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When the World Was Happy
Two starred reviews!
A “heartrending yet beautiful” (School Library Journal, starred review) tale of twins and their group of friends who are forced to navigate life, relationships, and grief after their world is turned upside down from New York Times bestselling and award-winning author Benjamin Alire Sáenz.
CheChe knows that he and his twin sister Emma lead an unusual life. They enjoy spending time with their parents and grandparents, love to read, and don’t have a huge circle of friends—and they’re happy. Then, just a few months after they turn seventeen, three gunmen show up one morning at their El Paso, Texas, high school, and everything changes.
CheChe loses a leg, and both he and Emma have friends who die. Suddenly, the world feels like a very different place. But what they find hasn’t changed—or has only gotten deeper—is their love for their family, their close friends, and one another, and as they begin to heal, they create their own little community, one that wields the power of humor, kindness, and hope.
CheChe finds himself doing all kinds of things he never expected from his junior relearning to walk, falling in love with the boy he’s nursed a longtime crush on, making friends with a kid he always found intimidating. By the end of this life-changing school year, none of them will be the same, and many of them will have found their voices in ways they never imagined.
A “heartrending yet beautiful” (School Library Journal, starred review) tale of twins and their group of friends who are forced to navigate life, relationships, and grief after their world is turned upside down from New York Times bestselling and award-winning author Benjamin Alire Sáenz.
CheChe knows that he and his twin sister Emma lead an unusual life. They enjoy spending time with their parents and grandparents, love to read, and don’t have a huge circle of friends—and they’re happy. Then, just a few months after they turn seventeen, three gunmen show up one morning at their El Paso, Texas, high school, and everything changes.
CheChe loses a leg, and both he and Emma have friends who die. Suddenly, the world feels like a very different place. But what they find hasn’t changed—or has only gotten deeper—is their love for their family, their close friends, and one another, and as they begin to heal, they create their own little community, one that wields the power of humor, kindness, and hope.
CheChe finds himself doing all kinds of things he never expected from his junior relearning to walk, falling in love with the boy he’s nursed a longtime crush on, making friends with a kid he always found intimidating. By the end of this life-changing school year, none of them will be the same, and many of them will have found their voices in ways they never imagined.
416 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 13, 2026
About the author
Benjamin Alire Sáenz
47 books16k followersBenjamin Alire Sáenz (born 16 August 1954) is an award-winning American poet, novelist and writer of children's books.
He was born at Old Picacho, New Mexico, the fourth of seven children, and was raised on a small farm near Mesilla, New Mexico. He graduated from Las Cruces High School in 1972. That fall, he entered St. Thomas Seminary in Denver, Colorado where he received a B.A. degree in Humanities and Philosophy in 1977. He studied Theology at the University of Louvain in Leuven, Belgium from 1977 to 1981. He was a priest for a few years in El Paso, Texas before leaving the order.
In 1985, he returned to school, and studied English and Creative Writing at the University of Texas at El Paso where he earned an M.A. degree in Creative Writing. He then spent a year at the University of Iowa as a PhD student in American Literature. A year later, he was awarded a Wallace E. Stegner fellowship. While at Stanford University under the guidance of Denise Levertov, he completed his first book of poems, Calendar of Dust, which won an American Book Award in 1992. He entered the Ph.D. program at Stanford and continued his studies for two more years. Before completing his Ph.D., he moved back to the border and began teaching at the University of Texas at El Paso in the bilingual MFA program.
His first novel, Carry Me Like Water was a saga that brought together the Victorian novel and the Latin American tradition of magic realism and received much critical attention.
In The Book of What Remains (Copper Canyon Press, 2010), his fifth book of poems, he writes to the core truth of life's ever-shifting memories. Set along the Mexican border, the contrast between the desert's austere beauty and the brutality of border politics mirrors humanity's capacity for both generosity and cruelty.
In 2005, he curated a show of photographs by Julian Cardona.
He continues to teach in the Creative Writing Department at the University of Texas at El Paso.
He was born at Old Picacho, New Mexico, the fourth of seven children, and was raised on a small farm near Mesilla, New Mexico. He graduated from Las Cruces High School in 1972. That fall, he entered St. Thomas Seminary in Denver, Colorado where he received a B.A. degree in Humanities and Philosophy in 1977. He studied Theology at the University of Louvain in Leuven, Belgium from 1977 to 1981. He was a priest for a few years in El Paso, Texas before leaving the order.
In 1985, he returned to school, and studied English and Creative Writing at the University of Texas at El Paso where he earned an M.A. degree in Creative Writing. He then spent a year at the University of Iowa as a PhD student in American Literature. A year later, he was awarded a Wallace E. Stegner fellowship. While at Stanford University under the guidance of Denise Levertov, he completed his first book of poems, Calendar of Dust, which won an American Book Award in 1992. He entered the Ph.D. program at Stanford and continued his studies for two more years. Before completing his Ph.D., he moved back to the border and began teaching at the University of Texas at El Paso in the bilingual MFA program.
His first novel, Carry Me Like Water was a saga that brought together the Victorian novel and the Latin American tradition of magic realism and received much critical attention.
