Hands

November 1, 2022
A 12-year-old boy grapples with his ability to handle conflict without using his hands. Trevor has a problem--his stepdad is due to return home after being sent to jail two years ago for abusing his mother. His stepdad made him promise to always protect his mother and sisters, but how can Trevor protect them from his stepdad? Stressed, Trevor decides to learn how to box at the rec center. However, his plan falls apart when he's turned away--the trainers promised Trevor's late Uncle Lou that they'd make sure the boy stayed in school and avoided fighting. Still restless and frustrated, Trevor seeks advice from his other uncles--men around his neighborhood whom he considers family. Although they each have their own approach to Trevor's situation, one thing is obvious: They don't want Trevor using violence to solve his problems. Trevor is a gifted artist, and the uncles know he has a chance at achieving big dreams. Trevor must decide what kind of person he aspires to be and what he's willing to risk for his future. The author caters to reluctant readers while exploring complex ideas surrounding community, domestic abuse, and problem-solving. Brief chapters, a fast-paced narrative, and simple language make this an accessible read. The characters feel relatable, and Trevor's love for his community comes through clearly in the first-person narration. Though by the conclusion Trevor's problems aren't over, that doesn't mean he's facing them alone. Trevor and the cast are cued as Black. A short story with a lasting impact. (Fiction. 10-14)

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November 28, 2022
With help from his friend and neighbor Pete, 12-year-old Trev begins learning how to box, hoping to use these skills to defend his mother and sisters from his jealous and violent stepfather, who maintains he’s the “only man in the house” and is returning home from two years in jail for physically abusing Trev’s mom. Trev also finds solace in artistic pursuits,
particularly his love of illustrating superheroes, after whom he models his athletic goals: he also often pushes himself to his limits while training to become a competent boxer like his grandfather. This training starts impacting Trev’s studies and his relationship with his community, however: after he smashes a window with his bare hands, scaring a younger neighbor, he reckons with the consequences of unchecked emotions surrounding his newfound physical strength and stemming from internalized toxic masculinity. Trev navigates his trauma by seeking advice from older men in his neighborhood and adapts to what he believes is positive masculinity. This intense page-turner by Maldonado (What Lane?) perceptively explores the complexities of one Black tween’s experience facing difficult situations, the effect that violence has on one family’s future, and the value of community when working through hardship. Ages 10–up.

Starred review from December 9, 2022

Gr 5 Up-Maldonado's latest tells a story many middle grade kids will have an immediate personal connection to: shouldering adult problems and taking them on as their own. Trev is scared after his abusive stepfather is sent back to jail and tries to prepare for the man's imminent release by learning to box so he can defend himself and his family by fighting with his hands. Trev is a gifted artist and is constantly being told by the adults around him that he has promise and a future; fighting is not intuitive to him. He dreams of taking his mother and sisters away from the projects to a place that he will not have to "throw hands" as a method of defense. Maldonado's story moves quickly, but it packs a punch with a rapidly progressing plot and short chapters. Tweens will appreciate the tight prose. When the novel concludes, readers will feel a sense of the real community Trev has beyond his immediate family. They will also appreciate the complex supporting characters and feel hopeful for Trev's future. Those who have enjoyed Maldonado's earlier books as well as fans of Jason Reynolds "Track" series will love this one too. VERDICT This is an absolute must-have for every middle grade library collection.-Kim Gardner

Copyright 2022 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 1, 2022
Grades 5-8 The last time Trev saw his stepfather was the day he got arrested for hitting Trev's mother. His stepfather swore that day that he'd get Trev's mother back for putting him in jail. That was years ago, and Trev has been counting down the weeks until his stepfather is released from prison. To prove that he's not "soft," Trev starts teaching himself to fight. As he grows stronger, those around him become concerned about the path he may be going down. The same hands that Trev is planning on using for violence are the hands that could allow Trev to become a great artist. Can those who care for him guide Trev towards the right path before it's too late? This coming-of-age story is about the choices one can make and how they can affect one's future, as well as the importance of family, even those who may not be related by blood. This has a powerful plot and an immersive text, and it's packaged in a short format perfect for impatient readers.

COPYRIGHT(2022) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

January 1, 2023
Twelve-year-old Trevor is a gifted comic-book artist, a good student, and a kind brother to his three sisters. But two years earlier, his stepdad was sent to prison for hitting Trevor's mother, and Trevor fears what will happen when his stepdad returns. He figures he had better learn to "throw hands," taking inspiration from the posters of Muhammad Ali and Creed on his bedroom wall. He bulks up, learns to box, and, at almost six feet tall, feels he might be able to protect his mother. But he has uncles -- some "blood uncles," some not -- who guide him in another direction. Uncle Larry tells Trevor that his mother is stronger than he realizes: "You know the Jedi have the Force? Well, your mother is a force." And he says that fighting his stepdad would be like Luke Skywalker fighting Darth Vader: where would that lead? With such guidance, Trevor comes to realize that he may not have all the answers, but he does have the support of family and friends who care about him as he makes his own way in life. Based on Maldonado's own experience of growing up in Brooklyn's Red Hook Houses, this is an accessible, engaging, and heartfelt story.

(Copyright 2023 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)