Mark OshiroCritiques

Gr 9 Up—Manny, a queer teen cast out of his devout religious family, is determined to reunite with his younger
sister, who is still living with their adoptive parents. Oshiro uses a nonlinear time line to tell a compelling story that
explores trauma, abuse, and white saviorism.

This is the book that my 13-17- year- old LGBTQ+ kids chose for their group read for the month of March. I always read their choice a month ahead to be sure that it's not going to cause any issues with them. Our on-site mental health professional has also read the book and given his okay for this age group and will discuss the book with them.

Possible Trigger Warnings: Police and other violence, Racism, Homophobia and Transphobia, Extreme depictions of depression, anxiety, and panic attacks.
The story is set in a working-class neighborhood of California, and tells the story of a youth of color, who is diverse in his sexuality and gender, who takes a stand and organizes to challenge the sanctioned violence that the school...with the blessing of the state...thought was a grand idea. California, by no means, is the ONLY state that has taken this stand...it's just the one state that the author was familiar with. Moss Jeffries is a student and a black teen who is still grieving for the loss six years earlier of his father by the trigger of the police. Moss struggles with self-doubt along with anxiety-induced panic attacks, and finds comfort in his new relationship with Javier, a Latinx boy who’s just as sweet as he is bold and outgoing. When the school year begins, the resource officer assaults a friend of Moss; Shawna, claiming he suspected that she had drugs...but the students and some of the teachers know that it’s really about her recent decision to fully embrace her transexual identity and her "drugs" were prescribed by her doctor. The metal detectors that the school administration recently installed had resulted in a tragic injury for their friend who was using a wheelchair. Moss and his circle of friends and students of all races and colors, felt that the administration's attitude about the incident was nothing short of appalling, and organized a peaceful protest in order to try and convince the school to "dismantle the violence" that had reared its ugly head and taken a front row seat. They started with a student walkout. They wanted to demonstrate that there would continue to be resistance, and aggrieved groups would continue to gather in solidarity, until a meaningful solution with student struggles being recognized as real and ending with love and acceptance for everyone...regardless of race, religion, or sexuality. Wanda... Moss's mother offers a line that sums the book up fairly well and what my kids based their pick on for this book to be their monthly group read and discussion. From the Book “Anger is a fragile but special gift. But you have to remember it can become a raging monster so, you gotta grasp on to it, hold it tight and use it carefully as your ammunition. You use those feelings of anger and injustice to get things done...changed...understood, instead of just stewing in it." . This is not the first book on similar topics like this for this author who sums it up by saying, "Anger is a Gift that is hella precious, and a hella dope." - I honestly believe I had more problems with the content in the book that any of my young folks will have...as Marcus... one of the 17-year-olds remarked..."This isn't fiction for some. For some people this is "their normal." I can't speak for other countries, but in the United States of America, this should NOT EVER...BE ANYONE'S "NORMAL".

TW/CW: Violence, death, scary situations

RATING: 3.5/5

REVIEW: The Sun and The Star is a new novel in the Percy Jackson-verse that follows Nico di Angelo and his boyfriend Will Solace into Tartarus on a quest.

I enjoyed this book. I love the characters and the quest was properly terrifying. Nico and Will both suffered in their own ways, and I liked how they both learned more about themselves and each other by the end.

The ending felt a little longer than it should have been – I thought each chapter would be the last, and it wasn’t.

I also wasn’t exactly sure why we had little interludes with Gorgyra for about half the book – I wasn’t exactly sure what purpose they served.

But I still enjoyed this book and seeing more of Nico and Will! I hope there will be more of these in the future.½

My grumpy ball of darkness, my little night light.

We waited for this a long time and now we finally got this. To all the Nicos, Wills and Pipers and everyone in between, we finally have this story and it was beautiful. Nico has been one of my favorites for a long time, but as many others I found his previous arc to be well a little unfair. How it was only darkness all the time.

