A Hero's Guide to Summer Vacation

by Pablo Cartaya

A New York Times bestseller!

Reality proves more epic than fantasy in this family road trip story starring a reluctant young hero and his curmudgeonly grandfather.

Gonzalo Alberto Sánchez García has never considered himself the hero of his own story. He’s an observer, quietly snapshotting landscapes and drawing the creatures he imagines emerging from them. Forced to spend the summer with his estranged grandfather, Alberto William García—the very famous reclusive author—Gonzalo doesn't expect to learn that heroes and monsters are not only the stuff of fantasy.

But that’s precisely what happens when Gonzalo’s CEO mother, Veronica, sends Alberto on tour to promote the final book in his fantasy series for children and Gonzalo must tag along, even though he feels no connection to his grandfather or the books. Together, they embark on a cross-country road trip from Mendocino to Miami in a classic 1968 Oldsmobile Cutlass S convertible named Mathilde. Over the course of ten epic days on the highway, they will slay demons, real and imagined; confront old stories to write new ones; and learn what it truly means to show up for your family.

Genres: Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction, Family, Fiction, Audiobook, Grief, Fantasy

284 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 6, 2025

About the author

Pablo Cartaya is a professional code switcher and lover of all things Latinx. He talks a lot and writes a lot which are paradoxical conundrums to overcome on a daily basis. He is the author of the acclaimed middle-grade novel, The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora (Viking Children’s Books/Penguin Random House) which earned him a Publisher's Weekly "Flying Start" and starred reviews from Kirkus, Booklist, and Publisher's Weekly. For his performance recording the audiobook of his novel, Pablo received an Earphone Award from Audiofile Magazine and a Publisher's Weekly Audiobooks starred review. His novel Marcus Vega Doesn’t Speak Spanish, also with Viking, is set for publication in summer 2018, with two forthcoming titles to follow in 2019 and 2020. Follow him on Twitter @phcartaya

Reviews

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Equal parts funny and heartfelt, this middle grade intergenerational family road trip story sees a young Cuban American boy forced to travel with his best selling children's author grandfather as he promotes his latest book. Both are working through their grief as is the boy's mother who has orchestrated the trip. I enjoyed the parts where the invisible narrator breaks into the story speaking in the voice of the book's author. This was great on audio and perfect for fans of the audiobook version of Mexikid by Pedro Martin.

[✧ Beanie Reads ✧ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read: May 6th - May 8th
Format: E-Book
Rating: 4 stars

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I did not expect how much this book absorbed me. It has a lot of love for stories and what they can mean to people and the creators themselves, and then also extends that to a lot of love for creative projects in general. And then you had such an intricate tale of handling grief without it being telly or anything, and how your grief and art interact. All the while, you see a young boy bond with his grandfather as well as mending relationships between father and daughter, then mother and son.

It's just all sooo good and complex while also being very accessible for the audience it's aimed at.

There were some stylistic choices near the end that didn't hit me as hard as it was meant to, some too-convenient things, and I am admittedly a wee bit older than the target audience (more than double it 🤣), so it wasn't quite a 5-star for me, but it's definitely a book I highly recommend!

[Emily McKee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Similar to Walk Two Moons and Coyote Sunrise—deceased parent, eccentric family member, cross-country road trip voyage and return. Everyone experienced the growth that was expected, and it wrapped up a bit too tidy.

My interest in the characters faded as the story went on; in the first 10-20%, I actually thought I would want to buy a copy after finishing the library audiobook. I did enjoy the grandfather’s history in Cuba, so this might be of interest to readers who want to learn more after reading Refugee, Cuba in my Pocket, or The Bluest Sky.

[Dana Hilgert · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great family audiobook. As a teacher, I loved the literary breaks and explanations from the narrator alongside the creativity, but as a mom, I loved how the author merged life lessons with family life, healing, and adventure. My 9-year-old loves that it was a story within a story within a story. Big praise and analysis!

