Can you imagine taking a cross country road trip with your 71 year old grandfather who you barely know? That is how Gonzalo spent 10 days of his summer break in Pablo Cartana’s A Hero’s Guide to Summer Vacation.

Gonzalo’s grandpa is none other than Alberto Garcia, the best selling author of The Chronicles of Gonzalo Sanz. This is the 8th and final book in the fantasy series and blockbuster movie franchise. I’m talking Percy Jackson level teen and tween fandom! Even though the hero in the books is named after him, Gonzalo has never cracked open his grandfather’s book and is a little resentful that he has never visited his school. This would lead to instant middle school cred!

Grieving his father’s recent death, Gonzalo distracts himself with his slightly dark digital art while his mother immerses herself in her work as CEO of her father’s book empire. She arranges a final book tour that starts in Miami. Problem is, grandpa is a reclusive hermit and wants nothing to do with it. Instead, he a hikjacks his daughter’s plans and takes off with our reluctant hero, Gonzalo, in Mathilda, his 1968 powder blue Cutlass S convertible on a journey from Meocino to Miami. Along the way, Gonzalo finally decides to read the books and discovers the stories are an allegory for grandpa’s immigration journey from 1960’s Cuba.

This dual hero’s journey is told through a first person narrator who speaks directly to the reader and through Gonzalo’s point of view. Catano plays on Joseph Campbel’s monomyth framework by dividing the book into the three acts of The Departure, The Initiation, The Return/Transformation. By using excerpts from the fantasy novel, text messages and news articles there is a kind of mixed media approach.

Some readers will find fun nods to characters in two of Caytano’s other books, Marcus Vega Doesn’t Speak Spanish and The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora.

Available now from Kokila Books and imprint of Penguin Random House.

Darkness, grief, and generational trauma are carefully probed in Pablo Cartaya's audacious and fascinating Rubik's Cube of a novel, A Hero's Guide to Summer Vacation. Cartaya's format contains layers of stories within stories and clever parallels that combine to create a daring and sophisticated middle-grade read.

Thirteen-year-old Gonzalo Alberto Sánchez García "never considered himself to be the hero of his own story." After his father died at the beginning of seventh grade, the year passed "in a kind of daze." For the summer, Gonzalo's mother has sent him to stay with his taciturn grandfather, Alberto, an antisocial hermit who also happens to be beloved by millions for his series of children's fantasy books. Gonzalo, though, has never had any interest in reading books written by a grandfather who seems averse to human connection. When Gonzalo's mom, who's also Alberto's manager, sends the duo on a cross-country road trip to promote the final book in Alberto's series, Gonzalo begrudgingly begins to read the books. At the same time, while they make pit stops both planned and random, Alberto tells Gonzalo about his early life in Cuba as a dissident and prisoner. As the stories coil together, they reveal to Gonzalo that where his family has been may be equally as important as where they're going.

While the premise of a road trip may seem quaint, Cartaya (Each Tiny Spark) builds a complex, labyrinthian work reminiscent of Argentine legend Jorge Luis Borges. A Hero's Guide to Summer Vacation, influenced by Cartaya's own loss, feels both intimate and expansive. It is a wondrous looking glass of catharsis and reconciliation.

This book is a story of three family members, dealing with the death of loved ones and how each of them chooses to cope with their grief. Gonzalo is the youngest of the three. His dad died and his way of coping is through art. There's also his mom, Veronica, or Vero, who lost her mom at a young age and her husband. She copes with her grief by relentlessly organzing things. Then there's Vernoica's dad, Alberto, who lost his mom at a young age and then his wife and then his son-in-law and copes with his grief by wiring. They all come together as Gonzalo goes to California to spend the summer with his grandfather, who is promoting the final piece of series of books about an epic journey., which is kind of funny, since the three end up on their own epic journey, when the grandfather decides to make the book tour a way to connect with old friends and relatives as they drive across country in his old convertible named Matilde. There are big themes of family and family stories, including the stories that go untold, of making sacrifices and making choices, of closing doors and trying to reopen them, of coping with grief and finding your own path. It's a compelling, well told story.

There are books out there about loss and grief that give one way to deal with it, like everyone has the same experience. But just as each person is unique everyone feels and processes differently. This journey you take with Gonzalo and his family show different ways people handle grief. Having him claim his own story and his own work is a great way to handle the loss of control many people feel when they lose a loved one.
But it is not just a book about loss, there is also the gain of the journeys we take and the time we spend together. As we follow the characters across the country they come in contact with old friends and make new ones we see what is possible if you learn to appreciate the time you have where ever you happen to be.

I'm torn between 3 and 4 stars for this book. After a slow start, I was caught up in the story of the road trip Gonzalo and his grandfather take. And of course, I loved a book tie-in, even if it's obviously an imitation of "Harry Potter". But I never really connected with the idea of the narrator who occasionally interrupted the story. I also felt that the theme of the book didn't need to be so explicitly and repeated emphasized. Middle grade readers deserve to be able to reach their own conclusions. Still, the book had me laughing along the way and in tears at the end - so I rounded up.

