, which wonderfully captures Almudena’s inner turmoil. Beautifully profound.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“Via Almudena’s unfettered perspective, Teer interrogates characters’ preconceived notions surrounding one another’s ethnicity and sexuality. Fluid illustrations by Julia, saturated in rich earth tones, expressively distinguish each character’s personality and breathe life into the vibrant metropolitan neighborhood. This energetic and emotionally grounded story hits the mark. A satisfyingly transformative tale.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Neat, descriptive illustrations are full of bright and vivid colors. [The] panels show the community uniting to support one another. The story brings to life the experiences and people of an urban Latinx neighborhood.” — Booklist
“[An] empathetic coming-of-age graphic novel. [Julia's] earth-tone illustrations warmly depict Xavier’s metropolitan neighborhood and are full of affectionate detail. Teer shows his characters’ shortcomings without framing anyone as an antagonist and omits most period-specific references in favor of concentrating on timeless emotions related to overcoming cultural imposter syndrome.” — Horn Book Magazine
“Superb. Easy-to-follow dialogue and beautiful, captivating illustrations. A great YA graphic novel for teens who are trying to figure out who they are or anyone who has ever felt like they were on the outside.” — School Library Journal
“Angsty. Awkward. With a scrappy heart of gold, Brownstone is a must-read for anyone who’s ever felt totally out of place. Almudena gives us all the fire & tenderness of a teen just wanting to be loved. Brownstone is the promise that we all belong somewhere, especially with those who love us.” — Gabby Rivera, bestselling author of Juliet Takes a Breath
“Brownstone's superb storytelling, charming characters, and dynamic illustrations work together to form a beautiful and heartfelt coming-of-age tale that lovingly captures both the difficulties and joys of growing up mixed-race.” — Rose Bousamra, Eisner Award–winning illustrator of Frizzy
“Brownstone will pry, patch, and repaint your heartstrings. This is a gorgeous story about a father and daughter crossing culture and language for each other. A vibrant comic about renovating a home, a family, and a heart.” — Sara Alfageeh, Harvey Award–winning cocreator of Squire
“Richly illustrated and full of heart, Brownstone engages in important topics such as gentrification, cultural heritage, and the importance of community. It challenges and empowers its readers to dream of possibility in our own communities. A must-have in every home, library, and classroom.” — Cathy G. Johnson, Ignatz Award–winning creator of The Breakaways
"The characters felt real and complex, and even though the things they want don't always align neatly, they find ways to fit together and learn from each other. Brownstone is a super sweet story about muddling along, making an effort, pushing through the awkwardness, and letting things be messy and uncomfortable until they're not anymore." — Molly Brooks, author of Sanity & Tallulah
★ 03/25/2024
Almost-15-year-old Almudena meets her father for the first time in this affecting 1995-set graphic novel exploration of identity and family. When Almudena’s white mother accepts a principal role in a dance tour, Almudena must stay with her father while he renovates a brownstone in his predominantly Latinx neighborhood. Upon learning that he’s Guatemalan—and not Mexican like she assumed—Almudena’s perception of her heritage comes unglued, revealing her own internal biases (“Aren’t Mexico and Guatemala basically the same place?”). While working on building repairs with her father, the pair face various challenges, such as overcoming language barriers—he speaks only Spanish and Almudena knows only English, a dynamic that’s sometimes rendered in speech bubbles reading “(Spanish, probably).” Almudena also experiences disappointment at her father’s romantic relationship with a neighbor, which shatters fantasies about her parents reuniting. Via Almudena’s resourceful and unfettered perspective, Teer (Veda) interrogates characters’ preconceived notions surrounding one another’s ethnicity and sexuality, clearing a path for greater openness and vulnerability throughout the community, which Almudena begins to see as an extension of her own family unit. Fluid illustrations by Julia (Who Was the Voice of the People?), saturated in rich earth tones, expressively distinguish each character’s personality and breathe life into the vibrant metropolitan neighborhood. This energetic and emotionally grounded story hits the mark, culminating in a satisfyingly transformative tale. Ages 14–up. Agent: Ben Grange, JABberwocky Literary. (June)
05/01/2024
Gr 9 Up—A superb coming-of-age graphic novel that delves deep into contemporary complex topics, such as family, friendship, race, ethnicity, identity, and more. With easy-to-follow dialogue and beautiful, captivating illustrations, Teer and Julia bring readers into Almudena's consciousness. Almudena, who is just about to turn 15, is spending the summer with her father while her mother is on a work trip. This may sound pretty run-of-the-mill, but Almudena has never met her father; they do not speak the same language; his family plans for the summer are to renovate the brownstone he inhabits. That starts off the summer on a sour note, but while they work on the renovations, Almudena starts to learn not only about her father, their heritage, and others living in the neighborhood, but she also gets to know more about her true self and where she fits in the world. Brownstone gives a sense of what family means and that it goes beyond just sharing the same blood. VERDICT A great YA graphic novel for teens who are trying to figure out who they are or anyone who has ever felt like they were on the outside. This would be a popular title for fans of Christine Suggs's ¡Ay, Mija!: My Bilingual Summer in Mexico, Deb JJ Lee's In Limbo, and Emily Bowen Cohen's Two Tribes.—Cat Miserendino
★ 2024-03-23
Fourteen-year-old Almudena reconnects with her estranged Guatemalan father during a revelatory summer.
When her white mom gets the opportunity to tour as the star of an international dance show, Almudena must spend the summer in the city with Xavier, the father she’s never met. Further exacerbating her woes, Almudena doesn’t speak Spanish, and Xavier speaks very little English. Xavier nonetheless expects her to help him renovate a dilapidated brownstone and turn it into housing for folks in the community who need an affordable rental. As father and daughter rehabilitate the house, floor by floor (cue Almudena: “Ugh. That all sounds like a metaphor, doesn’t it?”), she learns more about her father, including his beliefs, challenges, and life. Navigating the rapidly gentrifying neighborhood as an outsider, Almudena meets Latine people who inadvertently or purposefully question her Latine status. Almudena slowly discovers how she fits into her new community and pieces together a makeshift familia that’s imperfect but feels right. This coming-of-age tale chimes with discreet moments of humor and lots of heart, all centered around questions of heritage, identity, compassion, and acceptance and exemplified by the scrappy, vivid artwork, which wonderfully captures Almudena’s inner turmoil. Almudena’s blossoming relationship with her father ends on a cheerful note, and her moments of rapport with her summertime neighbors and their stories are frequent highlights that touch upon topics such as prejudice against brown folks and queerness in the Latine community.
Beautifully profound. (Graphic fiction. 12-16)