In The Book of What Remains (Copper Canyon Press, 2010), his fifth book of poems, he writes to the core truth of life's ever-shifting memories. Set along the Mexican border, the contrast between the desert's austere beauty and the brutality of border politics mirrors humanity's capacity for both generosity and cruelty.
In 2005, he curated a show of photographs by Julian Cardona.
He continues to teach in the Creative Writing Department at the University of Texas at El Paso.
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Want to Read
July 30, 2026Today I found out Benjamin Alire Sáenz passed away. I also found out this book exists and is coming out posthumously... The blurb sounds amazing and I don't know how I missed it. I'd read it to honor the last work of the author who changed my life with Ari and Dante. Rest in peace.
Want to Read
February 24, 2026maybe I'm finally living up my namesake and becoming clairvoyant, or maybe it doesn't take a genius to know anything this man writes is going to leave me a puddle of tears, elbow-deep in a pint of Ben & Jerry's
October 16, 2026
it makes me really sad and happy in the same time that the last book he wrote was all about love that always triumphs hate. he was the love himself. forever grateful for such a gentle soul and for every story he wrote. my favorite author of all times, rest in peace
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
“When the World Was Happy” by Benjamin Alire Sáenz is heartbreaking, thoughtful, hopeful, and definitely not an easy read. This isn't a story about magically putting the pieces back together. It's about learning how to live with the pieces, finding people who will help you carry them, and discovering that happiness can still exist after your world has changed. Content warnings include a school shooting, PTSD, racism, and homophobia .
“When the World Was Happy” follows seventeen-year-old CheChe Cervantes and his twin sister Emma, who have what seems like a pretty happy, loving life. They have supportive parents, grandparents, a small circle of friends, and a home where they feel safe being exactly who they are. CheChe is Mexican American and gay, and his family gives him the kind of unconditional love and support that every teenager should have.
And then everything changes.
A school shooting shatters their community, leaving CheChe physically and emotionally traumatized, while Emma and their friends are also forced to deal with grief and the aftermath of losing people they love. From there, the book becomes less about the shooting itself and much more about what happens afterward. How do you go back to school? How do you figure out who you are when the world you understood no longer makes sense? How do you deal with PTSD, anger, grief, racism, homophobia, and fear while still trying to be a teenager? This book is so emotional and heartbreaking. Definitely one you should read in a few sittings so you don’t become overwhelmed.
One of the things I really appreciated was that Sáenz doesn't treat the aftermath as something that can be magically fixed. There isn't a neat little “everything is okay now!” button. Instead, we get to see how healing can be incredibly slow and complicated, and how important family, friends, teachers, therapists, and community can be during that process. The story also looks at the effects of gun violence on people beyond the direct victims, including families, teachers, administrators, and the wider community.
And the community aspect was probably one of my favorite things. CheChe and Emma aren't left completely alone to deal with everything. Their friendships and family relationships become an important source of support, and their little circle gradually becomes something of a found family. There is still humor, kindness, love, and even moments of joy despite everything that has happened.
The characters are also really well developed, including the supporting cast. I especially liked seeing CheChe grow and find his voice as he works through everything that has happened to him. His relationships change, he makes unexpected friendships, and he does things he never imagined himself doing. There is also a longtime crush that turns into something more, which gives the story a little bit of sweetness amid all the heavier material.
I really loved how much this book believes in young people. It gives them complicated questions, takes their emotions seriously, and allows them to have conversations about things adults sometimes don't want to talk about. I can absolutely see this being a powerful book for classroom discussion, especially for older teens, teachers, and parents.
One thing to note is that the beginning is slow. I also struggled a little with how emotionally mature many of these teenagers were. They have some incredibly thoughtful, articulate conversations about trauma, racism, sexuality, grief, gun violence, and society. On one hand, I appreciated that the book takes young people seriously. On the other hand, there were moments when I wanted a little more messy teenage anger, confusion, or emotional chaos. Sometimes everything felt a bit too tidy emotionally, especially considering what these characters had experienced. They just didn’t really feel that realistic, though their dialogue/views is due to how they grew up. Teen readers may find it difficult to connect to the characters, especially CheChe.
There is something especially bittersweet about reading this knowing it is Sáenz's final book. His YA novels have such a strong sense of empathy and compassion, particularly toward queer young people, and this feels like a fitting reminder of the kind of legacy a writer can leave behind. I will definitely be recommending this book.
“When the World Was Happy” by Benjamin Alire Sáenz is heartbreaking, thoughtful, hopeful, and definitely not an easy read. This isn't a story about magically putting the pieces back together. It's about learning how to live with the pieces, finding people who will help you carry them, and discovering that happiness can still exist after your world has changed. Content warnings include a school shooting, PTSD, racism, and homophobia .
“When the World Was Happy” follows seventeen-year-old CheChe Cervantes and his twin sister Emma, who have what seems like a pretty happy, loving life. They have supportive parents, grandparents, a small circle of friends, and a home where they feel safe being exactly who they are. CheChe is Mexican American and gay, and his family gives him the kind of unconditional love and support that every teenager should have.