[Carli · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. I love this author, and his newest is another perfect length, digestible story full of heart and life lessons. Gonzalo, a tween whose CEO mother sends him on a book tour with his famous yet reclusive author grandfather. Gonzalo doesn’t understand why his grandfather is the way he is, and most importantly, why he hasn’t made the time to come to Gonzalo’s school to talk about his uber famous books when Gonzalo is the name of the main character. The duo end up on an unlikely road trip together, where they learn about each other and forge some life lessons along the way. Wonderful and highly recommended for grades 6-8.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Middle-schooler Gonzalo embarks on a road trip with his grandfather who he knows little about other than occasional birthday cards and the fact that his grandfather is the world-famous author of a wildly popular series of fantasy books. Gonzalo is still grieving the recent death of his father and on the road trip comes to learn that his grandfather has suffered much loss – and much trauma – in his life starting with his escape from Cuba to the United States. The author employs the literary trick of having the narrator step out of the story to preview the story for readers and pointing out the various parts of this hero’s journey.

[Nadine · Rating 4 out of 5]

A story of family and discovering one's history and heritage.
There is a fantasy element in the books written by the grandfather which our protagonist reads during their epic road trip.
Some fun narrative elements including the narrator butting in to explain literary devices and being booted out.

[Vicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this story about Alberto the grandfather, Vero the daughter/mom and Gonzalo the son/grandson. I never really knew my grandpa’s and appreciate getting to know Gonzalo’s. I loved Mathhilde, the road trip and each of the family members learning to deal with loss and grief.

[Halee R.R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anytime I can get my hands on a book about someone who is Cuban or the setting is in Cuba, it feels nostalgic especially when the audiobook narrator does Abuelo’s Spanish accent just like my Grandpa’s. I loved the growth of this family dynamic from beginning to end.

[Marcie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another lost review

[Jen Bojkov · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice story of multigenerations learning to talk, share emotions, and help each other through hard times. I listened to an audio version. It was a nice listen.

[Melanie Dulaney · Rating 4 out of 5]

In line after titles including The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora, Marcus Vega Doesn’t Speak Spanish and Curveball, Pablo Cartaya’s “Hero’s Guide” is a story of discovery. Discovery of family, your “why” and how to write your own story instead of attempting to live up to the real & supposed expectations of everyone else. Out of the blue, Gonzalo’s grandfather finally wants to do a book tour for the eighth and final book of his immensely popular Chronicles of Gonzalo Sanz middle grade book series and even more surprisingly, wants Gonzalo to spend the summer on tour with him. The two barely know one another but in crossing the country from California to Miami they will be forced to find some common ground or it’s going to be a pretty miserable journey. And there are parts that seem close to misery, but others that draw the two closer, reveal long buried memories and stories and even bring Gonzalo’s mother into the mix, providing much needed healing among all three.

Cartaya recounts the adventures of Gonzalo and his abuelo using the perspectives of a snarky and all-seeing narrator, Gonzalo, and grandfather Alberto. Inserted periodically are quoted and summarized sections from the book series which is a result of some of Alberto’s intense life experiences in Cuba and while first adapting to life in America. Gonzalo, too, has experienced one of life’s toughest lessons, death of a parent, and uses his digital illustrations to reveal his battle with grief. But the death of Gonzalo’s father is only one topic explored by the duo, and then trio when Gonzalo’s mom joins them, and readers will surely see themselves and others in their circle of influence in Gonzalo’s difficulty making friends, his desire to measure up to what his father hoped for him, the way his mother buries herself in work instead of working on her relationships with her father and her son, or maybe even how he begins to see his connections to his Cuban heritage.

Excellent stand alone realistic novel for those in grades 5 and up. Text is free of profanity, violence, and sexual content although Gonzalo does develop a bit of a crush on a certain red-headed girl met on their trip and maybe Alberto finds a certain someone, as well! Representation: Spanish words and phrases are used throughout the text but in a context rich setting meaning non-Spanish speakers should be able to determine the gist of their meanings; the oppression of Cuban government and the immigration experience is a large part of Alberto’s story; tour spots include a school for neurodivergent learners; the food of various geographical regions is explored in a way that may leave readers hungry!

Thanks for the print arc and finished copy, Kokila Press/Penguin Random House and 2025 Texas Library Association annual conference.

