Honestly, I tried to like this book because it is a Rick Riordan presents book. However, it was just not for me. It had the potential with a new mythology for me to explore. The plot was really silly and just seemed full of plot holes especially with the chicken and black hole.

Highly enjoyable for students. Full of adventure and that keep the engaged. Glad a sequel is coming.

My upper elementary students are huge fans of Rick Riordan, and I’ve had great success with adding his “presents” books to my collection as well. This was a great tale about two kids who have to learn to work together despite not being huge fans of each other. A great lesson for kids! Thank you, NetGalley for the ARC!

Everything Rick Riordan Presents touches is gold, and Sal and Gabi is no exception. The characters are lovable, the world building is well done. The story is fast paced and riveting. It's a delightful read.

A cute story in the Rick Riordan presents series about two kids who hate each other and must work together to save the universe. Adopted for my middle school library and my students love it.

A wonderful middle grade novel!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in return for an honest review.

Among other things, this book made me crave Cuban food which really doesn't happen very often. It's the best kind of weird and the best kind of fun and I wish Culeco was a real school I could have gone to as a kid. This is gonna be my staff pick ASAP.

This book wasn't what I thought it would be. I was expecting something to do with mythology. I didn't hate this book but I didn't really enjoy it as much as the other books in this imprint. Trying to keep track of all of Gabi's various dads (who weren't well developed) was frustrating too. I doubt I will read the sequel. It wasn't the book for me but kids at my library may enjoy it so I will still share it with them.

My favorite thing about this book: the main characters! They alone made this outstanding, but I felt like the plot got too convoluted. There were so many details thrown in that I felt like the "rules" were way too flexible.
Sal and Gabi are both such strong characters; who wouldn't want students to read this story and say, "I want to be like them?" They are smart, with a strong sense of right and wrong, are responsible, and caring. I felt like they might use their "powers" to help in a tense situation, which they did.

This was a good entry in the "Rick Riordan presents" catalogue of new middle-grade, mythology-infused series. This one has a Cuban influence, but in a twist the focus is more on sci-fi, multiverse concepts than on myths and legends. It's also incredibly inclusive and has a lot of points with with readers can connect and identify. It's got male and female double-billing; its male star, Sal, is managing life with diabetes and after the death of his mother, and its female star, Gabi, has a loving and complex family of many dads and a brother born prematurely with a poor immune system. It's unique and vital and a lot of fun. I'll be reading the sequel.

SAL AND GABI BREAK THE UNIVERSE by Carlos Hernandez is a super cute story about friendship and loss told with lots of humor, magic and antics sprinkling throughout. I have since added it to my school library and will definitely be adding SAL AND GABI FIX THE UNIVERSE when it's released.

Sal and Gabi Break the Universe is probably the most unique book to come out of the Rick Riordan Presents imprint. This was an odd, quirky book that is unlike anything I’ve read recently. The best part was probably that the character were described in amazing ways that really made them come to life. The book was fairly slow moving, but I didn’t mind because every minute spent with these characters was great. Take a chance, and give this book a read.

Sal is the new kid at school, and Gabi is campaigning to be voted “Most Likely to Succeed”. Not exactly a book on grief, but the main character's mom has died, and through physics, Sal has the power to transfer people and animals from one universe to another, or sometimes from one locker to another. All very convenient, until it causes problems. This title had me laughing from the start, and drumming my fingers for the sequel by the end. Read it!

My Thoughts:
Rick Riordan is one of my favorite authors. I've read all of his books, some of them multiple times. When I heard that he was coming out with his own publishing company, I was so excited. I thought it would be amazing to read books by other authors that are similar to the genre he writes in, but with their own unique twist as well. The first book that I tried from his publishing company was Sal and Gabi Break the Universe. It ended up not being what I expected at all, but it was still a fun read.

When I first started Sal and Gabi Break the Universe, I had no idea what to expect. I expected a middle grade book about Cuban mythology, which isn't what I got at all. However, that's a good thing. Carlos Hernandez wrote a book unlike anything I could have imagined. It was definitely different from anything I have ever read before. I loved the humor in the book. The entire time I was reading the book, it seemed like I never stopped laughing or smiling at something that Sal did. I also greatly enjoyed learning about Cuban culture, and being a magician, both of which were things I knew next to nothing about before I picked up this book. After reading this book, I definitely want to do more research on both subjects. I especially find the superstitions around "brujas" to be fascinating in Cuban culture, and would love to learn more about that.