And then everything changes.
A school shooting shatters their community, leaving CheChe physically and emotionally traumatized, while Emma and their friends are also forced to deal with grief and the aftermath of losing people they love. From there, the book becomes less about the shooting itself and much more about what happens afterward. How do you go back to school? How do you figure out who you are when the world you understood no longer makes sense? How do you deal with PTSD, anger, grief, racism, homophobia, and fear while still trying to be a teenager? This book is so emotional and heartbreaking. Definitely one you should read in a few sittings so you don’t become overwhelmed.
One of the things I really appreciated was that Sáenz doesn't treat the aftermath as something that can be magically fixed. There isn't a neat little “everything is okay now!” button. Instead, we get to see how healing can be incredibly slow and complicated, and how important family, friends, teachers, therapists, and community can be during that process. The story also looks at the effects of gun violence on people beyond the direct victims, including families, teachers, administrators, and the wider community.
And the community aspect was probably one of my favorite things. CheChe and Emma aren't left completely alone to deal with everything. Their friendships and family relationships become an important source of support, and their little circle gradually becomes something of a found family. There is still humor, kindness, love, and even moments of joy despite everything that has happened.
The characters are also really well developed, including the supporting cast. I especially liked seeing CheChe grow and find his voice as he works through everything that has happened to him. His relationships change, he makes unexpected friendships, and he does things he never imagined himself doing. There is also a longtime crush that turns into something more, which gives the story a little bit of sweetness amid all the heavier material.
I really loved how much this book believes in young people. It gives them complicated questions, takes their emotions seriously, and allows them to have conversations about things adults sometimes don't want to talk about. I can absolutely see this being a powerful book for classroom discussion, especially for older teens, teachers, and parents.
One thing to note is that the beginning is slow. I also struggled a little with how emotionally mature many of these teenagers were. They have some incredibly thoughtful, articulate conversations about trauma, racism, sexuality, grief, gun violence, and society. On one hand, I appreciated that the book takes young people seriously. On the other hand, there were moments when I wanted a little more messy teenage anger, confusion, or emotional chaos. Sometimes everything felt a bit too tidy emotionally, especially considering what these characters had experienced. They just didn’t really feel that realistic, though their dialogue/views is due to how they grew up. Teen readers may find it difficult to connect to the characters, especially CheChe.
There is something especially bittersweet about reading this knowing it is Sáenz's final book. His YA novels have such a strong sense of empathy and compassion, particularly toward queer young people, and this feels like a fitting reminder of the kind of legacy a writer can leave behind. I will definitely be recommending this book.
October 24, 2026
I guess I’ve learned to never expect to make it through a Benjamin Alire Sáenz book without crying, but at least I knew from the blurb on this one that it was going to happen from the get-go. The writing in this book, especially prior to the shooting, is beautiful and incredibly moving, and it makes the anticipation for the shooting that you know is going to happen even more nerve-wracking. And then, as to be expected, everything changes and your heart is ripped out when it does finally happen. This hit particularly close to home as a Spanish teacher who sees my Latinx students facing more and more challenges in this country. The book is perhaps a bit heavy handed in parts with the messaging, and the teenagers here don’t always act like real teenagers, but that does seem to fit with how young adult novels tend to approach things.
June 24, 2026
4.5⭐️ From the beginning I had the desire to crawl inside this book, meet, talk to and hug these characters. That is the magic of Benjamin Alire Saenz’s writing. I had read his book Aristotle and Dante” a few years back and those characters still vividly live in my heart.
When the World was Happy was a book nearly impossible to put down from the first chapter until the very last page. I love books that make me feel, that make me question my world, that inspire me to be a better version of myself. This did that and so much more. The subject is such a difficult one and I admire (especially a YA author) knowing that silence is not the answer. This author cared enough to tackle the unthinkable, a school shooting. It was done with heart, with compassion and intelligence. His focus on the emotional aftermath of not just the victims but an entire city was so superbly done. Each character was fully brought to life and their connection to their family and friends was heartwarming. I am a 58 year old woman and must say that I feel so many readers are missing out by not picking up the so called YA genre. Some of my favorite books fall in this category.
When the World was Happy was a book nearly impossible to put down from the first chapter until the very last page. I love books that make me feel, that make me question my world, that inspire me to be a better version of myself. This did that and so much more. The subject is such a difficult one and I admire (especially a YA author) knowing that silence is not the answer. This author cared enough to tackle the unthinkable, a school shooting. It was done with heart, with compassion and intelligence. His focus on the emotional aftermath of not just the victims but an entire city was so superbly done. Each character was fully brought to life and their connection to their family and friends was heartwarming. I am a 58 year old woman and must say that I feel so many readers are missing out by not picking up the so called YA genre. Some of my favorite books fall in this category.
October 23, 2026
In the Cervantes house there is a hallway wall the children are allowed to write on. CheChe and his twin sister, Emma, cover it in drawings, jokes and passing thoughts, and when it is full their father photographs it, paints it over and lets them start again. Only one thing is never covered: a poem Emma wrote at twelve about the wall itself, which the family calls the Sky. When the World Was Happy by Benjamin Alire Sáenz uses that wall as its running record. You can read the whole novel in what gets written there, from birthday nonsense in the summer to a drawing of a rifle in the autumn, and the change is the book's argument in miniature.