A fun and funny story that was also emotional and meaningful. The relationship between the main character and his grandfather is one that I think young readers will relate to. The inserted excerpts of the grandfather’s fantasy story add a fun, meaningful element.

A summer road trip story over the course of about two weeks with the forced proximity of a grandson with his reclusive but very famous writer grandfather as he publishes the last book in an epic series. Neither know each other very well so driving around in a very specific car hearing stories and seeing how each other acts with others and then how they ultimately come together is the middle grade magic of generational understanding (and throw in Gonzalo's mom Veronica who is her father's overbearing manager).

Sweetly focused on family and a little on writing and publishing and the hidden histories of people (especially in this case, Cuban history which is Cartaya's heritage).

Read: May 6th - May 8th
Format: E-Book
Rating: 4 stars

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I did not expect how much this book absorbed me. It has a lot of love for stories and what they can mean to people and the creators themselves, and then also extends that to a lot of love for creative projects in general. And then you had such an intricate tale of handling grief without it being telly or anything, and how your grief and art interact. All the while, you see a young boy bond with his grandfather as well as mending relationships between father and daughter, then mother and son.

It's just all sooo good and complex while also being very accessible for the audience it's aimed at.

There were some stylistic choices near the end that didn't hit me as hard as it was meant to, some too-convenient things, and I am admittedly a wee bit older than the target audience (more than double it 🤣), so it wasn't quite a 5-star for me, but it's definitely a book I highly recommend!

After the death of his father, Gonzalo is spending the summer with his grandfather, author of a best-selling and well-loved children’s book series that Gonzalo has never read, despite being named after its main character. The two have never been close, but Gonzalo grudgingly embarks on a cross-country journey with his grandfather in his vintage convertible as part of a promotional tour to mark the release of the final book in the series. As they make stops along the way, and he sees his grandfather interact with others who have played an important role in his life, artist Gonzalo begins to learn about his grandfather’s life, including his early life in Cuba and how that impacted the rest of his life and shaped the stories he wrote.

The road trip provides a unique framework for building their relationship and addressing the grief that Gonzalo and his grandfather are both grappling with in their own ways. As they travel, the stories within stories—those of his grandfather’s past and those from his grandfather’s books--uncover layers that inform Gonzalo about his grandfather and change their relationship. A powerful and moving exploration of family dynamics and of coming to terms with grief and loss.

Thank you to #NetGalley, Pablo Cartaya and the publisher of the book for the eARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

Gonzalo has never considered himself a hero. He’ likes to be an observer, by taking pictures of landscapes and then drawing them. His mom then forces him to spend the summer with his estranged grandfather, Alberto, a famous author. Gonzalo didn’t expect to learn that heroes and monsters are not only the stuff of fantasy from his grandfather's stories on their journey. This is even though Gonzalo feels no connection to his grandfather and his stories.

Together, they embark on a cross-country road trip from Mendocino to Miami in his grandfather's 1968 Oldsmobile Convertible named Mathilde. Over the course of ten days on the highway, they will confront old stories to inspire new ones and learn what it truly means to show up for your family.

A heartwarming read on the importance of family and looking at the past and finding ways to deal and confront it.

What a great book. I love how Pablo Cartaya showed readers that the hero's journey can apply to everyday life, our own stories don't have to have some epic adventure to them. Gonzalo learns that he does do heroic things, even if there are no mythical creatures or actual bad guys in his life.

This is an excellent summer roadtrip book, as Gonzalo and his grandfather make their way from Northern California to Miami. Gonzalo's grandfather is a world famous fantasy writer (think Rick Riordan level) who is about to release the final book in his series. He is also extremely reclusive and Gonzalo has not spent much time with him. As they drive across the country together, we get stories within stories -- Abuelo's childhood as well as the books he has written. I particularly enjoyed the cameo appearances of other Cartaya characters along the way. This is a great testament to using art to process grief, and also the importance of talking about it. Highly recommended for grades 4 & up.

12-year-old Gonzalo Alberto Sanchez Garcia is an introverted, quiet painter. His reclusive, grumpy grandfather is a famous author. Hoping Gonzalo and Alberto can help each other out of their mood and shell, Gonzalo’s mother sends him to Mendocino, California. Starting the press tour for his final book in a series he has never read. Bribed by his mother, Gonzalo decides to read his grandfather’s books. As the duo go on interesting adventures across the country on a book tour, Gonzalo starts to understand his grandfather and family history. How will the cross-country book tour go? Will the two be able to bond over their mutual interests?

The plot is engaging, well written, and full of adventure. The characters are likable, authentic, and easy to relate to. The dynamics between the two characters draw the reader into the duo’s world. Fans of realistic fiction, intergenerational fiction, and adventure will want to pick this one up. Recommended for most library collections. 5 stars, Grades 3 to 7.

