Starred Review for Kirkus Reviews (Thu Aug 04 00:00:00 CDT 2022)

Together, neighbors and friends Isaac and Marco navigate the challenges of middle school, divorced parents, and basketball tryouts.Brand-new sixth graders Isaac Castillo and Marco Honeyman are more like family than friends. Despite their apparent differences-Isaac's a talented basketball player who struggles academically, while Marco's a supershort straight-A student who prefers chess to contact sports-they have been inseparable besties since kindergarten. Isaac knows how to talk Marco through his panic attacks and discussions of his absent father, and Marco calmly listens to Isaac's fears about his father's not-so-secret alcohol abuse. After a misunderstanding leads Isaac's former teammates to convince Marco he could be their middle school basketball team's next Muggsy Bogues (the smallest player in NBA history), Marco and Isaac dedicate themselves to getting him a spot on the team, even though he's never played before. The dual point-of-view story repudiates toxic masculinity and encourages collaboration and generosity. The quick-moving plot also spotlights the various ways preteens and their parents fall short of their goals only to end up stronger because of their resilience and grit. Both protagonists are Latinx: Isaac is Jewish and Mexican, and Marco is Mexican American. Cisneros' touching sophomore novel is an ideal pick for sports fans and will reel in reluctant readers.A touching exploration of friendship, teamwork, and Mamba Mentality. (author's note) (Fiction. 9-13)

School Library Journal Starred Review (Thu Aug 04 00:00:00 CDT 2022)

Gr 47 Marco Honeyman and Isaac Castillo are next-door neighbors and best friends, despite their apparent differences: Jewish-Mexican Marco is small and book-smart, while Isaac, who is also Latinx, is a gifted and hard-working basketball player who struggles to manage his homework. Part of Marco and Isaac's bond is their desire for approval from their divorced parents. Isaac hopes his mom won't give up on him the way she gave up on his dad because of his drinking, and Marco wishes his dad would come back and be proud of him. When they enter middle school, Marco and Isaac stand by each other, despite different classes and friend groups. When Marco decides to try out for the baseketball team to impress his father (despite never playing before), Isaac coaches him. The boys' bond of friendship is the core of the story; they have honest conversations, admire each other's good qualities, and support each other through anxiety attacks and family problems. After a tough tournament game, Isaac concludes, "Life is like a game of basketballit pretty much comes down to the hustle we put in." VERDICT At every turn, Isaac and Marco support each other in this affirming story of basketball, middle school, friendship, and family, and choosing kindness and determination over easy cowardice or cruelty. Highly recommended for school and public libraries. Jenny Arch

Horn Book (Mon Oct 07 00:00:00 CDT 2024)

The first day of sixth grade at Mendez Middle School is coming up, and Isaac Castillo's Ama expects him to become "mas responsable": "no more forgetting my lunch, no more missing homework, no more detentions, no more bad grades. And most importantly, no more tears for Ama -- at least not because of me." Isaac's parents are getting a divorce, and he hopes that his good behavior can keep the family together. Isaac's best friend, Marco Honeyman ("half-Jewish, half-Mexican"), lives next door, and his parents are divorcing, too. Unlike Isaac, he's a top student: "all geek awards, nothing my dad can brag about." Maybe if Marco plays a sport, he can make his father proud. Alternating first-person narrations effectively offer Isaac's and Marco's perspectives on their own experiences and on each other's. Isaac teaches Marco to play basketball, and Marco -- who's truly bad at offense but is a scrappy defensive player -- makes the team; the latter part of the novel features exciting basketball action. By the end, Isaac has indeed become more responsible, and his schoolwork is better. He has learned how much basketball is like life and school: "It pretty much comes down to the hustle we put in." Though their families don't come back together the way that they'd hoped, the boys do indeed make their loved ones proud. A well-told story of family, friends, basketball, and life.

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

Together, neighbors and friends Isaac and Marco navigate the challenges of middle school, divorced parents, and basketball tryouts.Brand-new sixth graders Isaac Castillo and Marco Honeyman are more like family than friends. Despite their apparent differences-Isaac's a talented basketball player who struggles academically, while Marco's a supershort straight-A student who prefers chess to contact sports-they have been inseparable besties since kindergarten. Isaac knows how to talk Marco through his panic attacks and discussions of his absent father, and Marco calmly listens to Isaac's fears about his father's not-so-secret alcohol abuse. After a misunderstanding leads Isaac's former teammates to convince Marco he could be their middle school basketball team's next Muggsy Bogues (the smallest player in NBA history), Marco and Isaac dedicate themselves to getting him a spot on the team, even though he's never played before. The dual point-of-view story repudiates toxic masculinity and encourages collaboration and generosity. The quick-moving plot also spotlights the various ways preteens and their parents fall short of their goals only to end up stronger because of their resilience and grit. Both protagonists are Latinx: Isaac is Jewish and Mexican, and Marco is Mexican American. Cisneros' touching sophomore novel is an ideal pick for sports fans and will reel in reluctant readers.A touching exploration of friendship, teamwork, and Mamba Mentality. (author's note) (Fiction. 9-13)

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

Cisneros (Efrén Divided) follows up his Pura Belpré Award-winning debut with a playful and perceptive middle grade contemporary tale about two best friends that-s dedicated to -everyone who has ever felt like they fall short of what the world expects of them.- It-s the start of sixth grade at California-s Mendez Middle School, and best friends Isaac Castillo, who is of Mexican descent, and Marco Honeyman, who is -half-Jewish, half-Mexican,- have big goals for the school year. Though Isaac is a gifted basketball player who displays excellent sportsmanship on the court, he struggles to get good grades. Meanwhile, Marco, a short-statured, self-professed -geek- and straight-A student, has no natural aptitude for sports. But with renewed efforts-and each other-s help-they aim to become all-rounders on and off the court (-Win or lose, you gotta keep shooting the ball-because eventually, it will go in-). Told through animated alternating first-person chapters, Cisneros-s story not only captures the anxiety-and at times, humor-of trying to measure up to expectations, it also tackles delicate subject matter, such as parental absence and alcohol reliance, with profound sensitivity and nuance. A narrative slam dunk for fans of Donna Barba Higuera and Meg Medina. Ages 8-12. Agent: Deborah Warren, East/West Literary. (Mar.)