[Aliceson · Rating 3 out of 5]

There’s too much going on in this story. The narrator, the grandfather, the main character and the grandfathers story. Too many voices talking at once. I think it’s too complex for a children’s book, it’s hard to follow.

[Erica · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story reminded me of Mare's War, Walk Two Moons, and also The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise - it's not exactly the same as any of them, but has some elements of each; a cross-country journey by a young person who is in the process of working through grief, traveling with a grandparent.

Sadly, it is not a "guide" and there doesn't seem to be a "hero" - despite the omniscient narrator telling us that the main character is going through the "hero's journey" steps. There is a "call" but it isn't to an "adventure," it's to the most boring sort of journey; as a passenger, driving on an ordinary highway for days on end. The narrator is intentionally cryptic, at an attempt at humor, which might appeal to kids in 5-6th grades more than it appealed to me. However, somewhere past the half-way point, when the narrator acknowledges that it's rude and arrogant to insert themselves into Gonzalo's story, it becomes clear that the author knows it's annoying and indulgent.

The trials are small-scale; for example; hearing information that cuts him to the bone because he's imagining it's coming from cruel disregard, and only realizing an hour later that it was a misperception. (...that's when he realizes that his abuelo visits the special-needs school every year, but has never visited Gonzalo's school.)

The allies Gonzalo meets (...in addition to his mom, who is constant) are similarly presented to him in bite-sized pieces, and address his discomfort of the moment more than they address his underlying fears or help him face major challenges...because there aren't any major challenges that come up in this story. He does not seek out allies, and has no expectation that he needs anyone to help him face the situations he is presented with. (...which, again, are mainly sitting in a car, but also experiencing the psychological demons that plague his visions since the death of his father.) In fact, the allies he meets are more likely to manage his mom and abuelo; the exceptions being two allies for his own psychological journey: his abuelo, who he realizes has a parallel experience of grief, loss, and creativity, and a random girl who takes an immediate liking to him.)

The enemies we would normally expect in a hero's journey are all internal psychological ones.

There is a synopsis of Cuba and Cuban history which is not as one-sided as we see in most books for children, but (again, and of course) it is focused on the story of the people who left, and puts all blame for the nation's troubles on the Cuban dictator without mentioning the specific effects of sanctions and isolation by the US nor the partnerships with other global nations.

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 4 out of 5]

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Gonzalo has just finished 7th grade in California, and is not thrilled to be spending the summer with his grandfather, famous fantasy series author Alberto Garcia. The last book in the Chronicles of Gonzalo Sanz series is being published, and Gonzalo's mother, Vero, runs the media empire for the books and is busy arranging events. His grandfather doesn't like to talk about the books, or anything else, really, so staying at his beach house is uncomfortable. Gonzalo's father, an environmental scientist, has recently died, and Gonzalo deals with his emotions by taking picture on his iPad and turning them into drawings with monsters. Vero hires a driver to take ALberto to the various events, but he dismisses the driver and says he wants to drive himself in his 1968 powder blue Cutalass S convertible. No one else thinks this is a good idea, but Gonzalo and his grandfather (who is 71) are soon on the road. They are making stops to reconnect to people from Alberto's past, and during the drive, Gonzalo finds out about his grandfather's harrowing trip to the US from Cuba in the laste 1960s. He's also reading the whole series, and seeing parallels between his grandfather's journey and that of the fictional character he has created. They pass through Reno, Salt Lake Ciry, Kansas City, and Nashville. Vero joins them on the last leg of the journey, heading towards a book launch in Miami. In between the family's adventures, we also hear from an omniscient narrator who talks about Gonzalo's hero's journey, and see snippets from the grandfather's books. Will this trip help the family heal from their various traumas?
Strengths: This will be a perfect book for language arts projects, since there are lots of literary elements discussed, especially the hero's journey. Cartaya got the grandfather's age right, and depicts Alberto in a realistic way, which I appreciate. The family history is slowly revealed, and Gonzalo starts to realize that everyone experiences loss and has to find a way to deal with it. He is in therapy and has some support. The various locations are fun to visit, and we get just enough of the book to help us understand what is going on without having to process another entire story. Cartaya excels at descriptions of place, family, and community in books like Marcus Vega Doesn't Speak Spanish and The Epic Fail of Arutro, and adds an always fun road trip to this new book.
Weaknesses: I am sorry that Mr. Cartaya (per his author's note) experienced so many losses, which are reflected in Gonzalo and his family's processing of grief. It is still not my personal favorite to read about, and I believe firmly that parents do NOT need to share their grief with their children. Keeping busy absolutely can remove a lot of the pain of a loss, and it's possible to move on if you want to.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who enjoyed Cooney's 2006 Hit the Road, Acampora's 2016 How to Avoid Extinction, Cavanaugh's When I Hit the Road, Stone's 2020 Clean Getaway.

