ACL

Association of Children's Librarians

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • About
  • Calendar
    • Past Institutes
    • Sex Ed for Librarians 2022
    • Performers’ Showcase
  • Resources
    • Storytime Ideas
    • Read-alikes
    • Reviews
    • Programming Ideas
    • Professional Development
    • Distinguished Books Lists
    • More…
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Join

Review

Shine On, Luz Véliz! Review

Balcárcel, Rebecca. Shine On, Luz Véliz!. Fiction. Chronicle, 05/2022. 332pp. $17.99. 978-1-7972-0967-8. HIGH ADDITIONAL. GRADES 4-6.

Luz divides her life into before and after. She used to be a soccer star, tightly bonded to her dad who coached her team. Post injury, Luz puts her trophies in the garbage and warms the bench. Her dad seems barely able to look at her. But when a massive surprise from her dad’s home country of Guatemala arrives on their doorstep, Luz and her family must rebuild their life. A retired tech-savvy neighbor, a chance encounter with robotics, and three bilingual classmates she’s overlooked, all offer clues to a new version of Luz. Luz’s struggle feels real and messy, as she adapts to not being a star and her presumptions get in her way. Strong family support and a wise neighbor help her shift focus and build a new identity based on both challenge and acceptance. The only confusing element is a tragic story of deportation that isn’t thoroughly integrated into the story and feels like it exists only to motivate the main characters.

Melissa McAvoy, Retired

Published on Jun 16, 2022
Posted by: Melissa McAvoy
Ablaze with Color Review »
« Blast Off! Review

Recent Posts

  • Jordan Says Good Job Review
  • Dev Tries his Best Review
  • Reiko’s Team Review
  • Fish Storytime
  • Mountains Storytime

Sign up to receive our blog and other updates by email.

Blog updates
Sending

Categories

  • ACL Events
  • Awards
  • Board Book Round Up
  • Media Watch
  • Message from ACL
  • News
  • Obituary
  • Out of the Ordinary
  • Outstanding Books of the Month
  • Professional Development
  • Programming Ideas
  • Review
  • San Francisco Public Library
  • storytime
  • Updates
  • Website of the Month

Tags

2018 Summer Reading 2019 Summer Reading ACL BayNews ACL Institute ACL Meeting ALA Conference ALSC American Library Association Arne Nixon Center BAYA Bay Area Storytelling Festival BayNews Beatty Award Beverly Cleary Board books Boston Globe-Horn Book Awards Caldecott Medal California Library Association Children's Fairyland CLA Common Core Do-It-Yourself Programs Dorothy Helfeld Fellowships Dr. Seuss Edgar Awards Ezra Jack Keats Awards fantasy Flap books Infopeople Jacqueline Woodson Kate DiCamillo Mary Ann Scheuer Maurice Sendak National Book Award National Book Awards Newbery Medal Oakland Public Library outstanding Performers' Showcase Pop-up books School Library Journal Storytime Summer Reading Summer Reading Program Sydney Taylor Awards

Archives

  • 2022
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2021
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2020
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2019
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2018
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2017
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2016
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2015
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2014
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2013
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2012
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2011
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2010
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2009
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2008
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2007
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • July
    • June
    • April
    • February
    • January
  • 2006
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • March
    • February
  • 2005
    • December
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • March
  • 2004
    • December
    • September
    • January
  • 2003
    • October
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • February
    • January
  • 2002
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • May
  • 2001
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • March
    • February
  • 2000
    • December
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • June
    • May
    • March
    • January
  • 1999
    • December
    • November

© Copyright 1999 - 2022 Association of Children's Librarians of Northern California · All Rights Reserved · Log In