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The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora Audiobook
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Publisher Description
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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"A 2018 Pura Belpré Author Honor BookAn E.B. White Read-Aloud Middle Reader Award finalistA 2018 Bank Street Best Children's Book of the YearAmazon Best Children's Books of 2017Publishers Weekly Flying StartKirkus Reviews Best Fiction of 2017Chicago Public Library Best Book on 2017NYPL Best Books for Kids 20172017 Nerdy Book Award Winner2018 Texas Lone Star Reading List Selection2018-2019 Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children’s Book Award Nominee2018-2019 Sunshine State Young Readers Award NomineeCharlotte Observer Best Books of 2017 for Young ReadersNews & Observer Best Books for Young Readers"
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“Pablo Cartaya brings humor, poignancy, and a fresh voice to his reading of his audiobook. His prose is rich with imagery and honesty, and his cast of characters is bursting with warmth, personality, and passion…Through lively prose and a lyrical narration, Cartaya weaves a story of courage, food, family, and community…The sense of culture and place is rich, and the dialogue is refreshingly realistic. An ideal summer listen. Winner of the AudioFile Earphones Award.”
— AudioFile -
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 -
“Irresistibly exquisite.”
— Kirkus Reviews (starred review) -
“At turns funny, beautiful, and heartbreaking.”
— Booklist (starred review) -
“A vibrant debut novel about family, friendship, and community.”
— Publishers Weekly (starred review)
Awards
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AudioFile Earphones Award Winner
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A 2018 Audie Award Finalist for Best Middle-Gradel Fiction Narration
The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora Listener Reviews
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12/18/2022
About Pablo Cartaya
Pablo Cartaya graduated with an MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts. He serves as lead faculty at Sierra Nevada College’s low residency MFA program for Writing for Children and Young Adults. He writes stories that reflect his family, culture, and love of words.