[Lesley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A HERO’S GUIDE is the story of three people managing grief and discovering their own stories.

There is rising eighth grader Gonzalo Garcia who is coming to terms with his father’s death earlier in the year. He feels like he is being watched by monsters but only shares his feelings through his art which disturbs his classmates. Alberto William Garcia, Gonzalo’s abuelo is the famous author of the beloved middle-school series THE CHRONICLES OF GONZALO SANZ; he has just published the seventh and final book in the series. Alberto is still grieving the death of his wife Cecilia who died many years ago and, through his novels, the death of his mother who died when they were escaping Cuba. Veronica, Gonzalo’s mother is still grieving her mother who died when she was twelve as well as the recent death of her husband. Since no one has—now or in the past—talked about these losses, they linger on. While Alberto writes and Gonzalo draws, Vero has become a workaholic, consumed with the company she started to publicize her father’s series and the movies they generated.

This is also the story of family and reconnecting with old and making new friends.

When the story begins Gonzalo is staying with his grandfather who he resents because he never agreed to an author visit to his school or signed any books for him. Abuelo is supposed to, according to his daughter, begin a book tour for the release of the new book, but he refuses and asks Gonzalo to accompany him on a road trip from California to Miami, the site of an interview and signing. “If you aren’t open to change, you won’t change anything.” (32)

Along the way Gonzalo learns more of his grandfather’s past as they stop in various places and he meets people Abuelo knew in his past. “I turn to face my grandfather, and it’s like I’m truly seeing him. We have the same eye color. They’re a similar shape, too, but his hold a million stories. I start to wonder if we share more than physical traits. From what he’s already told me, he’s fought monsters too. Maybe he can help me defeat my own. Or at least teach me how to keep them at bay.” (130)

Veronica joins them, and readers come to realize the complicated relationships between the three generations. This trip becomes a hero’s journey as each find their own path, individually and as a family. “I think about my grandfather’s story and realize why he has Gonzalo leave on a skiff by himself at the end of Book Two: it’s about finding his own path rather than following the road someone wants or expects him to take.” (170)

This unique novel contains multiple stories and perspectives—the present story of the Garcia family, the stories of Abuelo’s past, and the stories within the Chronicles series—and a humorous Narrator who tries to interject their own interpretations, possibly leading readers astray.

This Hero’s Journey is an important read for adolescents, showing them that they are the heroes of their own stories and have the power to make choices and take actions and believe in themselves.

[Selena · Rating 4 out of 5]

I recently read A Hero’s Guide to Summer Vacation by Pablo Cartaya with my sons, and it was an absolute hit in our house. The story follows Gonzalo, a quiet, artistic boy who feels more like an observer than a participant in his own life, and his estranged grandfather, Alberto, a famous but reclusive author. When the two are forced to go on a cross-country road trip together to promote Alberto’s final book, they embark on a journey that’s as much about mending their fractured relationship as it is about exploring the landscapes of America. My sons, aged 1 and 6, were completely drawn into the adventure, humor, and heart of the story. They both laughed at the banter between the two characters and were captivated by the road trip itself, especially the classic 1968 Oldsmobile Cutlass S Convertible named Mathilde. The blend of fantasy and reality also fascinated them; they loved how the book wove elements of Alberto’s fictional world into their real-world adventures, making them think about the stories we tell and how they shape our lives. It even inspired them to create their own drawings and stories, just like Gonzalo does in the book.

