Carlos Gomez doesn’t always find it easy being part of the only Mexican family in a midwestern U.S. town. It’s also hard when you’re a boy with a lisp, who loves costumes and still rides a bike with training wheels. All of this means Carlos is the target of bullying and microaggressions. When new girl RJ moves to town, however, and shows off her BMX bike, Carlos wants to be part of her stunt team. But will the crowd appreciate his freestyling flair?
Loosely based on author/illustrator Chuck Gonzales’s own childhood, this graphic novel touches on issues of racism, anti-immigrant sentiment, disability, restrictive gender roles, and homophobia, but does so with a large helping of humor, lovely modeling of familial support, and colorful illustrations of which Carlos would approve.