The first half is the before. CheChe is seventeen, gay, bookish and, by his own account, chronically happy, in a family with no television and books in every room. Then gunmen walk into El Paso High on the third day of junior year. The publisher's copy tells you the rest of the premise, so we can too: CheChe loses a leg, friends die, and the remainder of the novel follows one year of trying to live in a house where sadness has finally got through the door.
The Twins and the Year That Splits Them
The spine of the book is CheChe and Emma. Sáenz writes their bond as a running double act. They trade mock definitions, accuse each other of mockery and admit to it, and finish each other's arguments. Emma is the serious one, a pianist who claims to see angels and dreams things before they happen; CheChe is the wisecracker who wants to feel everything. In Book One that pairing is a pleasure. After the shooting it becomes the novel's best instrument, because the twins grieve in opposite directions. Emma refuses to fall apart, and CheChe falls apart loudly.
Structurally, Sáenz takes risks here that YA rarely does. Each of the three Books opens with a short italic passage addressed to someone the narrator loves. Some chapters run for pages and some are a single paragraph of shock. One chapter is little more than a bare count of the dead and wounded and what happened to the survivors afterwards, and it is among the most painful pages in When the World Was Happy by Benjamin Alire Sáenz precisely because it refuses to dramatise.
The physical recovery is handled with real care. CheChe's phantom pain, the crutches he hates, the prosthetic he eventually names, and a physical therapist called Santiago who jokes his way past every defence are all specific and unsentimental. Sáenz is clear that phantom limb pain is real pain, not a figure of speech, and the book's slow account of it coming and going is one of its quiet achievements.
Spigot and the Family That Grows
If the twins are the heart, Spigot is the surprise. He arrives in Book One as the father's summer art intern: a smoker with a bitter mother at home, a younger brother he adores and a firm belief that he is worth nothing. Sáenz lets him be prickly and funny before he is anything else. His arc across When the World Was Happy by Benjamin Alire Sáenz is the clearest line of change in the novel. A boy who wants to disappear learns, slowly and against his own resistance, that a family can be chosen.
Against that warmth Sáenz sets rage, and he does not soften it. CheChe hates the shooters, then hates himself for hating, then hates the adults who let it happen. His father, a gentle painter, turns his own grief into a project, painting a portrait of each of the dead for their families. Their best friend J sends a letter about what he saw that is harder to read than any of the action. The tension between the family's creed, that love is the only thing worth carrying, and the anger everyone now carries is the real subject of When the World Was Happy by Benjamin Alire Sáenz, and Sáenz never pretends it resolves neatly.
Where It Gives Ground
The idyll runs long. Book One of When the World Was Happy by Benjamin Alire Sáenz takes up roughly half the novel, in near-frictionless happiness. The design is deliberate, but the first half can feel like a fond family portrait waiting for its plot.
Everyone is wise. The Cervantes household is uniformly eloquent and saintly, and Emma in particular reads closer to an angel than a girl. Less friction would have meant more drama.
Speeches replace scenes. Adults, and later students, often deliver the book's politics on guns and book bans as long addresses. The passion is sincere, but CheChe's small private reactions do more work than any of them.
The word beautiful is overused. Characters call each other beautiful so often that the word stops landing.
Worth Your Shelf
This is not an easy book and it is not a perfect one. It is long, it preaches, and its happy family is happier than any family has a right to be. But the shooting lands as a personal loss rather than a news event, the recovery is honest about anger, and Spigot alone is worth the trip. As a last book, When the World Was Happy by Benjamin Alire Sáenz ends where its author always did: insisting that love is work you do every day, even when the wall has to be painted over and started again.
The first half is the before. CheChe is seventeen, gay, bookish and, by his own account, chronically happy, in a family with no television and books in every room. Then gunmen walk into El Paso High on the third day of junior year. The publisher's copy tells you the rest of the premise, so we can too: CheChe loses a leg, friends die, and the remainder of the novel follows one year of trying to live in a house where sadness has finally got through the door.
The Twins and the Year That Splits Them
The spine of the book is CheChe and Emma. Sáenz writes their bond as a running double act. They trade mock definitions, accuse each other of mockery and admit to it, and finish each other's arguments. Emma is the serious one, a pianist who claims to see angels and dreams things before they happen; CheChe is the wisecracker who wants to feel everything. In Book One that pairing is a pleasure. After the shooting it becomes the novel's best instrument, because the twins grieve in opposite directions. Emma refuses to fall apart, and CheChe falls apart loudly.
Structurally, Sáenz takes risks here that YA rarely does. Each of the three Books opens with a short italic passage addressed to someone the narrator loves. Some chapters run for pages and some are a single paragraph of shock. One chapter is little more than a bare count of the dead and wounded and what happened to the survivors afterwards, and it is among the most painful pages in When the World Was Happy by Benjamin Alire Sáenz precisely because it refuses to dramatise.
