Rick Riordan Presents: Sal and Gabi Break the Universe-A Sal and Gabi Novel, Book 1

13 year old grandaughter loved it and is going to read the rest of the series. It especially pleased her because the main characture has type 1 diabetes, as does she.

My daughter adored this book so much and cannot wait for the next. Fantastic writing.

SAL AND GABI BREAK THE UNIVERSE by Carlos Hernandez follows young magician Sal Vidón and Gabi Reál (student council president, editor of the school paper, and self-proclaimed student lawyer) as they navigate the adventures that life throws their way.Sal does his best to take it easy, because his life is not easy. He has just moved with his dad and American Stepmom and is figuring out things at a new school. He’s in the principal’s office every day. His classmates think he’s a brujo because of the dead chicken in Yasmany’s locker. His Mami Muerta keeps popping up and complicating life… and, he just might be accidentally destroying the universe when he “relaxes.” He’s trying to become the world’s greatest magician, but Gabi seems like she won’t stop poking and prodding until he’s revealed his secrets to everyone! Somehow, with all of this, Gabi and Sal start together on an adventure that celebrates the beauty of true friendship and chosen family that you don’t want to miss.SAL AND GABI is one of my favorite books of the year. Sal’s voice is fresh and unique, and young readers will love both his and Gabi’s spunk and attitude. Sal and Gabi (along with the entire cast of characters) excel at bucking “normal” expectations, but the fantastical trials they face ring true to reality and how the hand we’re all dealt in life can sometimes seem both senseless and immaculately planned. You usually think of “slice of life” as a story type that we see in realistic fiction, and it’s so refreshing to read this extraordinary slice of Sal’s life. I love this sci-fi adventure that’s true to the “what if” that the genre is about. We don’t need an antagonist or an arbitrary magical timeline to have a great adventure. Life and science give us more than enough to question and embrace.I love the way that Carlos Hernandez doesn’t stop the story to explain every little thing to the reader. You are dropped into Sal’s life, from his point of view, and you stick with him for an amazing ride. Some of your questions will be answered. Some of them won’t be. As a teacher, I’m drooling over the fact that there’s no way any of my students would be able to hand me a blank sticky note and say honestly, “I didn’t have any questions while I was reading.” There are also parts where you might struggle if you don’t have any Spanish or linguistic experience. I love that, too. The characters and multiverse of SAL AND GABI are so authentic through and through that it really does feel like looking through a hole from our universe into theirs.If life, friends, family, and a little bit of out-of-this-world sound like your cup of tea, I promise you (and/or your students) will devour this book - and then want to devour some delicious Cuban food as well.I read this aloud to my 4th graders and they laughed out loud and loved it!

The book came one day early and in perfect condition!! Absolutely no defects. Cant wait to get into it!

Ich bin ein Fan von Rick Riordan und habe bisher auch alle Bücher der "Rick Riordan presents" Bücher gelesen. Dieses hier ist einer meiner Favoriten. Es ist sehr witzig geschrieben, hat zwei tolle Hauptcharaktere, und selbst die Nebencharaktere haben alle eine eigene Stimme.Auf jeden Fall zu empfehlen für alle Fans von Harry Potter und Percy Jackson.

Pace, plot, characters, subject-matter, HUMOR! I got so many laughs as this book swept me along -- and not just clever here and there or potty-humor laughs, but humor where I felt clever for getting it, or humor based on character set-ups that played through, humor where I could imagine myself a middle-school kid reading and responding to it. As a retired 4th-grade teacher, who's also done 5th grade and middle school, I've read hundreds of MG and YA novels. HUNDREDS. This is one of the very best. I'd have it on my classroom shelf in 4th, and recommend it to my stronger and more savvy 4th grade readers. I'd use it as a read-aloud in 5th. I'd start it (maybe 3 chapters) as a read aloud in 6th or 7th and KNOW that 80% of the class capable of breezing (or barely clawing) their way through it would not be able to resist - I'd have at least a dozen copies for class check-out in a 6th or 7th grade L.A. classroom. I'm recommending it to my adult friends, including my writing groups. I've been struggling for 5 yrs. to finish writing my own MG novel with some similar science premises, and I can only say, THIS work is humbling indeed. Mr. Hernandez -- BRILLIANT! (Thank you!) The construction and characters are top of the heap. So good!