Stream

by Aida Salazar

Two teens are sent to Mexico for the summer to unplug in this hilarious, richly drawn, and thought-provoking dual narrative, perfect for fans of Darius the Great Is Not Okay, The First State of Being, and Ultraviolet.Newly graduated 8th graders Celi and Elio don't know each other, but after a catfishing incident in their Oakland, California community goes viral, both sets of parents discover their recent screen overuse. Independently, they have the "brilliant" idea to ship the kids off to the same rancho in Mexico for two months, thinking it will help them detox from their devices and reconnect with themselves.In the middle of nowhere-without internet, electricity, or even running water-the two meet and bond over their miserable Celi is forced to spend her days helping in a primitive healing clinic with her eccentric tías while Elio carts sticks and logs to rehabilitate a river. But day by day, amidst the stark beauty and cultural richness of rural Mexico, with crushes blooming, Celi and Elio each shed a little of their online selves and begin to understand what it means to embrace nature, connect to culture, and cultivate authenticity.Featuring the main characters from Aida Salazar's award-winning novels Ultraviolet and The Moon Within, Stream crackles with humor, wisdom, and relatable themes. It speaks directly to teens and will make them feel seen.

336 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication June 2, 2026

Reviews

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Salazar's verse novels always hit this sweetness in character and story that always leave readers walking away lessons and an opportunity to reflect. She rolls in a necessary reflection on social media and phone use with heritage and coming of age without being heavy-handed.

The two main characters Elio and Celi are growing up with technology in Oakland, California. Elio loves his gaming systems and Celi is obsessed with social media influencing but their sole focus has a reckoning when parents start questioning their kids' use after a kid at the school is catfished and it almost ends disastrously. Elio and Celi's parents decide that a break from technology and a visit to extended family in Mexico for a few months is just what's needed. Celi's family are healers and herbalists. Elio's family are ranchers. They are learning about hard work and more and end up bumping into one another far away from home.

Salazar confronts topics in her books that other authors would consider taboo-- sex, periods, social media. She incorporates them with respect and understanding, simply a part of the landscape of the story. And her characters are three dimensional because of it. A major winner for Salazar-- again. As I've always adored Ultraviolet especially.

[Meg Eden]

STREAM is effectively built on such a great concept, and opens up tough topics on relationships, body image, exploitation online, environmentalism, technology addiction, even pornography, and addresses them (I think) quite well for the age demographic. Salazar also shows how sometimes we hide behind screens and addiction to avoid dealing with hurts or messy feelings. This story is a great reminder for all of us to embrace life beyond screens, to “know what it is to be real,” and “live in real life”. Also includes a great, age-appropriate romance for upper-MG readers. Salazar is thoughtful in nuance, reminding us to not just take care of ourselves but our communities, and the earth around us.
While I can’t personally get behind spiritual approaches in this book, I really loved learning about a culture I wasn’t familiar with, and seeing how Elio and Celi grow. I loved so much about this book, especially as Elio and Celi’s stories weave together, and what Salazar is reminding the next generation, especially when it comes to our relationship to technology and one another.

[Lisa]

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