The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora

By Pablo Cartaya

Book Overview

A 2018 Pura Belpré Author Honor Book Save the restaurant. Save the town. Get the girl. Make Abuela proud. Can thirteen-year-old Arturo Zamora do it all or is he in for a BIG, EPIC FAIL? For Arturo, summertime in Miami means playing basketball until dark, sipping mango smoothies, and keeping cool under banyan trees. And maybe a few shifts as junior lunchtime dishwasher at Abuela's restaurant. Maybe. But this summer also includes Carmen, a poetry enthusiast who moves into Arturo's apartment complex and turns his stomach into a deep fryer. He almost doesn't notice the smarmy land developer who rolls into town and threatens to change it. Arturo refuses to let his family and community go down without a fight, and as he schemes with Carmen, Arturo discovers the power of poetry and protest through untold family stories and the work of José Martí. Funny and poignant, The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora is the vibrant story of a family, a striking portrait of a town, and one boy's quest to save both, perfect for fans of Rita Williams-Garcia.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1101997257
• ISBN13: 9781101997253
• Release Date: April 2018
• Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group
• Length: 272 Pages
• Weight: 0.49 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 5.7" x 8.3"
• Age Range: 10 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 5 and higher

Customer Reviews

Activism and love

This tale warmed my heart in every way. Rich language and emotion, love, family, history and character. A satisfying book from start to finish.