Even though I enjoyed reading Sal and Gabi Break the Universe, I did notice a couple of issues while I was reading the book. Maybe it's because I'm not the age range it was intended for, but I found the book to be over the top silly at times. The whole time I was reading the scenes in the hospital, especially the ones with nurse Sotolongo, I kept thinking to myself there's no way any of this would happen in a real hospital. Also, the thing with Gabi's dads was just a little bit over the top crazy, and confusing. When I was reading the book, it was hard to remember which dad was which, and what they did. Not even the nicknames helped. It made it harder to take the serious parts of the book seriously.

After finishing Sal and Gabi Break the Universe, I had mixed emotions. Parts of the book I really loved and was sad to be done with. Other parts, not so much. I know I definitely plan on picking up the sequel in March because I want to know what happens next, especially after the crazy that happened at the end of this book. I'm looking forward to reading more of Sal's quick wit, Gabi's bossy humor, and the rest of the crazy cast. I also plan on definitely reading more of the Rick Riordan Presents books as soon as I can get my hands on them.

I give Sal and Gabi Break the Universe: 3/5.

I received an advance ecopy of this title via NetGalley. My heartfelt thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley.

But more than anything else, I want to thank Carlos Hernandez. Sir, you are inimitable.

I tend to be rather liberal with my five-star ratings. I regret that when books like this come along. Because then I realize I have to edit every other review that I've ever given. That, or Goodreads needs to add more stars.

I will attempt to keep this review brief, at least relative to all that I want to say about this book.

I have nothing negative to say about this book except that I have to wait until 2020 for more Sal and Gabi. And that might just be the most positive negative that I could include in a book review.

Sal and Gabi are realistic characters with unique voices. They act like 13-year-olds while also being loud and proud in their uniqueness.

Carlos Hernandez had me tiptoeing the line between crying, gasping, and cracking a rib laughing. Stunning descriptions abound in this novel, but not to the point where they take center stage away from the characters and plot. I never had to wonder what something looked or worked like - and that's no easy feat when the characters are ripping holes in the universe and dressing up as Death.

Speaking of the plot . . . how elegant. The plot delicately weaves behind the real point: Sal's own growth and maturation, not only in his odd ability, but in the person he is growing into. I would be proud to emulate Sal every day in every pursuit, and I fervently hope that my future children look to Sal Vidón as the hero that he truly is.

Not a single character is under-served or underdeveloped, even characters that seemingly serve little purpose. Life isn't like that. Each person we encounter each and every day has a life as deep and rich as our own, and Mr. Hernandez treats his characters accordingly.

This book is the refreshing breath of diversity and inclusion that the middle grades literature market desperately needs . . . but it's done so beautifully that it simply falls right in line as if it has always been there. Too often, authors in middle grades (and YA) make the mistake of ramrodding their book's benefits down the reader's throats to the point where the story is lost. Not here. Sal, Gabi, and co. sparkle off of the page - and with five (seven? nine? I forgot to count) Dads running around, that's a whole lot of sparkle.

This is a book written with care, humor, and heart. I am a bit sad to see it end because now I don't get this time, this first ever read, back.

But 2020 brings with it more Sal, more Gabi, and more opportunities for me to wax eloquent over them. Thank you to anyone who touched this book on its journey to me, for you have enriched my life, and I am forever grateful.

A unique look at Cuban family and culture via alternate universes. Friends are made, bullies are dealt with and love and understanding abounds

Rick Riordan Presents has delivered some of my absolute favorite books this year, and SAL AND GABI BREAK THE UNIVERSE is part of that list. As is common with this imprint, culture (Cuban in this case) and humor play significant roles. I found myself laughing out loud so many times. Sal is the exact definition of a ham, in the best way possible. Gabi is ambitious and kind with a thorough list of extracurricular. They have a slow beginning to their friendship at first, but soon they prove to complement each other wonderfully. Their dialogue is fun, snappy, and perfect for the middle grade audience.

SAL AND GABI BREAK THE UNIVERSE veers more towards science fiction than fantasy, with Sal's ability being able to interact with multiple dimensions/parallel universes. I found this entirely fascinating, though I think the sequel will provide more logistical answers than book 1.