A Hero's Guide is an excellent examination of grief and a family navigating their relationship with each other through loss. Gonzalo is an interesting character, whose feelings are believable for his age and situation and whose way of dealing with them through art is different and fascinating. I enjoyed the contrast of his art form with his grandfather's fiction writing, alongside their parallel experiences. The only thing that bothered me about the narrative was the odd narrator inserts throughout. Even the main character seems annoyed by them, and I found them distracting and confusing. Otherwise, I enjoyed the novel very much.

Gonzalo Alberto Sánchez García is spending the summer after seventh grade with his hermit-like grandfather in Mendocino. After the death of his father in recent months, Gonzalo has begun channeling his grief into art that features monsters, and he has lost the spark he once had. Despite the fact that his grandfather does not enjoy being around people, he is the author of a famous children’s book series and is going on a promotional tour, and Gonzalo must begrudgingly accompany him. Along the way, Gonzalo and his grandfather bond in unexpected ways, and Gonzalo discovers that sometimes it takes bravery and strength to realize one is the hero of their own story.

This engaging middle grade novel is very meta in its design, referencing Gonzalo’s grandfather’s famous works while being presented in a similar fashion. Short chapters keep the story moving, and an omniscient narrator steps in periodically to share relevant details directly with the audience. Otherwise, the narrative is told primarily in the first person from Gonzalo’s perspective, giving readers a front row seat to Gonzalo’s thoughts and feelings. Text messages, articles, Spanish language, and other additions pepper the otherwise narrative text, and these features amplify the dynamic complexity of the storytelling. Though not always linear in its approach, this novel inspires curiosity in the reader as Gonzalo’s story unfolds. A unique and memorable story, this novel investigates grief and family relationships in a way that will resonate with a wide range of readers. This is a thoughtful and original addition to library collections for middle grade readers.

A Hero's guide to Summer Vacation is fantastic! I enjoyed every minute of reading this one because my son and his grandfather have such a beautiful connection. Cartaya weaves this family connection together so creatively. I truly enjoyed that Cartaya got the ages of the characters right as sometimes the actions and descriptions don't really match. Gonzalo acts like a true 7th grader about to begin 8th grade. I'll be recommending this one to my reader's!

Gonzalo is going on a book tour with his Grandfather who is the author of a best selling book series. Gonzalo is grieving the loss of his father.
His grandfather has never liked the fame, so he decides that he and Gonzalo are going to take a road trip across the country and make a few stops along the way.
Gonzalo gets a little jealous along the way as he sees his grandfather seems to care about other people than his own grandson. But he learns that these people have made a difference in his grandfather's past.
Gonzalo and his grandfather get closer on this road trip and he learns a lot about his grandfather's past and what inspired the books.
His mother joins them part way through the trip and it really helps bring them all together.

This is a really great middle grade read, about family, grief and figuring out how to move forward.

Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

Such a great road trip story! Loved the character development of Alberto and the slow reveal of Gonzalo's family history.

I think I would have liked this one better if the summary had not been so misleading. The summary asserts the "Gonzalo didn’t expect to learn that heroes and monsters are not only the stuff of fantasy" and that he and his grandfather will "will slay demons, real and imagined," leading me to expect some level of fantasy in the plot. But there are no demons (slain or otherwise) and while monstrous things happened in Gonzalo's father's past, no monsters ever appeal (symbolic or real) in the text. The book is really about grief, loss, and trauma across multiple generations. It was fine but, as someone dealing with losing their own parent, I probably wouldn't have requested this book had the plot been accurately described (although certainly the depictions of grief are realistic and touching). Also, I found it mildly annoying that the question of why Gonzalo's mother named him after the lead character in her father's book was repeatedly asked, even to the point of a theme, and then never asked or acted on. Did a scene get cut or something?

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I had all these feels for Gonzalo Alberto García. A Hero’s Guide to Summer Vacation is an emotional rollercoaster. Well, more like a 10-day road trip with your estranged grandpa, who’s actually a famous author.
✨
Gonzalo is quiet, artistic, intelligent and just wants to feel seen. His grandpa Alberto, a quiet, grumpy and famous children’s author of a book series that is well-known everywhere (think HP or Percy J). Gonzalo’s summer is looking like he must accompany his grandpa on a book tour that neither wants to do. Gonzalo promised his mom that he would start and finish the book series in time for the latest book. While reading the series, Gonzalo learns how the main character’s life reflects his grandpa’s real life back in Cuba (60’s). As he reads, he understands how he is similar to him rather than opposite. And as they communicate on this trip, they begin to understand one another. They build a respectful and supportive relationship. Gonzalo was able to reach a soft spot in his grandfather, that his mother (Veronica) didn’t know existed. She also had a complicated relationship with her father ever since her mother passed.

While they all grieved in their own way.

Gonzalo expressed his feelings through creative art. Alberto expressed his feelings through his writing. Veronica, worked her way through grief.

Towards the end of the tour, they all learned that importance of life was showing up for each other. Especially, where it counts.

This book is special and meaningful. Great book for children and adults.
Thank you, NetGalley for the advanced copy.
TW: family loss, grief


Goodreads: Brenda (Jadore _2read)