And now I am here to say that they did it. Riordan and Oshiro did it. The arc could have not went on in any other way than this. And yes. It was a little absurd at places, but it was good this way. There might have been some murder threats against the authors while reading this, but yeah. I adored this.

Thanks for gifting us that story

The plot and the pacing felt incredibly uneven and thin, which overshadowed any good moments that happened.

i really loved the latinx and queer rep here, and how both central to the world building but peripheral to the story that it was. it was really nice to see that. their writing here is really well done, although also sometimes unusual in that everything was really hard to imagine/picture. there wasn't a lot of description, so sometimes i couldn't really see what was happening, and at times that made it a little hard to understand. (mostly i'm thinking of the creatures.) but generally speaking, this is a really beautifully done story about the stories we tell ourselves (ahem, religion) and how those can shape a community and a person, and how sometimes it's necessary to break free from those stories and the ways they can hold us back. also maybe something about the power of stories - of what we hold, of what we tell others, of what they can become when they're either kept or told.

Inspiring story about a gay middle school boy, Hector Munoz, and how he struggles with bullying in his new school in Orangevale, CA. Coming from San Francisco, where he felt very comfortable, he struggles with making friends and dealing with the school bully. He runs and hides in a janitor's closet, which turns out to be a bit magical. He ends up making friends with other kids from around the country who are also using rooms in their school to escape bad situations, and find themselves in magical rooms as well. The room gives them what they need, and what they most needed was friendship. Recommended by the author for ages 8-12 but I think this is a novel that could be read by any age, I think it is more likely to be interesting to kids 10+ though, but all the way through to adulthood.

I love that we finally got a book centered on Nico! But also, is Riordan going to throw every demigod couple into Tartarus to face a primordial being?

I liked the little vignettes between the chapters about Nico and Will's relationship and how it formed and grew. I also liked how their relationship grew through their experience.

I hope to see more of Will and Nico (and thr Coco Puffs!) in the future!½

This was perfect! I love Nico and Will. It was great to see Bob and Small Bob again. The overall message was mwah *chef's kiss*

contemporary. Héctor has moved from San Francisco to Orangevale, CA, and is being bullied for his sexuality and personality -- escapes to a magical room. Truly one of those books that you open and fall into -- appropriate, considering the magic door/room thing, but still true. Héctor is a wonderful character, with a splendid and loving family. The way the kids support each other in the room is also excellent, although I deeply wish that the school adults had been less terrible and that Héctor had had other resources easily available to him. I wish that for all LGBTQIA+ kids, and for any kids who are struggling with bullies.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC of this book!

Going into this book, I was a bit biased, as Mark Oshiro’s book “Anger is a Gift” was so strong and impactful, and I was excited to read “The Insiders. Overall, “The Insiders” is a solid middle grade/children’s book about belonging, change, and finding a safe/brave space in and outside of school.

The book centers on Hector Munoz (he/him). Hector decides to wear glitter on his first day at his new school to let people know what they are in for, as he is extremely proud of his drama background, and being gay. Once he gets to school he sits at the table with the Misfits, a group of students who don’t quite fit into any other mold, and who have all been bullied. Hector is targeted by the school bully, and while at first he accepts this as part of being new, the trauma begins to impact him, and he feels unsafe at school. During one particularly bad day, a door appears, leading to a Room containing his favorite beverage (Abuela’s horchata) and a place to hide.

Strangely enough, the Room has no care for time zones or time itself, and one day Hector comes across Juliana (she/her), who lives in Charleston, SC, and finds that she is also using the room as a safe space. The bullying at Hector’s school intensifies, and Hector begins to spend more and more time in the Room. One day, after having pudding thrown at him, Hector enters the Room and finds that it has expanded. AND there is now a third person, Sal (they/them) from Phoenix, AZ. The three grow a strong friendship full of real struggles, but also real progress, which will have the reader hooked.

Overall, I would recommend this book to middle school and (younger) high school audiences, and would keep it in the classroom. I think for the right student, this book could be highly relatable and support them in reflecting on their place in the world.

