Read the book Morris Award finalist Sonia Patel called "a brilliant,
subtle debut," and Kirkus hailed as "heart-wrenching, funny, hopeful,
and not-to-be-missed" in a starred review!
The Closest I've Come is a must-read from talented first-time author
Fred Aceves, in the tradition of Walter Dean Myers.
Marcos Rivas yearns for love, a working cell phone, and maybe a pair of
sneakers that aren't falling apart. But more than anything, Marcos wants
to get out of Maesta, his hood, away from his indifferent mom and her
abusive boyfriend--which seems impossible.
When Marcos is placed in a new after-school program, he meets Zach and
Amy, whose friendship inspires Marcos to open up to his Maesta crew,
too, and starts to think more about his future and what he has to fight
for. Marcos ultimately learns that bravery isn't about acting tough and
being macho; it's about being true to yourself.
The Closest I've Come is a story about traversing real and imagined
boundaries, about discovering new things in the world, and about
discovering yourself, too.
A Kirkus Best Book of 2017 * A New York Public Library Best Book of
the Year * An ALA/YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults Selection
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