reformadeflorida Book Reviews

“Hungered” Amanda Rizkalla

Henry Holt and Company (Macmillan). Published May 19, 2026.

Recommended for ages 14-16.

Reviewed by: Alma Ramos-McDermott

Category: Young Adult

Rating: 3 stars

Twelve-year-old Sophia and her four-year-old brother Rafa lived in a car with their mother. Life had been normal with their half-Mexican/half-Arabic family until their father did something bad. As a result, Mama packed up the car with them and a few of their things and left. For weeks they drove aimlessly, parked in strange places at night, cleaned up wherever they could, and went hungry for long periods of time. Mama was desperate, selling her wedding ring and doing what she could to find food and get gas money. She finally found a job, but it was hard to save for an apartment, so they continued to live in the car. Sophia and Rafa spent a lot of time at the library waiting for her to come back from work or amusing themselves in the car with silly games. Things seemed to look up when they found an apartment, went back to school, and Sophia made friends. Unfortunately, their lives were soon uprooted once again.

I understood the author was writing about the effects of homelessness and poverty on families, a young girl’s changing feelings and emotions, and how memories helped get her through a trying time. What I didn’t understand was the confusing ending, the priest’s identity, why he called their mother a different name, and why she ran from him. Since he comes up quite a bit, I don’t understand why this wasn’t explained. I had given it 4 stars because of the important subject matter but took away 1 star because of it being incomplete in these areas.

Though I wasn’t a fan of its incompleteness, the subject is important, so I will recommend it to readers ages 14-16. (Though Sophia is only 12, mature subject matter on the birds and the bees makes it more suitable for an older audience.)

I received an advanced e-reading copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Note: This review was originally published on You Decide: Should I read it or not?

Reproduced here as a courtesy to Alma Ramos-McDermott.

reformadeflorida Book Reviews

“Hear ye mortals” Yamile Saied Méndez

Levine Querido (Chronicle Books). Published May 5, 2026.

Recommended for ages 16 and older.

Reviewed by: Alma Ramos-McDermott

Category: Young Adult

Rating: 5 stars

When a teen girl is murdered in the city of Rosario, Argentina, an angel is sent to collect her soul, but her body hasn’t yet been discovered, and she doesn’t remember her name. To help her remember while they waited, the angel told her the story of a band called Río Babel which she had been on her way to hear when she was killed. Though it had been fifty years since she’d last been with them, the angel had never forgotten. A piece of her soul would forever be tied to their famous song.

In 1976, teen brothers Daniel and Adrián felt the pulse and beat of music in their souls. After a truck full of pigs crashed near their home and were slaughtered by the hungry people, Adrián wrote a song about it. With Daniel’s melody, it transfixed everyone who heard it. At the time, Argentinians were suffering under the brutal heel of an authoritarian government, so it was easy for the public to believe it was about the police and their heavy-handed treatment. The band was thrilled to hear their song on everyone’s lips, thinking it would rocket them to stardom. Instead of fame, the band found themselves in the crosshairs of those cleansing the country from people who make music that moves souls.

I was filled with sorrow as I read. Death narrated horrors in Zusak’s “The Book Thief.” So, too, does the angel describing how the brutal regime imprisoned, tortured, murdered, and disappeared tens of thousands. I wasn’t surprised to learn the U.S. knew about this brutal dictatorship, funding them with millions. It’s not a secret the U.S. was involved in destabilizing Latin American governments since the 19th century. During the Cold War, authoritarians had their financial backing to prevent communism from reaching its shores.

This would make an excellent book to include in a high school book club as well as one for Adults, as it has much to discuss. In 2021, the author won the first Young Adult Pura Belpré award ever given for her book “Furia.” I believe this book will net her another one when winners are announced in January 2027. You read it here first.

Highly recommended for ages 16 and older.

I received an advanced e-reading copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Note: This review was originally published on You Decide: Should I read it or not?

Reproduced here as a courtesy to Alma Ramos-McDermott.

reformadeflorida Events

May 19: “Using AI to Grow your Small Business”

Tuesday, May 19, 6-7:30pm EST

Presented by REFORMA de Florida & Bibliotele.

Join Santiago Villegas-Ceballos and Broward County Main Library (6th Floor) on May 19th from 6:00-7:30 pm for this important workshop using Creation Station Business on “Using AI to Grow your Small Business.”

Note: The program will be bilingual (English & Spanish). Register with the QR code below.

Santiago Villegas-Ceballos is an internationally recognized library innovator and engineer with over two decades of experience leading digital transformation across libraries and cultural institutions in Latin America.

USING AI (1)Download
reformadeflorida Chapter News

Our Membership Meeting at FLA 2026

We’ll hold an informal Membership Meeting Thursday morning (5/14) from 10:00-11:00 in the Mangrove Room at the FLA 2026 Orlando Conference. Everyone is welcome to attend. Come and learn more about us! Members unable to attend in person will get a ZOOM link on Wednesday, so check your email.

reformadeflorida Chapter News

Congratulations to Buddy Taylor Middle School!!

Congratulations to Kristine Smith and Buddy Taylor Middle School in Palm Coast. Kristine was one of two winners in REFORMA de Florida’s annual Pura Belpré Book Donation Award – open to any library (Little Free, Public, School, Charter, Independent, or Private) in Florida.

Kristine’s school library won a collection of Young Adult books, created by Latinx authors and illustrators in 2025, which portray the Latino cultural experience. She notes that the collection will serve as “literary mirrors” for Hispanic students, while “providing ‘windows’ for her broader student body to understand the rich diversity of the Latino experience.”

Below is a photo from Buddy Taylor Middle School’s new collection. Congratulations again!!

reformadeflorida Chapter News

Congratulations to the Clay County Public Library!!

Congratulations to Kaylee Benner and Clay County Public Library in Fleming Island, FL. Kaylee was one of two winners in REFORMA de Florida’s annual Pura Belpré Book Donation Award – open to any library (Little Free, Public, School, Charter, Independent, or Private) in Florida.

Her library system won a collection of Children’s books, created by Latinx authors and illustrators in 2025, which portray the Latino cultural experience. The collection will be utilized in library branches with a high concentration of Latino users.

Melissa M. McNicol, Deputy Director of Library Services at Clay County, noted that the books “look wonderful” and they “loved the variety.” Below are photos from their new collection. Congratulations again!!