Marcus Vega Doesn't Speak Spanish (Hardcover)

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Marcus Vega Doesn't Speak Spanish By Pablo Cartaya Cover Image

Marcus Vega Doesn't Speak Spanish (Hardcover)

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Staff Reviews


Marcus Vega may look like the average bully - large, silent, and overwhelming - but inside he is just a boy too big for the quiet kids and too small to fill the shoes of his absent father. Marcus is suspended from school for protecting his brother from a bully and decides his time off would be better spent searching for answers from his father in Puerto Rico. A fast-paced journey of self-discovery about the role of family, friendship, and home. Perfect for 10 to 14. 

— From Staff Picks by Jessica

One boy's search for his father leads him to Puerto Rico in this moving middle-grade novel, for fans of Ghost and See You in the Cosmos.

Marcus Vega is six feet tall, 180 pounds, and the owner of a premature mustache. When you look like this and you're only in the eighth grade, you're both a threat and a target.

After a fight at school leaves Marcus facing suspension, Marcus's mom decides it's time for a change of environment. She takes Marcus and his younger brother to Puerto Rico to spend a week with relatives they don't remember or have never met. But Marcus can't focus knowing that his father--who walked out of their lives ten years ago--is somewhere on the island.

So begins Marcus's incredible journey, a series of misadventures that take him all over Puerto Rico in search of his elusive namesake. Marcus doesn't know if he'll ever find his father, but what he ultimately discovers changes his life. And he even learns a bit of Spanish along the way.
Pablo Cartaya's novels explore identity, place, and the spaces in between. His debut novel about a boy standing up for his community, The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora, received three starred reviews and is a 2018 Pura Belpré Author Honor Book. When Pablo isn't writing, he's spending time with his family or dreaming of his next visit to Puerto Rico. Learn more about Pablo at pablocartaya.com and follow him on Twitter @phcartaya.

Product Details ISBN: 9781101997260
ISBN-10: 1101997265
Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: August 21st, 2018
Pages: 272
Language: English
PRAISE FOR MARCUS VEGA DOESN'T SPEAK SPANISH:

*"Excellent." --School Library Journal, starred review

*"An ideal read for boys or reluctant readers." --School Library Connection, starred review

"A compelling read about the meaning of family, identity, and culture." --Kirkus Reviews

"Thoughtful and thought provoking." --Booklist

"Cartaya's follow-up to 2018 Pura Belpré Honor Book The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora (rev. 7/17) shines." --Horn Book

PRAISE FOR THE EPIC FAIL OF ARTURO ZAMORA:

*"Irresistibly exquisite."--Kirkus Reviews, starred review

*"At turns funny, beautiful, and heartbreaking."--Booklist, starred review

*"A vibrant debut novel about family, friendship, and community."--Publishers Weekly, starred review