“I’m actually adopted,” I admit.
It’s the truth, but I don’t expect the reaction it gets. Mr. Bradshaw tilts his head to the side. I see Tommy and Walter look at each other. Gracie’s eyes go really wide. Ugh, I should be used to this! This always happens! But I’m still as annoyed as ever that my classmates are judging me.”

This is my third book from Mark Oshiro and like The Insiders, I enjoyed it a lot. It felt like the right balance between writing about complex things for children without simplifying things and light heartedness without being too silly.

David is going to middle school and is nervous because he won’t be with his best friend in every class.
For some reason he acquires, and I quote, ‘a cursed disney movie companion’ who has the power to travel through time to let David see past things or even alter them.
Every small thing he does has its consequences when he returns to the ‘present’ and he spends most of the book trying to deal with the different results. Unlike epic adventure stories, the results were not world-altering, but they had major impact on David’s middle school life and I really liked that the book focused on that.

However, everything happens as the plot demands without explanation, which was confusing at times. At the end I still have no idea how Fea’s powers work and what caused the events to happen, why the ending was the way it was.
It felt like the author chose to focus on the emotional aspect of David’s journey and forgot to give an explanation for the supernatural things happening. I didn’t mind it though, because I find character arcs more important than a solid plot.

I also appreciated the focus on how people are so casually invasive and rude about adopted children. Not just the bullies in class, but the teacher and other adults act as if it is their right to demand very personal answers from David. Unfortunately that part was highly realistic.

Héctor Muñoz has just moved with his mami and papi from the Bay Area to Orangedale, outside of Sacramento, and feels as though he's landed on a different planet. At lunch, he sits with a few kids who call themselves the Misfits, and almost immediately, Mike and his "minions" begin bullying Héctor. He needs a safe space - and he finds one...in a janitor's closet that turns out to be a magical Room, a safe haven for Héctor as well as Juliana (from Charleston, SC) and Sal (from Phoenix, AZ). How does the room appear and disappear? How does it move around the school? How does it change time? Héctor and the others wonder about these questions, of course, but they answer the most important one quickly: the Room appears for them when and where they need it (a la the Room of Requirement, although there is no Harry Potter reference). And, they need each other. Ultimately, after a talk with his abuela, Héctor realizes it's okay to ask for help, and with the help of the Misfits and Sal and Juliana, he exposes Mike's bullying to the whole school, including administration, in a dramatic way.

See also: Sal & Gabi by Carlos Hernandez

"I need to feel like I belong." (Sal to the Room, Juliana, and Héctor, 167)

No one else ever seemed as messed up as he felt. (171)

No one ever told you how tiring it was not to fit in. (221)

When he was done, he felt both exhausted...and lighter. It was as if some massive stone had been lifted out of his chest and cast away.
He guessed this was what telling the truth felt like. (314)½

children's middlegrade fiction (suggested age 8-12, grades 4-7) - time travel misadventure starring 11 y.o. Latinx boy David (adopted and raised by Okinawan/Japanese and Mexican/Brazilian parents, and who may or may not have a crush on his best friend Antoine ) and a shape-shifting spirit guide.

lots of spunky characters (sorry, I can't think of a modern word for 'spunky') with snappy dialogue, a fast-paced adventure with tons of humor and kid appeal. The writing style does remind me of Percy Jackson/Tristan Strong, which is to say, kids will love this.½

This book has some standard cliches (the one bully, teachers who do not believe the main character, school groups and the new kid in school), but it’s filled with the sadness, humour, frustration and relatability that every queer or poc person can relate to. I certainly did.
It’s obviously written by an author who has experienced them himself and Mark Oshiro did a great job of putting a 12-14 year old’s feelings into a book.
I hope a lot of queer and/or poc middle graders read this½

While Oshiro's lack of subtlety can be a little much for this adult reader, the earnestness of his characters and inclusivity of his message are ideal for middle grade readers. My only wish is that the book somehow acknowledged its debt to the Harry Potter series' Room of Requirement - a device which The Insiders employs in a way that triumphs over that series' transphobic author.

