Salsa Magic

Starred review from July 3, 2023
Marrero’s beguiling debut about a Latine 13-year-old uncovering her mystical ancestral power is profoundly magical. When she’s not playing soccer with her crush Kayla, who reads as Black, Maya Beatriz Montenegro Calderon spends most afternoons and weekends waiting tables at her family’s Brooklyn restaurant, Café Taza. One day, Maya notices a mysterious old woman who looks like a figure from her dreams. Maya learns that the stranger is Titi Yaya, Abuela Chacha’s sister, whom Abuela hasn’t seen in 20 years. Abuela reluctantly lets Titi Yaya live in the apartment above the café, sternly warning the family not to talk to her. But Maya won’t let that stop her; she sneaks upstairs to meet with Titi Yaya, who informs Maya that she’s been chosen by Yemaya, the Yoruban goddess of water, to succeed Yaya as a bruja. Maya’s lively voice dazzles amid a standout cast that includes her lovably unruly cousins as well as memorable neighbors and classmates of varied Black and Latine heritages. In this evocative multigenerational tale, Marrero cultivates a rich N.Y.C. setting that feels like a character in itself, bursting with even richer depictions of cultural traditions. Ages 8–12. Agent: Joy Tutela, David Black Literary.

July 1, 2023
Grades 4-7 For 13-year-old Maya, life revolves around working in her family's Puerto Rican restaurant, Caf� Taza, in Brooklyn and playing soccer. But lately, her mind has been preoccupied with dreams of a mysterious woman in white. She's shocked, then, when her great-aunt Yaya (rumored to be a witch and never discussed due to a falling-out) arrives from Puerto Rico and is a match for the woman in Maya's dreams. What's more, Tit� Yaya is staying in the apartment above the restaurant, and Maya can't help the curiosity and connection she feels to her. Tit� Yaya practices Santer�a, and Marrero folds Puerto Rican and Yoruba history and folklore into the story as Maya learns more about her roots. Maya's large, bustling family is a joy to experience, and Spanish flies through the air as mouthwatering Puerto Rican dishes flow from the kitchen. A first crush adds a dash of sweetness to the lightly magical tale, and developments on the soccer field bring action and drama. A spirited debut about finding oneself, familial love, and forgiveness.

COPYRIGHT(2023) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Starred review from July 15, 2023
A 13-year-old experiences upheaval within herself and her family. Caf� Taza in Fort Greene, Brooklyn, is owned by the close-knit Calderon family and is where Maya Beatriz Montenegro Calderon spends most of her time when she's not busy being a star soccer player. Maya and her lively Puerto Rican family do their best to keep the cafe running despite the rapid gentrification of their neighborhood. Maya's eighth grade year brings new developments--her friendship with teammate Kayla grows, a soccer rivalry intensifies, and she has strangely vivid dreams involving water and an unknown woman that evoke feelings of d�j� vu. As if she's been summoned, the mystery woman--her estranged great-aunt Titi Yaya--suddenly appears, dredging up a decades-old feud with Maya's abuela. Maya determinedly seeks to understand why her family became so divided and why she feels a connection to Titi Yaya and the water. Defying Abuela's command to never speak to her great-aunt, Maya starts sneaking around, trying to learn about her Yoruba heritage and the destiny that awaits her. The energetic, bilingual dialogue is welcoming, textured, and accessible; combined with the story's fast pace, it will keep readers engaged through an expertly written exploration of an Afro-Latine family's history and the pantheon of West African gods. Marrero's debut beautifully weaves together themes of family trauma, first crushes, spirituality, and history as Maya embarks on her journey of self-discovery. An uplifting, beautifully rendered story of family bonds and embracing the unknown. (Fiction. 8-12)

COPYRIGHT(2023) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Starred review from September 1, 2023

Gr 4-8-Maya Montenegro Calderon lives in Brooklyn with her large Puerto Rican family. At 13, she spends all her time at school, playing soccer, or helping out at the family restaurant, Cafe Taza. Recently, Maya has been plagued by curious dreams and questions that her family refuses to answer until she is older. Then her mysterious Titi Yaya arrives on the Cafe Taza doorstep, and Maya's world is rocked and the strangeness in her life becomes even more frequent. In this novel steeped in family lore and West African Yoruba beliefs, Maya navigates old ideas and thirsts for new knowledge as she discovers how she fits into her vibrant family and the world beyond. It's told through Maya's first-person narrative; her stream of consciousness is endearing and relatable, and peppered with Spanish. Readers are transported to the streets of Brooklyn and treated to the sights, sounds, and smells of life in the restaurant. Characters are as diverse as the streets of New York; main family members are Puerto Rican, Afro Caribbean, and Mexican. VERDICT A must-buy for public and school libraries. Hand to readers who love magical realism and coming-of-age stories.-Maryjean Riou

Copyright 2023 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.