What really stood out to me was how the book sparked conversations about family. My sons were moved by how Gonzalo and Alberto learned to understand and support each other, even when it was hard. It opened up a dialogue about our own family dynamics and the importance of showing up for one another. A Hero’s Guide to Summer Vacation is more than just a fun road trip story—it’s a heartfelt exploration of family, creativity, and self-discovery. My sons and I loved it, and it’s a book we’ll definitely revisit together. Highly recommend for families looking for a story that’s both entertaining and meaningful!

✧˖°. ⤷ I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review, and all opinions expressed are entirely my own.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gonzalo Alberto Sánchez García is spending the summer after seventh grade with his hermit-like grandfather in Mendocino. After the death of his father in recent months, Gonzalo has begun channeling his grief into art that features monsters, and he has lost the spark he once had. Despite the fact that his grandfather does not enjoy being around people, he is the author of a famous children’s book series and is going on a promotional tour, and Gonzalo must begrudgingly accompany him. Along the way, Gonzalo and his grandfather bond in unexpected ways, and Gonzalo discovers that sometimes it takes bravery and strength to realize one is the hero of their own story.

This engaging middle grade novel is very meta in its design, referencing Gonzalo’s grandfather’s famous works while being presented in a similar fashion. Short chapters keep the story moving, and an omniscient narrator steps in periodically to share relevant details directly with the audience. Otherwise, the narrative is told primarily in the first person from Gonzalo’s perspective, giving readers a front row seat to Gonzalo’s thoughts and feelings. Text messages, articles, Spanish language, and other additions pepper the otherwise narrative text, and these features amplify the dynamic complexity of the storytelling. Though not always linear in its approach, this novel inspires curiosity in the reader as Gonzalo’s story unfolds. A unique and memorable story, this novel investigates grief and family relationships in a way that will resonate with a wide range of readers. This is a thoughtful and original addition to library collections for middle grade readers.

[Brenda (jadore_2read) · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I had all these feels for Gonzalo Alberto García. A Hero’s Guide to Summer Vacation is an emotional rollercoaster. Well, more like a 10-day road trip with your estranged grandpa, who’s actually a famous author.
✨
Gonzalo is quiet, artistic, intelligent and just wants to feel seen. His grandpa Alberto, a quiet, grumpy and famous children’s author of a book series that is well-known everywhere (think HP or Percy J). Gonzalo’s summer is looking like he must accompany his grandpa on a book tour that neither wants to do. Gonzalo promised his mom that he would start and finish the book series in time for the latest book. While reading the series, Gonzalo learns how the main character’s life reflects his grandpa’s real life back in Cuba (60’s). As he reads, he understands how he is similar to him rather than opposite. And as they communicate on this trip, they begin to understand one another. They build a respectful and supportive relationship. Gonzalo was able to reach a soft spot in his grandfather, that his mother (Veronica) didn’t know existed. She also had a complicated relationship with her father ever since her mother passed.

While they all grieved in their own way.

Gonzalo expressed his feelings through creative art. Alberto expressed his feelings through his writing. Veronica, worked her way through grief.

Towards the end of the tour, they all learned that importance of life was showing up for each other. Especially, where it counts.

This book is special and meaningful. Great book for children and adults.
Thank you, NetGalley for the advanced copy.
TW: family loss, grief.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, both as a reader and as a grade 5/6 teacher. I will very likely read this to my students in class. This is a great story about grief, told from some different points of view. I love the narrator and how there's humour sprinkled into the story and seeing the growth of all the characters throughout the story.

I both liked and disliked the seamless English/Spanish dialogue at times. I often found myself having to translate some text throughout the story. I could have left it, the story does give enough info to get by, but personally I like to know what it says and my Spanish is quite limited as it's not a popular language where I live at all. I think for a book in English, a footnote or two would have been nice, and the one long 2-page letter written completely in Spanish should really be shared in English as well (perhaps on the next page or something as an addendum). A one-sentence summary of the letter felt lackluster.