This book was excellent and brutal and so, so necessary. On some level I'm actually surprised it's even getting published because of how honest it is about police violence and protest - it's definitely gonna cause some pearl clutching, which is some of the highest praise I can give it. I can't wait to talk about it with folks. There's so much I want to say but can't yet because I don't want to spoil this. I will say that I especially appreciated the scenes of community and of community organizing. Community is so key, in both the broader sense, and in the tight-knit groups of friends that make up the supporting cast, not just Moss' but also his mother's. Which, speaking of, Moss and his amazing mother Wanda are now some of my favorite character in YA. Everyone needs to put this on their to-read list immediately.

I wish I could have liked this story more. I loved the idea behind it, and the ending in particular. However the lead up to that was full of misses for me. The pacing of the story always felt a bit off, certain parts felt rushed while others seemed to drag on. There were also parts that were just straight up confusing, like many of the creatures that I just couldn't picture in my head due to lack of description (maybe it's just cultural lore that I don't know?).
I do think it's a book that's worth giving it a shot due to the overarching theme and ending that solidifies this sense of self idea.

Trigger Warnings: bullying, homophobic assault, homophobic slur (not directly said but referenced), forced outing

Héctor Muñoz just moved from San Francisco to Orangevale. The cities may be in the same state of California but they couldn’t be farther apart in similarities. Back in San Francisco, being gay didn’t make you different, that’s just who you are, but at Héctor’s new school, he couldn’t feel more alone.

After encountering Mike, the school bully, Héctor wishes he could just disappear. Soon, he stumbles upon a janitor’s closet. But one day, after closing the door behind him, the small closet with a spider is transformed into a room that connects him with two new friends from different corners of the US. The room creates a safe space for the trio, but also aids them in what they need help with the most.

Mark Oshiro had a little bit of everyone in this book and that was such a nice thing to see. The main character is gay and hispanic, there’s biracial rep, nonbinary rep, and lesbian rep.

Oshiro even showed how hard it is to keep friendships after moving away (though I didn’t agree with Héctor saying he was “ghosted’ by his old friends… he admitted himself to not really trying either?). Though, I really did not like Ms. Heath. Was she really that blind to what was happening? She basically ignored Héctor when he tried to tell her what was happening. I found it a little hard that no adult ever saw the way Mike was treating everyone. I did appreciate how Héctor’s family tried to help and support him but not push him to talk about it. His abuela was a pretty awesome lady!

Overall, I feel like The Insiders is an excellent read for all age groups (middle grade, young adult, adults). It gives a little bit of an insight into the struggles of Héctor and his friends and shows the readers how to be a better ally to the LGBTQ+ community. Even as an adult, I would love a room that can stop/bend time around while also providing all the comfort I could possibly need!

Each of Us a Desert follows Xochtil, a cuentista (storyteller) of her village; a teenage girl who takes the stories of people and gives them back to the sun, forgetting them as soon as the ritual is over. After taking a story from Manolito, Xochtil leaves her village to rid herself of her powers. Emilia, the daughter of Xochtil's murderous "mayor", comes to help her. Along the way she meets others, taking their stories as well as she tries to figure out the real meaning to why she is here.

This took me quite a few pages to get into, but once I did, I was reading it every minute that I could. I couldn't get enough. The first 50 pages or so Mark Oshiro gives you the ground floor of what this story is about, but they always give you a few things here and there that you don't really register are even important until much later on. Worldbuilding for fantasy is always a bit tricky, and in my experience, a lot of words to get everything right. But as I said before, it was worth it to keep going. Besides, if a story takes a bit to get started, I usually don't realize then that I will be so submerged into it until I'm eyeballs deep! This novel is definitely a slow burn but it's full of great stories.

