Welcome to Windows & Mirrors, where we feature books that provide us windows to lives outside our own and mirrors to our shared common human experiences.
This week we are featuring Tight by Torrey Maldonado
Bryan is a Puerto Rican sixth grader whose home life is always full of drama. He has a very awkward relationship with his dad, who is newly released from prison. His dad seems much more interested in hanging out with his homeboys than spending time with his family. His mom wants Bryan to avoid the path his father has chosen and prefers for him to focus on schoolwork more than friends. Bryan, who loves comic books, superheroes, and drawing, is also wary of hanging out with the wrong crowd. He loves the comfort of his room, where he can relax and be himself.
But then his parents encourage him to hang out with Mike. At first Mike seems cool, like the older brother relationship Bryan has always longed for. He even loves comics and knows a lot about superheroes. But as Bryan gets to know Mike better, things change. Mike encourages Bryan to forge a note from his mom so he can cut school. He coaxes him into jumping turnstiles for the subway. And then he bullies him into jumping onto a moving train. Bryan finds himself stuck, wanting to please his parents by hanging out with someone who asks him to make all the wrong choices. As their behavior gets riskier and endangers others, Bryan has to decide if he’s on the path to being a superhero or if he’s becoming a supervillain.
I cannot possibly praise this story highly enough for how well it will connect with young readers. The voice is spot on perfect, and even reluctant readers will love it! The plot is suspenseful, and I was tied up in knots wanting Bryan to make the right choices for himself. The story encourages readers to know themselves and be themselves, to be thoughtful and authentic with their friendships, and to think before they act. There’s a great lesson here for adults too about the dangers of pushing your child into friendships that make them feel uncomfortable.
Comic book and superhero fans will be thoroughly engrossed with this fantastic story for ages 10+. Perfect for fans of Jason Reynold’s Ghost and David Barclay’s The Stars Beneath Our Feet.
Torrey is also the author of highly acclaimed Secret Saturdays. His bio on his website is so wonderful, I’m sharing it word for word here.
Growing up, Torrey hated reading. No. He hated boring books and books that seemed to hate or dismiss him and where he was from. With books failing him in a failing school, he unplugged so hard from books that he repeated a grade, almost three times. Luckily, he was introduced to NOT boring and culturally responsive books. It inspired him to become a middle school teacher and author. For nearly 20 years, he has used the formula that hooked him to books. Provide mirror and window books for readers to love, they will love those books back, and book-lovers and writers will grow. He still teaches in the Brooklyn neighborhood where he was born and raised and uses his students’ & his experiences to write what readers say “don’t feel like books”. Voted a “Top 10 Latino Author” & best Middle Grade & Young Adult novelist for African Americans, he was spotlighted as a top teacher by NYC’s former Chancellor. His writing is praised for its current-feel, realness, & universal themes.
