A Hero's Guide to Summer Vacation
$16.98
- Paperback
288 pages
- Release Date
28 July 2026
Summary
Reality proves more epic than fantasy in this family road trip story starring a reluctant young hero and his curmudgeonly grandfather.
Gonzalo Alberto Sanchez Garcia has never considered himself the hero of his own story. He’s an observer, quietly snapshotting landscapes and drawing the creatures he imagines emerging from them. Forced to spend the summer with his estranged grandfather, Alberto William Garcia-the very famous reclusive author-Gonzalo doesn’t expect to learn that heroes …
Book Details
| ISBN-13: | 9780451479761 |
|---|---|
| ISBN-10: | 0451479769 |
| Author: | Pablo Cartaya |
| Publisher: | Penguin Putnam Inc |
| Imprint: | Signet |
| Format: | Paperback |
| Number of Pages: | 288 |
| Release Date: | 28 July 2026 |
| Weight: | 198g |
| Dimensions: | 195mm x 129mm x 16mm |
| Audience Age: | 8-12 |
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What They're Saying
Critics Review
Praise for A Hero’s Guide to Summer Vacation by Pablo Cartaya:
A New York Times Bestseller
A 2026 Pura Belpré Children’s Author Honor Book
An ALSC 2026 Notable Children’s Book (Middle Grade Readers category)
A 2026 Américas Award Commended Title
A Publishers Weekly Summer Read
A Bank Street Best Children’s Books of 2026
A Latinx in Publishing and Common Sense Media BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR
2026 Texas Lone Star Reading List
2026 ALSC Summer Reading List (Grades 3-5)
A Pedro and Daniel Intersectionality Book Awards (PADIBA) Longlisted MG/YA Book
A 2026-2027 Yellowhammer Middle Grade Top 10 (Alabama)
★ “A touching intergenerational road trip epic that juxtaposes heavy themes surrounding loss with playful yet sophisticated interpretations of artistic integrity.”
—Publishers Weekly, starred review
★ “Cartaya weaves humor, heartbreak, and a host of literary tropes and techniques into this complex tale of three grieving road trippers.”
—Booklist, starred review
★ “Wondrous.”
—Shelf Awareness, starred review
“Cleverly structured and sweetly engaging.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“In this exploration of grief, generational impact, and healing, readers will find a book they can’t put down.”
—School Library Journal
“This intergenerational book spins each character’s grief together and then, gives them a hero.”
—Edith Campbell for School Library Journal’s Pearl’s & Ruby’s blog
“Con humor, corazón y mucho viaje interior, esta novela es ideal para tweens que buscan una lectura cálida y emocionante, perfecta para el verano.”
—People En Español
About The Author
Pablo Cartaya
Pablo Cartaya is a sought-after speaker, actor, educator, and the award-winning author of The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora, Marcus Vega Doesn’t Speak Spanish, Each Tiny Spark, The Last Beekeeper, and Curveball.
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