The physical recovery is handled with real care. CheChe's phantom pain, the crutches he hates, the prosthetic he eventually names, and a physical therapist called Santiago who jokes his way past every defence are all specific and unsentimental. Sáenz is clear that phantom limb pain is real pain, not a figure of speech, and the book's slow account of it coming and going is one of its quiet achievements.
Spigot and the Family That Grows
If the twins are the heart, Spigot is the surprise. He arrives in Book One as the father's summer art intern: a smoker with a bitter mother at home, a younger brother he adores and a firm belief that he is worth nothing. Sáenz lets him be prickly and funny before he is anything else. His arc across When the World Was Happy by Benjamin Alire Sáenz is the clearest line of change in the novel. A boy who wants to disappear learns, slowly and against his own resistance, that a family can be chosen.
Against that warmth Sáenz sets rage, and he does not soften it. CheChe hates the shooters, then hates himself for hating, then hates the adults who let it happen. His father, a gentle painter, turns his own grief into a project, painting a portrait of each of the dead for their families. Their best friend J sends a letter about what he saw that is harder to read than any of the action. The tension between the family's creed, that love is the only thing worth carrying, and the anger everyone now carries is the real subject of When the World Was Happy by Benjamin Alire Sáenz, and Sáenz never pretends it resolves neatly.
Where It Gives Ground
The idyll runs long. Book One of When the World Was Happy by Benjamin Alire Sáenz takes up roughly half the novel, in near-frictionless happiness. The design is deliberate, but the first half can feel like a fond family portrait waiting for its plot.
Everyone is wise. The Cervantes household is uniformly eloquent and saintly, and Emma in particular reads closer to an angel than a girl. Less friction would have meant more drama.
Speeches replace scenes. Adults, and later students, often deliver the book's politics on guns and book bans as long addresses. The passion is sincere, but CheChe's small private reactions do more work than any of them.
The word beautiful is overused. Characters call each other beautiful so often that the word stops landing.
Worth Your Shelf
This is not an easy book and it is not a perfect one. It is long, it preaches, and its happy family is happier than any family has a right to be. But the shooting lands as a personal loss rather than a news event, the recovery is honest about anger, and Spigot alone is worth the trip. As a last book, When the World Was Happy by Benjamin Alire Sáenz ends where its author always did: insisting that love is work you do every day, even when the wall has to be painted over and started again.
November 4, 2026
Since the moment of his birth, CheChe has been one of the happiest people in the world. Surrounded by love and support from his family and friends, CheChe spends his days exuding a sense of relentless optimism. However, one fateful day changes everything for CheChe, stealing more than just CheChe’s intrinsic happiness, and causing him to reflect on his world and his place within it. But as CheChe begins to find his way back to himself, he discovers that even though life may never be the same again, there is still joy to be found if one has the desire to look for it.
This powerful and immediate contemporary young adult novel is told from CheChe’s perspective and is divided into relevant segments that delineate the nearly insurmountable changes in his life. The happiness that initially surrounds CheChe is infectious, filling readers with joy as they are introduced to CheChe’s life and family. Resonant conversations shine an unapologetic light on some of the darker sides of life in the United States, bringing focus and attention to contemporary issues that are in dire need of reform. Among those discussions are gun violence, racism, homosexuality, and intellect overall, forcing readers to consider often uncomfortable realities and how they impact people on a very personal level. Occasional profanity and mature content, particularly related to gun violence in a school setting, make this book best for readers who are prepared to face those elements head-on. Though they are powerfully rendered, these inclusions are not gratuitous and ultimately leave readers with a profound feeling of responsibility to protect those most at risk. Beautifully written and thoughtfully designed, this book is a work of art that inspires curiosity and reflection in a resonant way. It is a noteworthy addition to library collections for mature young adult readers and up.
This powerful and immediate contemporary young adult novel is told from CheChe’s perspective and is divided into relevant segments that delineate the nearly insurmountable changes in his life. The happiness that initially surrounds CheChe is infectious, filling readers with joy as they are introduced to CheChe’s life and family. Resonant conversations shine an unapologetic light on some of the darker sides of life in the United States, bringing focus and attention to contemporary issues that are in dire need of reform. Among those discussions are gun violence, racism, homosexuality, and intellect overall, forcing readers to consider often uncomfortable realities and how they impact people on a very personal level. Occasional profanity and mature content, particularly related to gun violence in a school setting, make this book best for readers who are prepared to face those elements head-on. Though they are powerfully rendered, these inclusions are not gratuitous and ultimately leave readers with a profound feeling of responsibility to protect those most at risk. Beautifully written and thoughtfully designed, this book is a work of art that inspires curiosity and reflection in a resonant way. It is a noteworthy addition to library collections for mature young adult readers and up.
October 31, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
Benjamin Alire Sáenz is such a talented writer, and his loss earlier this year was heartbreaking. Both of the "Aristotle & Dante" books are among my all-time favorite books. Sáenz had this ability to take what seems like a common emotion and describe in away that makes it feel unique.