Underneath all the laughs are also several heart-breaking moments. Sal's grief for his mother is palpable (literally, he keeps accidentally bringing other versions of her into his world). Gabi's younger sibling is sick and often in the hospital. At a few points, you can really feel how overwhelming their lives are becoming and why their active support systems are so important.

With laughs, tears, and a random chicken or two, SAL AND GABI BREAK THE UNIVERSE has won me over as easily as the other stories in the Rick Riordan Presents world has, and I can't wait for Carlos Hernandez's next book.

I loved this book and can't wait to share it with my middle school students! This book is so we'll written and absolutely captivating. I appreciate the fact that the main characters are from Cuban families and that their culture and language are shared all through out the book. I adored the school, that all the students wanted to be there, and how amazing the teachers were portrayed. Most of all, I found the characters to be endearing and amazingly compassionate ( and the author actually explained in the book why and how they were being compassionate towards others). This is an excellent read for students, as well as, a great read aloud and discussion book.

I have mixed feelings about this book. It is well-written. Sal and Gabi are unique middle school characters, and it's nice to see a character with diabetes. The science in the story, talking about multiverses and holes in the universe, is intriguing. But that science begins to mix with vague spirituality. I was bothered by Gabi's mom suggesting that God grows with the good things we do. The ending also struck me as too predictable and unrealistic. Not a book I'll recommend. Review based on an ARC through NetGalley.

I’ve got to be real with you. I don’t know a single thing about physics or magic tricks. But holy hell, I loved Sal and Gabi Break the Universe.


Sal and Gabi Break the Universe CoverHow did a raw chicken get inside Yasmany’s locker? When Sal Vidon meets Gabi Real for the first time, it isn’t under the best of circumstances. Sal is in the principal’s office for the third time in three days, and it’s still the first week of school. Gabi, student council president and editor of the school paper, is there to support her friend Yasmany, who just picked a fight with Sal. She is determined to prove that somehow, Sal planted a raw chicken in Yasmany’s locker, even though nobody saw him do it and the bloody poultry has since mysteriously disappeared. Sal prides himself on being an excellent magician, but for this sleight of hand, he relied on a talent no one would guess… except maybe Gabi, whose sharp eyes never miss a trick. When Gabi learns that he’s capable of conjuring things much bigger than a chicken–including his dead mother–and she takes it all in stride, Sal knows that she is someone he can work with. There’s only one slight problem: their manipulation of time and space could put the entire universe at risk. A sassy entropy sweeper, a documentary about wedgies, a principal who wears a Venetian bauta mask, and heaping platefuls of Cuban food are just some of the delights that await in his mind-blowing novel gift-wrapped in love and laughter. (Goodreads)
Goodreads

I received an eARC of Sal and Gabi Break the Universe on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Middle school is hard, especially at a new school in a new state. It’s even harder when you can rip holes in the universe and you don’t know how you’re doing it.

Sal and Gabi Break the Universe needs content warnings for the death of a parent, severe illness of an infant, hospitalization due to diabetic shock, bullying, mentions of an abusive parent, and a runaway teenager.

There were so many good things about this novel. Hernandez is a stunning writer and I can’t wait to read more of his work.

Culeco seemed like a dream of a middle school. I remember middle school being a lot more traumatic and socially horrible, but I’ll take this version for sure. I loved that this book took down a lot of aspects of toxic masculinity and did it in such a way that acknowledged how hard it is to change habits that have been ingrained in us, even as young as thirteen. It also broke down a lot of cisheteronormativity and allonormativity naturally.

I loved the way that, unlike many of the other stories in the Rick Riordan Presents Imprint, Sal has no idea how he really does what he does. Even his dad the calamity physicist (which is a job I would totally love to exist), doesn’t understand where this ability came from. I loved that it skewed more sci-fi than fantasy. I think that future books in this series will feature a lot of experiments.

I was a little confused by Gabi’s family – I couldn’t tell if it was a polyamorous family with all of the dads or just an extended Cuban found family. With that being said, I loved their whole family, the way they supported each other and how they welcomed everyone into it with them.

I can’t wait to see more of Sal and Gabi’s adventures, with their families, Aventura and Yasmany in the future.