Starred Review Gonzalez and Epstein's illuminating and engaging graphic novel begins in the principal's office, where five Latino kids orge, Nico, Miguel, Dayara, and Sara ve been summoned. Over the course of the book, the circumstance that lands them in the office becomes clear: while assigned to community service duty in the cafeteria, which mostly involves being scolded by the lunch lady and picking up the yard outside, the group meets a little girl and her mom who are living in their van. The kids want to help, but doing so involves skirting around the lunch lady's rules en though they're clearly doing a good thing. Gonzalez and Epstein nicely flesh out each kids' characters with snippets of family lives or challenges at school, and the variety of their experiences offers a glimpse of the rich diversity of Latino experiences. All of the kids speak Spanish, to varying degrees, and the speech balloons not only include dialogue in both Spanish and English but neatly reveal miscommunication and even some linguistic jokes. In her inviting, warm, and expressive artwork, Epstein portrays a refreshing variety of body shapes, skin tones, and hair colors among the characters, which further emphasizes that there's not one way to be Latino. With a sweet twist at the end, multifaceted characters, and moments of genuine comedy, this is pitch-perfect for anyone who loves Raina Telgemeier or Varian Johnson.

Color by Lark Pien. Gonzalez and Epstein's compelling graphic novel opens with five students from Conrad Middle School sitting in the principal's office. They assume they're in trouble but aren't sure why -- the why they're actually there is uncovered through flashback scenes from each of the kids that form the story's narrative. Originally, the five were grouped together for early morning cafeteria clean-up duty because of a misperception about in-common Latin heritage, but none of the kids identifies primarily as Latine. Jorge (he prefers George) is American and Puerto Rican; Nico is Venezuelan; Miguel is Dominican; Dayara is Cuban; and Sara is Mexican. Gonzalez uses a mix of English and Spanish (and Spanglish) in her narrative, highlighting how assumptions about language and academic ability based on ethnic origin are inappropriate and often false. The story ably explores the concept of diversity within the Latin community, including national origin, race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status, debunking the harmful myth that the Latin diaspora is monolithic. At the same time, each of the students is challenged to make sense of their internal and external personas -- a universal experience for middle schoolers. The vivid, nuanced illustrations feature bold colors and dynamic movement and enhance character development. In the end, the real reason the kids have been summoned is a surprise to them all -- and a heartwarming model of selflessness and community building.

Middle schooler Jorge “George” Rivera, an American student of Puerto Rican descent, just wants to keep his head down until he can get into a high school magnet program. When he’s called into the principal’s office about the school’s community service initiative, he’s worried that the administration knows he’s recently moved outside the school district with his single mother, who’s experiencing financial precarity. But the principal, portrayed as Black and obsessed with winning an annual award for the initiative, tells George that he can carry out his service hours in the cafeteria, alongside “students like you.” Though he doesn’t speak much Spanish, George finds himself assigned as translator for a disparate group of kids—tough-seeming Dayara, who is Cuban; Dominican jock Miguel; rich kid Nico, who’s Venezuelan; and loner Sara, who’s Mexican. When the group meets an unhoused family, though, they come together to provide assistance in their own way. Alternating flashbacks among the five students, Gonzalez (Concealed) clearly shows how each kid—all characterized distinctly and with complexity—is more than others’ assumptions. Epstein’s expressive contemporary style brings the characters’ singular experiences to the forefront in a story that largely focuses on its child protagonists finding community over change among its biased adults. Creators’ notes conclude. Ages 8–12. Author’s agent: Jennifer Rofé, Andrea Brown Literary. Illustrator’s agent: Chelsea Eberly, Greenhouse Literary. (Aug.)