This book focuses on 17-year-old CheChe and his family, including his twin sister Emma. CheChe's life is as close to perfect as it could get. His family encourages his individuality and talks to him openly about tough issues. He is different from other teens, but he doesn't see this as a bad thing. CheChe's life is disrupted when two gunmen enter his prodominantly Latinx school. Many lose their lives, and CheChe loses his leg. He has to fight to see the beauty in the world again when it seems easier to just give in to despair.
Sáenz wrote an unflinching story of how school shooting affect kids and their families. He perfectly captured the frustration aimed at people in power who allow this violence to continue. I wish there was more about CheChe's physical recovery, but that might not have achieved the author's goal. This book contained Sáenz signature wit and humor in the face of serious issues. He will be very missed.
Benjamin Alire Sáenz is such a talented writer, and his loss earlier this year was heartbreaking. Both of the "Aristotle & Dante" books are among my all-time favorite books. Sáenz had this ability to take what seems like a common emotion and describe in away that makes it feel unique.
This book focuses on 17-year-old CheChe and his family, including his twin sister Emma. CheChe's life is as close to perfect as it could get. His family encourages his individuality and talks to him openly about tough issues. He is different from other teens, but he doesn't see this as a bad thing. CheChe's life is disrupted when two gunmen enter his prodominantly Latinx school. Many lose their lives, and CheChe loses his leg. He has to fight to see the beauty in the world again when it seems easier to just give in to despair.
Sáenz wrote an unflinching story of how school shooting affect kids and their families. He perfectly captured the frustration aimed at people in power who allow this violence to continue. I wish there was more about CheChe's physical recovery, but that might not have achieved the author's goal. This book contained Sáenz signature wit and humor in the face of serious issues. He will be very missed.
Did Not Finish
September 24, 2026I was not enjoying this book at all. I found the voice of the teenage boy, Che Che, to be completely unlike any teen I've ever encountered. And his life before the shooting?! Who lives a life like that?
I gave up on the audiobook at about 20% in.
I gave up on the audiobook at about 20% in.
November 5, 2026
A heartbreaking read that touches the heart. It was emotional and difficult at times but it was also beautiful and uplifting.
I loved the healing journey the character underwent. It was raw and real.
“It is the heart that matters most.”
“Maybe all love did was help you embrace the pain.”
A huge thank you to the author and Simon and Schuster for a gifted copy!
I loved the healing journey the character underwent. It was raw and real.
“It is the heart that matters most.”
“Maybe all love did was help you embrace the pain.”
A huge thank you to the author and Simon and Schuster for a gifted copy!
October 25, 2026
I wanted to love this book, and really liked the message. But the dialog between teenagers was way too sappy and repetitive to be believable.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This book covers the topic of gun violence and school shootings, as well as racism against Mexicans in America. These topics are very important to cover, especially in today's climate, and I think it's especially important for teens to understand these topics. That being said, I unfortunately didn't gel well with this book; I think this novel would be a big hit for others, though!
What got me the most was the writing style and dialogue. None of the characters felt like people; the way they spoke and interacted with each other was so strange and off-putting at times. It made it difficult to try to connect with any of the characters. The teens felt nothing like teens; they read both too young and too old at the same time, and the romance felt very underdeveloped. I'm torn that I didn't like this novel; Aristotle & Dante was one of the first-ever queer novels I read as a teenager.
I do think if you're looking for beautiful prose, this book is worth picking up! I am just someone who likes more grounded fiction and real characters. Not everyone is looking for that, though. Thank you, NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing, for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Warnings
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Triggers: Racism, School shootings, homophobia/transphobia, gun violence, death/murder
What got me the most was the writing style and dialogue. None of the characters felt like people; the way they spoke and interacted with each other was so strange and off-putting at times. It made it difficult to try to connect with any of the characters. The teens felt nothing like teens; they read both too young and too old at the same time, and the romance felt very underdeveloped. I'm torn that I didn't like this novel; Aristotle & Dante was one of the first-ever queer novels I read as a teenager.
I do think if you're looking for beautiful prose, this book is worth picking up! I am just someone who likes more grounded fiction and real characters. Not everyone is looking for that, though. Thank you, NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing, for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Warnings
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Triggers: Racism, School shootings, homophobia/transphobia, gun violence, death/murder
November 4, 2026
The beautiful, lilting prose one expects from the mastery of Benjamin Alire Sáenz. It is especially moving knowing that this will be his last novel. SO incredibly personal to him and his work.
November 2, 2026
Ben was a dear friend of mine. It is very sad to finish this book and realize that this gifted loving man has passed from this life.
October 29, 2026
“Writing taught me to love people. So writing this book is how I love.” I was insanely lucky to have met Benjamin Alire Sáenz 10 years ago at a conference. I’ve loved him since I read Dante&Aristotle, I loved him even more after meeting him, and I felt for him beyond measure while reading this book. If anyone is unsure of this book, read the author’s note. Your mind will change.
October 3, 2026
This is a heartbreaking and difficult read. I understand the author recently passed away and that this book is being published posthumously, which made the experience of reading it feel even more poignant.
