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  • The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora

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The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora

by Pablo Cartaya (Author) Format: Hardcover
4.7 out of 5 stars (779)
Teachers' pick
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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.
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  1. Reading age
    10 - 13 years
  2. Print length
    256 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Grade level
    5 - 6
  5. Dimensions
    5.81 x 0.91 x 8.56 inches
  6. Publisher
    Kokila
  7. Publication date
    May 16, 2017
  8. ISBN-10
    1101997230
  9. ISBN-13
    978-1101997239
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From the Publisher

The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora
Marcus Vega Doesn't Speak Spanish
Each Tiny Spark
A Hero's Guide to Summer Vacation
Customer Reviews
4.7 out of 5 stars 779
4.6 out of 5 stars 565
4.6 out of 5 stars 113
4.4 out of 5 stars 24
Price $6.21 $6.50 $8.54 $9.39
Read more by Pablo Cartaya: 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? One boy’s search for his father leads him to Puerto Rico in this moving-middle grade novel, for fans of Ghost and See You in the Cosmos. From award-winning author Pablo Cartaya comes a deeply moving middle grade novel about a daughter and father finding their way back to each other in the face of their changing family and community. Reality proves more epic than fantasy in this family road trip story starring a reluctant young hero and his curmudgeonly grandfather.

Editorial Reviews

Review

A 2018 Pura Belpré Author Honor Book
An E.B. White Read-Aloud Middle Reader Award finalist
A 2018 Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year
Amazon Best Children's Books of 2017
Publishers Weekly Flying Start
Kirkus Reviews Best Fiction of 2017
Chicago Public Library Best Book on 2017
NYPL Best Books for Kids 2017
2017 Nerdy Book Award Winner
2018 Texas Lone Star Reading List Selection
2018-2019 Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children’s Book Award Nominee
2018-2019 Sunshine State Young Readers Award Nominee
Charlotte Observer Best Books of 2017 for Young Readers
News & Observer Best Books for Young Readers

Praise for The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora by Pablo Cartaya:

"Irresistibly exquisite."
—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"At turns funny, beautiful, and heartbreaking... engrossing."
—Booklist, starred review

"A vibrant debut novel about family, friendship, and community."
—Publishers Weekly, starred review

"Pablo Cartaya's sensational debut is a love letter to boyhood, poetry, and family. Quite simply, this is the book I've been waiting for."
—Matt de la Peña, New York Times bestselling and Newbery Medal–winning author of The Last Stop on Market Street

"This story of hope will make you laugh, cry, sigh, and cheer for brave Arturo and his whole cool familia. Along the way, you'll end up hungry for Cuban food, ravenous for poetry, and determined to stand up to bullies who try to destroy communities. ¡Bravo!"
—Margarita Engle, Newbery Honor–winning author of The Surrender Tree

“In this story of family and community and the first blush of love, Pablo Cartaya weaves together a tenderness of poetry, food, and home.  Our young hero Arturo reminds us of what counts in this life, and his story is a heart-song.”
—Kathi Appelt, Newbery Honor winner, National Book Award finalist, and New York Times bestselling author

“Arturo Zamora proves that words have the power to win some of the biggest fights. The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora is an epic success!” 
—Christina Diaz Gonzalez, award-winning author of The Red Umbrella

About the Author

Pablo Cartaya has always been a hopeless romantic. In middle school he secretly loved reading Shakespeare’s sonnets (don’t tell anyone), and he once spent his allowance on roses for a girl he liked. He also wrote her eight poems. Bad ones. He’s been writing ever since. Pablo has worked in Cuban restaurants and the entertainment industry, and he graduated with an MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts. All of these experiences have helped him write stories that reflect his family, culture, and love of words. Pablo lives in Miami with his wife and two kids, surrounded by tías, tíos, cousins, and people who he calls cousins (but aren’t really his cousins). Learn more about Pablo at pablocartaya.com.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Kokila
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 16, 2017
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 256 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1101997230
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1101997239
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 12.8 ounces
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 10 - 13 years
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.81 x 0.91 x 8.56 inches
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ 5 - 6
  • Best Sellers Rank: #794,652 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 out of 5 stars (779)

