Starred Review for Kirkus Reviews

Malú wants to be totally punk at her new middle school, but her Mexican-American mother would prefer she learn to be a proper señorita. Twelve-year-old María Luisa O'Neill-Morales, aka Malú, loves punk-rock music, hanging out at her father's indie record store, and making zines. She doesn't love moving from her home in Gainesville, Florida, to Chicago for her professor mother's two-year appointment at a university. Although she loves both of her amicably divorced parents, Malú—who favors Chuck Taylors and music T's—feels closer to her laid-back, artsy white father than her supportive but critical academic mother, whom she calls "SuperMexican." At Malú's new majority-Latino school, she quickly makes an enemy of beautiful Selena, who calls her a "coconut" (brown on the outside, white on the inside) and warns her about falling in with the class "weirdos." Malú does befriend the school misfits (one activist white girl and two fellow "coconuts") and enlists them to form a band to play a punk song at the Fall Fiesta. Middle-grade readers will appreciate the examples of Malú's zines and artwork, which delightfully convey her journey of self-discovery. The author surrounds the feisty protagonist with a trio of older women (including her mom, her best friend Joe's tattooed, punk-loving mother, and his humorous Abuela) who help her embrace being Mexican and punk. A charming debut about a thoughtful, creative preteen connecting to both halves of her identity. (Fiction. 9-13)

School Library Journal Starred Review

Gr 3-6A fun romp through the awkward years of middle school that examines themes of identity and culture. When Malu has to move away from her dad and everything she knows, she takes her love of punk music with her. Following the rules of punk, she embarks on a new school journey, full of misadventures and hilarious life lessons. Malu is happy not to fit in with the crowd yet cannot bring herself to tell her mom that her passion for punk is not a rebellious phaseit's who she is. When classmates label Malu a coconut (brown on the outside and white on the inside), she is determined to prove to her school and herself that she is proud of her Mexican roots. With tenderness and humor, Pérez explores the joys and challenges of being biracial. Readers will connect with Malu, a strong protagonist who leaps off the page and whose zine-inspired artistry boldly illustrates how she deals with life. VERDICT Those who enjoy vivacious, plucky heroines, such as the protagonists of Brenda Woods's The Blossoming Universe of Violet Diamond, Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich and Audrey Vernick's Two Naomis, and Rebecca Stead's Goodbye Stranger, will eagerly embrace Malu.Jessica Bratt, Grand Rapids Public Library, MI

ALA Booklist

In her story of seventh-grader Malú, debut author Pérez harnesses the spirit of School of Rock and gives it a punk rock spin. Malú isn't happy about her recent move to Chicago, because it meant leaving her dad (her parents are amicably divorced) and his record store behind. She tries to assume a brave punk attitude, but she can't help being anxious on her first day of school, especially when she gets on the wrong side of the class mean girl. When Malú learns about the upcoming Fall Fiesta talent show, she decides to form a band, with the hopes of finding "her people" in the process. While this plan hits a few snags, it results in friendships and a Mexican punk mentor. Like any good riot grrrl, Malú finds a creative outlet in making zines, several of which appear in the novel and call attention to Malú's passions, heritage (she is half Mexican), and private concerns. Pérez delivers an upbeat story of being true to yourself and your beliefs, that tweens will rally behind.

Horn Book

[Books by Horn Book reviewers are not reviewed; we provide notice of publication and descriptive comment.] The first rule of punk is to be yourself, but it's hard for Malz, the bicultural daughter of divorced parents. Her white dad doesn't understand her internal struggles with her Mexican American identity, and her mom would rather Malz were more "seqorita" than punk. Starting a band becomes a chance to explore her heritage as well as her musical interests. Eight-page "zines" featuring Malz's collages punctuate the text.

Kirkus Reviews (Fri Oct 04 00:00:00 CDT 2024)

Malú wants to be totally punk at her new middle school, but her Mexican-American mother would prefer she learn to be a proper señorita. Twelve-year-old María Luisa O'Neill-Morales, aka Malú, loves punk-rock music, hanging out at her father's indie record store, and making zines. She doesn't love moving from her home in Gainesville, Florida, to Chicago for her professor mother's two-year appointment at a university. Although she loves both of her amicably divorced parents, Malú—who favors Chuck Taylors and music T's—feels closer to her laid-back, artsy white father than her supportive but critical academic mother, whom she calls "SuperMexican." At Malú's new majority-Latino school, she quickly makes an enemy of beautiful Selena, who calls her a "coconut" (brown on the outside, white on the inside) and warns her about falling in with the class "weirdos." Malú does befriend the school misfits (one activist white girl and two fellow "coconuts") and enlists them to form a band to play a punk song at the Fall Fiesta. Middle-grade readers will appreciate the examples of Malú's zines and artwork, which delightfully convey her journey of self-discovery. The author surrounds the feisty protagonist with a trio of older women (including her mom, her best friend Joe's tattooed, punk-loving mother, and his humorous Abuela) who help her embrace being Mexican and punk. A charming debut about a thoughtful, creative preteen connecting to both halves of her identity. (Fiction. 9-13)

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

After María Luisa O-Neill-Morales-Malú for short-and her divorced mother move from Florida to Chicago, the 12-year-old struggles with having her music-loving father so far away and with living up to a mother she has nicknamed SuperMexican. -Admit it, Mom,- Malú says during one of their squabbles. -I-m just your weird, unladylike, sloppy-Spanish-speaking, half-Mexican kid.- Malú takes solace in punk music and in creating handmade zines, which appear throughout; she also begins to make friends, forming a band-the Co-Co-s-that blends punk and Mexican music. (It also reclaims the slur -coconut,- which one of Malú-s classmates calls her.) Pérez-s debut is as exuberant as its heroine, who discovers that there-s real overlap between her Mexican heritage and the punk ethos she so admires. The relationships between children and parents are handled especially well: Malú chafes at her mother-s traditionalism while idolizing her friend Joe-s mother, a cafe owner who represents a merging of Mexican and punk cultures in a way that impresses Malú. A rowdy reminder that people are at their best when they aren-t forced into neat, tidy boxes. Ages 9-12. Agent: Stefanie Von Borstel, Full Circle Literary. (Aug.)