The young characters are incredibly bright, happy, articulate, and emotionally mature, and I did have some trouble connecting with them at times. I work in a high school and have a teenager of my own, and these teens didn’t feel particularly similar to the ones I know! There is A LOT of teen dialogue to wade through, written in a very stream-of-consciousness way—fast, scattered, disconnected, but somehow also extremely articulate and emotional. There were no “bruhs” or much of the slang I’m used to hearing, and apparently cell phones barely exist in this world! On the other hand, these teens are extremely well-read…what a concept!
At its heart, this is a story about a school shooting and the aftermath for the students, families, and community left behind. It’s emotional, difficult, and political, and I can see it being a book that won’t work for every reader.
There were days when I could only read a little at a time because it was so heavy, and other days when I flew through it. Despite some of my difficulty connecting with the characters, I thought it was beautifully written and there were moments that really stayed with me.
The Cervantes family, in particular, made me think about what the world might look like if every child had parents who raised them with that much love, compassion, understanding, and empathy. Maybe hate and gun violence wouldn’t be so prevalent. Unfortunately, that’s not the world we live in.
A difficult read, but ultimately a meaningful one.
The young characters are incredibly bright, happy, articulate, and emotionally mature, and I did have some trouble connecting with them at times. I work in a high school and have a teenager of my own, and these teens didn’t feel particularly similar to the ones I know! There is A LOT of teen dialogue to wade through, written in a very stream-of-consciousness way—fast, scattered, disconnected, but somehow also extremely articulate and emotional. There were no “bruhs” or much of the slang I’m used to hearing, and apparently cell phones barely exist in this world! On the other hand, these teens are extremely well-read…what a concept!
At its heart, this is a story about a school shooting and the aftermath for the students, families, and community left behind. It’s emotional, difficult, and political, and I can see it being a book that won’t work for every reader.
There were days when I could only read a little at a time because it was so heavy, and other days when I flew through it. Despite some of my difficulty connecting with the characters, I thought it was beautifully written and there were moments that really stayed with me.
The Cervantes family, in particular, made me think about what the world might look like if every child had parents who raised them with that much love, compassion, understanding, and empathy. Maybe hate and gun violence wouldn’t be so prevalent. Unfortunately, that’s not the world we live in.
A difficult read, but ultimately a meaningful one.
October 26, 2026
Oh this book is sad. Like, I knew that it was coming given the summary of the book, but it really hits you about a third of the way into the book. By the end, the book itself does get a little repetitive, but it is a reflection on life and what happens when tragedy strikes. Definitely be in the right mindset for this, especially given that this is Sáenz's final book.
October 26, 2026
Advanced copy through Goodreads Giveaways and @SimonTeen.
October 16, 2026
Che Che and Emma are twins who are very close. They are close with their parents Leila and Neto as well as their maternal grandparents who live with them. Che Che and Emma have a mutual best friend J (Joaquin). They have just turned seventeen and are going into their junior year of high school. Che Che's and Emma's mother is the school librarian and she is strongly opposed to book banning. Che Che and Emma are at school when three gunmen show up and start shooting. Their friend Spigot's brother Max is one of the thirty eight who died. Che Che and J both got shot; Che Che loses his leg and J was shot in the shoulder. Che Che used to be happy but now he's sad and angry. This book is really emotional and I cried so many times, especially in the second and third parts. This book is very thought provoking and timely. This book deals with school shootings, bigotry, racism, homophobia, love and hate, book banning, etc. I liked that Che Che and Emma love reading books. I also liked that Che Che and Emma are musical: he sings and she plays piano.
October 13, 2026
Yall, this was such a good read, but also an incredibly emotional and heart-wrenching one. Benjamin did a wonderful job of tackling important topics like school shootings and their aftermath, as well as the harmful effects of anti-immigrant rhetoric.
One of the things I loved most about this novel was CheChe and Emma’s parents. They truly demonstrated what parental love and compassion look like, especially during difficult times. But what stood out to me even more was their willingness to be honest and emotionally vulnerable with their children. They didn’t shy away from having difficult conversations or showing their own emotions, and I appreciated that so much.
I also loved how Benjamin structured this story into three parts. The first part really allowed us to get to know the characters and understand their relationships before the tragedy unfolded. I appreciated this because, by the time we reached Parts Two and Three, I had a much deeper understanding of the characters, their emotions, and the decisions they made as they navigated everything that followed.
Overall, this was a beautiful, emotional, and thought-provoking novel that I thoroughly enjoyed!
When the World Was Happy is OUT NOW!
A huge thank you to Simon Teen for the gifted ARC!
One of the things I loved most about this novel was CheChe and Emma’s parents. They truly demonstrated what parental love and compassion look like, especially during difficult times. But what stood out to me even more was their willingness to be honest and emotionally vulnerable with their children. They didn’t shy away from having difficult conversations or showing their own emotions, and I appreciated that so much.
I also loved how Benjamin structured this story into three parts. The first part really allowed us to get to know the characters and understand their relationships before the tragedy unfolded. I appreciated this because, by the time we reached Parts Two and Three, I had a much deeper understanding of the characters, their emotions, and the decisions they made as they navigated everything that followed.