Without spoiling anything, I wish a few more small things were clarified or wrapped up during the story, but I think the author left them open-ended on purpose. I wasn't a huge fan of the writing style near the very end where it was just dialogue without "he said/she said" tags. It made it a little hard to follow at first. Overall, I think this is a great book, ideal for the target audience and somewhat younger. I think my students will like this one and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys realistic fiction for middle-schoolers.

[Holly Wagner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely my favorite book by this author.

Gonzalo is suffering after the loss of his father. During summer vacation he is sent to the spend time with his world famous author grandfather prior to the release of the final (7th) book in the series. Gonzalo’s abuelo is a grumpy reclusive and highly guarded man—a Cuban immigrant whose fantasy books are part of the vernacular for an entire generation of young readers.

Their epic road trip does many of the things road trips tend to do—namely bringing people together by creating a shared story incorporated much of each individual’s story. Their stories are artists’ journey focused on grieving the loss of family.

I enjoyed the story about storytelling. Although it seems a little over done to have a road trip for a hero’s journey, it worked. I appreciated the various ways the characters dealt with their loss. The jury is still out on how I felt about the narrator. I wish that we could have better understood why Alberto was so absent from Gonzalo’s life. And I wish the argument between the three characters were more fleshed out in the last chapters.

There was one small error that tripped me up for a while. On there journey from Wyoming to Kansas City, they referenced taking I80. I80 will only get you through Omaha, then you have to cut down on I29. The reference was to I80 in Nebraska, but it didn’t make sense to imply they would take it to Kansas City.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

After the death of his father, Gonzalo is spending the summer with his grandfather, author of a best-selling and well-loved children’s book series that Gonzalo has never read, despite being named after its main character. The two have never been close, but Gonzalo grudgingly embarks on a cross-country journey with his grandfather in his vintage convertible as part of a promotional tour to mark the release of the final book in the series. As they make stops along the way, and he sees his grandfather interact with others who have played an important role in his life, artist Gonzalo begins to learn about his grandfather’s life, including his early life in Cuba and how that impacted the rest of his life and shaped the stories he wrote.

The road trip provides a unique framework for building their relationship and addressing the grief that Gonzalo and his grandfather are both grappling with in their own ways. As they travel, the stories within stories—those of his grandfather’s past and those from his grandfather’s books--uncover layers that inform Gonzalo about his grandfather and change their relationship. A powerful and moving exploration of family dynamics and of coming to terms with grief and loss.

[Amanda Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a book I didn’t know I needed to read. It was recommended to me by a friend, and I was thrilled when the audiobook was available for a recent road trip. Listening to the author read his own book was a bonus, and I especially think it helped to connect with the feelings the characters were experiencing in the book. I personally connected with the character needing an outlet after losing his father, although the drawing piece was not how I expressed my grief. I wish I had had the ability to do a road trip with a family member to dig deeper into myself, but as I listened to the book recently, it allowed me to think about my own story and family connections. The title, A Hero’s Guide to Summer Vacation doesn’t do the story justice. It is a guide to exploring grief and family disguised by a humorous and touching story of a grandson and grandfather connecting for the first time which was long overdue. You don’t need to be grieving to read this book, as the story is fantastic on its own; however, the layers of the story will touch so many different readers.

[Bethe · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars. Random thoughts:
Narrator pops in with tips for reading, explanations of literary topics
Spending summer with famous author grandfather
He takes photos with iPad and then draws them, many with monsters, not much interested in reading or writing
Dead dad had always asked him to remember the environment and that we’re not doing enough
“Everyone knew my name for reasons that had nothing to do with knowing me.”
Driving cross country with gpa for book tour for last book - he’s never done book promos before
Gonzalo can read in car but not draw in his iPad and gets nauseous
“Who gets to decide what something means the creator of the art or the ones experiencing the creation?”
“I know I wouldn’t want Misty Mae Mortenson or any random person deciding if I should read something or not”
“You don’t need to speak Spanish or be from a place to feel like that place is a part of you.”
Narrator characters a bit annoying but author note explains his purpose and the way to help author cope with grief and to add some comic relief

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gonzalo doesn't fit in anywhere. Certainly not at school where he's never seemed to make a single friend and definitely not at home where he knows his mother is just pretending to be okay. He knows she's not as she cries when she thinks he isn't there.

