Undercover Latina

i loved this. i am not usually one for spy stories but this was crafted perfectly. and it was this amazing antiracist story that wasn't afraid to talk about white supremacy in such a direct and easy to understand way. it was more than a 101 lesson, although it was that too, if the reader needed it. actually it was handled really impressively because it went over the basics and even went deep for people who had thought about it before, but it never felt like a lecture or a lesson. so it was this great story plus this fantastic "bring down white supremacy" thing and it worked great. i did get a little less interested when the spy stuff really got going, but that's totally a me thing.

Ateen spy is on her way to take down a White supremacist terrorist.

Andréa Hernández-Baldoquí is well aware that teenage girls are frequently underestimated, which is why at 14 she’s the perfect spy to uncover a White supremacist plot. Alongside her family—Puerto Rican mom, Mexican dad, and little brother Carlos—she works for the Factory, an intelligence organization that serves people of color, and now’s the time for her first complex mission: moving to Arizona and befriending Kyle Summer, the estranged son of a White supremacist who may be planning an attack in the Southwest. The catch, however, is why she was chosen: Among all their teen agents, she can best pass as White, and until she discovers intel on their target, show more Andréa will be posing as Andrea Burke. This fast-paced adventure, de León’s first for younger readers, takes audiences on the ride of a lifetime. Andréa spotlights racism, discovers friendship (after years of home schooling and constantly moving), develops her first crush, and deeply explores what it means to be Latine and a person of color. Social criticism is woven into a fun read centered on kids of color; the narrative is accessible and engaging, never shying away from difficult conversations about race and privilege or the many forms White supremacy can take. The cast of characters is rounded and three-dimensional, making Andréa’s story all the more believable.

An engaging, insightful adventure with a heartfelt conclusion. (author’s note) (Adventure. 10-14)

-Kirkus Review show less

Betsy Bird / Fuse8 review