About the author

Follow authors for new release and deal updates, plus improved recommendations. See updates from all followed authors in Your Books.
Pablo Cartaya

Pablo Cartaya

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Pablo Cartaya is a New York Times bestselling author, speaker, and actor. His work has been featured in The New York Times, Washington Post, NBC, and on Oprah’s Booklist. He has received multiple starred reviews from Kirkus, Publisher’s Weekly, Booklist, School Library Journal, and Audiofile Magazine for his novels and audiobook narrations. Pablo has worked with Disney, Apple TV+, and Sesame Street on projects adapted from television series and features.

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Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
779 global ratings
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Customers say

Customers find this book exceptional and thought-provoking, with a story that provides a healthy way to examine complex themes. They appreciate its humor and emotional depth, particularly noting how it moves readers to tears and serves as a touching tribute to family. The book is well-suited for middle schoolers, with one customer mentioning their 5th graders loved it.
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21 customers mention content, 19 positive, 2 negative
Customers find the book exceptional and thought-provoking.
This was a great book for my middle school daughter. She found it humorous, touching, and it kept her wondering what was going to happen next.Read more
The Epic fail of Arturo Zamora is a very thought provoking and culturally stimulating book that is great for young readers....Read more
Five StarsRead more
Great!Read more
15 customers mention enjoyment, 15 positive, 0 negative
Customers find the book enjoyable, with several mentioning their children loved it, and one noting it was the first book their child wanted to read.
Loved it! The voice is authentically Middle Grade....Read more
Really enjoyed this book. All the awkwardness around starting to “like” someone for the first time is detailed perfectly....Read more
...the “love and faith” theme that undergird the story. I would recommend this book to anyone and I will surely be using it with my students in...Read more
Fabulous read. Great for middle schoolers about a connected family and gentrification in their neighborhood. Coming if age for Auturo Zamora....Read more
8 customers mention age-appropriate, 8 positive, 0 negative
Customers find the book age-appropriate, with several noting it's great for middle schoolers, and one mentioning it resonates well with 2nd generation kids.
...thought provoking and culturally stimulating book that is great for young readers....Read more
This is a good book for adolescents.Read more
Fabulous read. Great for middle schoolers about a connected family and gentrification in their neighborhood. Coming if age for Auturo Zamora....Read more
This book is a light read. It’s definitely for early middle grades, engaging and connectable.Read more
7 customers mention emotional, 7 positive, 0 negative
Customers find the book emotionally engaging, particularly appreciating its touching tribute to family and moments that moved them to tears. One customer highlights the wonderful relationships between Arturo and his family and friends.
An absolute gem!!!! What a wonderful story of love, poetry, community, and most importantly family. Don't miss reading this exceptional book!Read more
...(in this case, Cuban-American) and community ties (in Miami), proved poignant and inspirational to me....Read more
...She found it humorous, touching, and it kept her wondering what was going to happen next.Read more
Loved it! The voice is authentically Middle Grade. Full of heart, layered, and deep, and at the same time, fully engrossing and fun for the intended...Read more
7 customers mention humor, 7 positive, 0 negative
Customers find the book humorous, with one mentioning it's a hilarious family story.
Perfect gift for my nephews! Funny, relevant -- story telling at its best!Read more
This was a great book for my middle school daughter. She found it humorous, touching, and it kept her wondering what was going to happen next.Read more
...This is the kind of book that makes you laugh and "awww" and cry. I loved the relationships between Arturo and his family and friends....Read more
...The tale is not just funny; to my surprise, two moments moved me nearly to tears. It's easy to read and fit for its target tween audience....Read more
7 customers mention story, 7 positive, 0 negative
Customers love the story of the book, with one mentioning how it kept them wondering what would happen next, and another noting how the narrative provides a very healthy way to examine the subject matter.
...Even as an adult I enjoyed the story and made personal connections with the topics in many diverse ways....Read more
My 10 year old loved the story!!Read more
Perfect gift for my nephews! Funny, relevant -- story telling at its best!Read more
...She found it humorous, touching, and it kept her wondering what was going to happen next.Read more
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