Biracial (Latinx/white) Marcus, 14, is not above intimidating kids with his size, although he’d much rather protect them from Steven, a class bully, in one of his several moneymaking schemes to help out at home. When Marcus is suspended after punching Steven, who called his little brother Charlie the r-word, their mom decides a break is needed and arranges a five-day visit to extended family in Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico is where Marcus’s dad lives. Even though he abandoned their family not long after Charlie, who has Down syndrome, was born, Marcus is convinced his dad will want to see them. The trip is a captivating, enriching, eye-opening look at family and culture and heritage for Marcus. For once his mom is relaxed rather than stressed about work and money, and he sees a whole new, adventurous side of her; Charlie, too, holds surprises; and his relatives, spread out across the island, are warm and wonderful. Still, Marcus yearns to see his dad, sure he will have changed from the man who left into the man Marcus wants him to be. Terrific relationships and wonderfully realized characters ground this story in which Marcus realizes that while he can’t have everything he longs for, he is already surrounded by love. (Ages 10–13)

One boy's search for his father leads him to Puerto Rico in this moving-middle grade novel, for fans of Ghost and See You in the Cosmos.

Marcus Vega is six feet tall, 180 pounds, and the owner of a premature mustache. When you look like this and you're only in the eighth grade, you're both a threat and a target. After a fight at school leaves Marcus facing suspension, Marcus's mom decides it's time for a change of environment. She takes Marcus and his younger brother to Puerto Rico to spend a week with relatives they don't remember or have never met. But Marcus can't focus knowing that his father--who walked out of their lives ten years ago--is somewhere on the island.

So begins Marcus's incredible journey, a series of misadventures that take him all over Puerto Rico in search of his elusive namesake. Marcus doesn't know if he'll ever find his father, but what he ultimately discovers changes his life. And he even learns a bit of Spanish along the way.