Ultraviolet -- Aida Salazar, Hardcover
Sometimes life explodes in technicolor.
In the spirit of Judy Blume, award-winning author Aida Salazar tells it like it is about puberty, hormones, and first love in this hilarious, heartwarming, and highly relatable coming-of-age story. Perfect for fans of Jason Reynolds, Kwame Alexander, and Adib Khorram.
* "Stunning...A story that sings to the soul." --Kirkus Reviews, starred review
* "A compassionate verse novel about first love, heartbreak, and vulnerability. " --Publishers Weekly, starred review
"This important and intensely relatable tale perfectly captures the angst of growing up. A true gift to maturing tweens everywhere." --Ernesto Cisneros, Pura Belpré award-winning author of Efrén Divided
For Elio Solis, eighth grade fizzes with change--His body teeming with hormones. His feelings that flow like lava. His relationship with Pops, who's always telling him to man up, the Solis way. And especially Camelia, his first girlfriend.
But then, betrayal and heartbreak send Elio spiraling toward revenge, a fight to prove his manhood, and defend Camelia's honor. He doesn't anticipate the dire consequences--or that Camelia's not looking for a savior.
Hilarious, heartwarming, and highly relatable, Ultraviolet digs deep into themes of consent, puberty, masculinity, and the emotional lives of boys, as it challenges stereotypes and offers another way to be in the world.
Author: Aida Salazar
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Published: 04/02/2024
Pages: 304
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.81lbs
Size: 7.73h x 5.75w x 1.02d
ISBN: 9781338775655
Audience: Ages 9-12
Review Citation(s):
Publishers Weekly 01/22/2024
Kirkus Reviews 02/01/2024
Bulletin of Ctr for Child Bks 03/01/2024
Booklist 03/15/2024 pg. 68
School Library Journal 04/01/2024 pg. 130
BookPage 04/01/2024
About the Author
Aida Salazar is an award-winning author and arts activist whose writings for adults and children explore issues of identity and social justice. She is the author of the middle-grade verse novels The Moon Within (International Latino Book Award Winner), Land of the Cranes (Amricas Award Winner), the picture book anthology, In the Spirit of a Dream, and the picture book biography Jovita Wore Pants: The Story of a Mexican Freedom Fighter. She is a founding member of Las Musas, a Latinx kidlit debut author collective. Her short story "By the Light of the Moon" was adapted into a ballet production by the Sonoma Conservatory of Dance and is the first Xicana-themed ballet in history. She lives with her family of artists in Oakland, California.