Oshiro did this amazing trick within the writing where he had multiple short stories woven into it, but that also fit well into the story. They all still had their own beginning, middle, and end. No story was not needed, for those stories built onto the larger tale that was being told.

I did keep up Google translate a lot for this reading. Spanish words were sometimes mixed in with English words. Most of the time, context would play a part in figuring out what was said or mentioned and sometimes it was translated after, but I did find it helpful to keep that up. I've only studied Spanish a little bit here and there and this book actually helped me learn new words!

This book is an in-depth look at love, loss, secrets, faith, and figuring out oneself. It's a slow burn read, and might take quite a few pages to get into, but I promise, if you enjoy magical realism and coming of age stories with a lyrical voice, you'll enjoy this book.

Mark Oshiro's The Insiders is an absolute delight of a book, showing the ways (some magical, some quite ordinary) that a group of middle school "misfits" use to create a safer, more respectful world for themselves.

The central character, Héctor Muñoz, is gay, a theatre person, a flashy dresser, and has a gift for making people laugh. His family—Mami, Papi, and Abuela—support him exactly as he is. Unfortunately, the family has just moved from San Francisco to a much more conservative community, and Héctor suddently finds support outside his family very hard to come by. He finds a group to eat lunch with, but they've all been so bullied that they aren't able to stand up for one another. He also finds another pair of friends via a Janitor's closet that appears magically when he's most desperate and that is also a refuge for two other unhappy students, one from South Carolina, the other from Arizona.

This is one of those young adult titles that makes excellent reading for adults as well young adults. You don't have to be any particular age to appreciate and learn from the struggles of Héctor and his friends—and reading this book will probably give you ideas about how to be a better ally to marginalized individuals in your own life.

I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via Edelweiss; the opinions are my own.

This book is too unique and fully self-embodied to give it any lower than 4 stars. I'm not sure Mark Oshiro's writing is for me... but maybe that's because they're challenging me more than I'm used to? The closest read-alike I can think of is Pet by Akwaeke Emezi.

I don't read a lot of YA, and rarely review it when I do, but a friend specifically recommended this book to me.

The good: the book portrays important social issues with power and immediacy. The portrayal of life in an underfunded school is spot on. (The metal detectors, though. At least he explained it with the magnetic body scanner, but it still doesn't 100% make sense: they'd put such an expensive piece of equipment in a high school? Even suspending my disbelief that they would not train officers in how to use it. I get that he was trying to work in the militarization of the police, but the way it was squashed in made it feel like he hadn't done enough research on actual implementation. And ICE didn't exist when Esperanza was born.)

The bad: characterization is, for the most part, weak. The novel reads too much like Oshiro decided he wanted to write a Very Important Novel with a Very Diverse Cast. The characters lack individuality. I remember who is black, who is Muslim, who is nonbinary--but I remember very little about them as individuals, just as identities. Only Bits stuck out at all. They fit into slots in his diverse cast. Esperanza exists as a bridge between her parents (white, well off, well meaning individuals) and the diverse teens of color of Moss' world. She serves a function, but isn't enough of a person. Meanwhile, her parents exist as a plot function--the well meaning white people who betray the kids. Mr. Jacobs plays a similar role. The characters aren't afforded moral complexity--instead, the story functions as a morality play with predetermined slots.

diverse teen fiction (social justice in Oakland with incidentally LGBTQA characters)

This is one of the hardest books I have ever read in my life. I felt so uncomfortable during it and many times during some of the harder scenes, I said to myself, no way, you're exaggerating. Except I'm a white female so how do I know? I think I just wanted to excuse my feelings of discomfort and pretend that it was an exaggeration when in reality, my privilege reared its ugly head. And here I am admitting it to all of you. I think this book should be required reading. But be warned: it's brutal. It's graphic at times, it's difficult to read but for black and brown people? This is reality. This is life and we need to do better. The last line of this book destroyed me and overall, I'm going to be thinking about this for a really really long time.

Absolutely incredible work here.