Puppy Love

May 1, 2023
A boy dreams of love and basketball stardom following public embarrassment. After missing a shot and costing his basketball team a chance at the championship--a humiliation witnessed by his crush, Sierra Mendez--13-year-old Jordan Mendoza is sitting by the canal, nursing his injured ego, when he spots a puppy struggling in the water. Jordan saves the puppy and later, guided by a dream, finds a second one. When Coach emails with news that their team will compete in the playoffs after all, Jordan anticipates his possible redemption. In fact, after he scores the winning basket, Sierra invites him to volunteer cleaning up litter with her the next day. That night, another dream sends Jordan back to the canal, where he finds a partially submerged car, a discovery that leads to yet another puppy in need of rescue. But just before his meeting with Sierra, the police, investigating the car and the drug-related crimes linked to it, arrive and bring Jordan in for questioning. The investigation, Jordan's relationship with Sierra, and the championship game intertwine in a headlong rush toward a satisfying, bittersweet ending. Employing a close-third-person narration centered on Jordan, Soto skirts thorny social issues, which are only ever hinted at through the parents' reactions. Lighthearted storytelling punctuated with humor makes this novel an enjoyable read. Most characters appear to be Latine. A feel-good novel about a boy's first love. (Fiction. 10-13)

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May 15, 2023
Thirteen-year-old Jordan Mendoza thinks his height will give him an advantage while playing on his school’s basketball team, until he misses a game-winning shot in front of the entire gym, including his crush Sierra. While hanging out near a local canal—where he often goes to think and, more recently, to avoid his classmates’ humiliating teasing—Jordan notices and rescues a helpless puppy struggling to swim in the freezing waters. After bringing it to a local shelter and returning home to sleep, Jordan has a dream that urges him back to the canal, where he finds another pooch. Subsequent visions lead to more canine rescues, and after Jordan redeems his skills on the court by scoring the winning basket in an important game, he grows closer to Sierra, who invites him to help her clean up litter around the canal. But when Jordan’s excursions implicate him in a drug-related crime, the resulting inquiry threatens everything he’s worked so hard for. Jordan is a protagonist worth rooting for; through his compassionate and earnest POV, Soto (Lucky Luis) spins each seemingly disparate narrative into a cohesive and lightly socially conscious read. Most characters read as Latinx. Ages 8–12.

June 1, 2023
Grades 3-6 Jordan Mendoza is focused on two things: his recent failure on the basketball court and his adoration of Sierra, a girl he's barely spoken to. But as he stews about these things by a neighborhood canal, a flailing puppy floats by, and Jordan doesn't hesitate to jump in after it and bring it home. His parents welcome the damp pup, but strangely realistic dreams see Jordan biking back out to the dangerous canal again and again in search of more abandoned puppies he's sure he'll find--and he does. The dog drama interplays with a chance to be a basketball hero and win over his beloved Sierra, though not without plenty of challenges along the way. The frank, funny story is told in a wonderfully conversational tone, and it effortlessly captures the thrilling obsession of a first crush. The tight familial bonds are a particular delight, both tender and teasing, and it's gratifying to see Jordan's parents take him seriously on every subject. A delightful examination of friendship, family, and love in all its forms.

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