Summer vacation isn't much better than being at school. Stuck in Mendocino, CA at his grandfather's house (a grandfather who doesn't seem to like him very much--the feeling is mutual) does leave him to create art that his classmates have labeled "disturbing" but that's about it.

That is until his grandfather decides to cancel his book tour. (Did I mention he's a famous author--like Harry Potter levels famous?), take Gonzalo, and drive across the country in his classic car.

Can Gonzalo find a way to bridge the differences with his grandfather? Maybe even his mother? Because they are all hiding some things left unsaid--things that are festering right below the surface.

Content Notes:

Free of all profanity, sexual reference, drug usage, etc. Fine to add to any elementary school or middle school.

[Suzy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gonzalo is going on a book tour with his Grandfather who is the author of a best selling book series. Gonzalo is grieving the loss of his father.
His grandfather has never liked the fame, so he decides that he and Gonzalo are going to take a road trip across the country and make a few stops along the way.
Gonzalo gets a little jealous along the way as he sees his grandfather seems to care about other people than his own grandson. But he learns that these people have made a difference in his grandfather's past.
Gonzalo and his grandfather get closer on this road trip and he learns a lot about his grandfather's past and what inspired the books.
His mother joins them part way through the trip and it really helps bring them all together.

This is a really great middle grade read, about family, grief and figuring out how to move forward.

Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good grief, yet another middle school book about dealing with grief. It seems to be a trend this year. Gonzalo's father died in the fall, and he is dealing with it by constantly drawing creepy landscapes on his iPad. His mom sends his to spend the summer with his grumpy grandfather, an author famous for a fantasy series (like a latino Harry Potter) that everybody loves (but Gonzalo has never read). There are a variety of voices and threads throughout this road trip of a story, from grandfather's fantasy story in the books, to his real adventures trying to escape Cuba, to his mother's story, and even the narrator poking his voice in to try and tell the reader how to feel and gin up excitement about what's coming up in the story. But the climax of the story is really when Gonzalo talks back to the narrator, telling him to keep quiet and let Gonzalo speak for himself.

[Yapha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent summer roadtrip book, as Gonzalo and his grandfather make their way from Northern California to Miami. Gonzalo's grandfather is a world famous fantasy writer (think Rick Riordan level) who is about to release the final book in his series. He is also extremely reclusive and Gonzalo has not spent much time with him. As they drive across the country together, we get stories within stories -- Abuelo's childhood as well as the books he has written. I particularly enjoyed the cameo appearances of other Cartaya characters along the way. This is a great testament to using art to process grief, and also the importance of talking about it. Highly recommended for grades 4 & up.

eARC provided by publisher via NetGalley

[Deena Lipomi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Still mourning the death of his father from cancer one year ago, Gonzalo is forced into a cross-country road trip with his famous author abuelo who is reluctantly promoting his last children's book. Told through Gonzalo's first-person narrative, a third-party descriptive narrator, snippets of abuelo's books, and tales from abuelo's journey from Cuba to the US, this story keeps on pace. Dealing with grief through art or work is a returning theme for the three main characters, which connects them despite their blatant differences. Similarities to another 7-book children's novel fantasy series stop there as readers learn Gonzalo's grandfather's books derive from his own immigration experiences. A heartfelt book with just a good story that shows how unlikable characters can become lovable.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

**Middle Grade**
Gonzalo Alberto Sanchez Garcia has been trying to write his own story after the loss of his father. Along with his mom, they moved in with his grandfather who has written many novels. His grandfather has finished the 6th & final book in the series and his daughter convinces him to go on a short book tour ending with an event in Miami. The first event close to their home in California goes poorly and his grandfather storms out, leaving the crowds upset. His grandson agrees to go along on a car ride with his grandfather making some stops along the way. He finally begins reading his grandfather's books and learns more about his family and himself along the way. A great summer read!