Overall, this was a beautiful, emotional, and thought-provoking novel that I thoroughly enjoyed!
When the World Was Happy is OUT NOW!
A huge thank you to Simon Teen for the gifted ARC!
October 22, 2026
In the world we live in, everyone should read this.
October 21, 2026
This is such a beautiful book. It is a heart-wrenching response to the love and senseless violence in our world.
October 18, 2026
What a beautiful gift to leave the world. I think of Benjamin Alire Saenz as a poet who writes novels. He doesn’t follow the rules or typical novels.
Joy, gratitude, anger, sadness, hope, love. I felt all of it through his writing in this book.
Joy, gratitude, anger, sadness, hope, love. I felt all of it through his writing in this book.
October 13, 2026
Dad gum that was a gorgeous book.
The story features on a family full of love, curiosity, and creativity. Cheche is the happiest teenage boy you’ve ever met. He loves life!
When the horrifically common occurrence of a school shooting happens at his school, his world is shaken. His beliefs are shaken. His hope for the future is shaken.
As Cheche and his family and friends begin the healing process they also push back against the normalization of the deaths of school children.
The story features on a family full of love, curiosity, and creativity. Cheche is the happiest teenage boy you’ve ever met. He loves life!
When the horrifically common occurrence of a school shooting happens at his school, his world is shaken. His beliefs are shaken. His hope for the future is shaken.
As Cheche and his family and friends begin the healing process they also push back against the normalization of the deaths of school children.
August 10, 2026
Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.
When the World Was Happy is a story of the destruction of mass shootings, both physical and emotional. It follows Cheche Cervantes and how his friends and family are impacted by a shooting in their school. It is a story of anger, grief, and the importance of support and community.
The book is written so beautifully and it explores how racism, homophobia, and bigotry shape acts of physical violence. This book also focuses on survivorship, how survivors of a shooting and the families of the deceased can find a new normal-based on the author’s own experience.
The writing and themes would make this an excellent book to read in a class. I kept thinking back to my undergraduate and high school courses and thinking about how it would’ve produced so much meaningful discussion.
When the World Was Happy is a story of the destruction of mass shootings, both physical and emotional. It follows Cheche Cervantes and how his friends and family are impacted by a shooting in their school. It is a story of anger, grief, and the importance of support and community.
The book is written so beautifully and it explores how racism, homophobia, and bigotry shape acts of physical violence. This book also focuses on survivorship, how survivors of a shooting and the families of the deceased can find a new normal-based on the author’s own experience.
The writing and themes would make this an excellent book to read in a class. I kept thinking back to my undergraduate and high school courses and thinking about how it would’ve produced so much meaningful discussion.
June 10, 2026
This book releases at the end of September.
This is a well done and thoughtful book that deals with the aftermath of a school shooting. Although there are descriptions of what each of the main characters experienced during the shooting, the main focus remains on how they cope with life afterward. There are some heavy topics- depression, anger, grief, ptsd and others. Friends and family pull each other through and navigate the after together. Also touches on some portions of gun control. Would recommend, but do check trigger warnings.
This is a well done and thoughtful book that deals with the aftermath of a school shooting. Although there are descriptions of what each of the main characters experienced during the shooting, the main focus remains on how they cope with life afterward. There are some heavy topics- depression, anger, grief, ptsd and others. Friends and family pull each other through and navigate the after together. Also touches on some portions of gun control. Would recommend, but do check trigger warnings.
July 19, 2026
I’m not sure what I expected when I opened this book but it wasn’t this.
This story beautifully describes life after a tragedy. Survivors guilt, grieving, healing, and having to move forward.
This was so beautifully sad and honestly I feel like it could open A LOT of people’s eyes about gun safety and school shootings.
I wanted to bust into this book and give each character a big hug because the hurt that this book made me feel was just raw.
This story beautifully describes life after a tragedy. Survivors guilt, grieving, healing, and having to move forward.
This was so beautifully sad and honestly I feel like it could open A LOT of people’s eyes about gun safety and school shootings.
I wanted to bust into this book and give each character a big hug because the hurt that this book made me feel was just raw.
August 4, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
4.5 stars! This book was a new author for me but wow, do his words have a way of making the reader think! He writes about topics that truly matter and are so prevalent in our world today. The story was well done overall and I would definitely read more by this author. It is tough to discuss intense topics but this presentation is next level, forcing the reader to immerse themselves in the hard stuff. Would highly recommend if you like to challenge your own thinking!
4.5 stars! This book was a new author for me but wow, do his words have a way of making the reader think! He writes about topics that truly matter and are so prevalent in our world today. The story was well done overall and I would definitely read more by this author. It is tough to discuss intense topics but this presentation is next level, forcing the reader to immerse themselves in the hard stuff. Would highly recommend if you like to challenge your own thinking!
April 13, 2026
A heartbreaking yet beautiful story about love, loss, friendship, and finding hope when everything falls apart. A reminder that even in our darkest moments, love can still make life worth living.
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