A review by makeminemonsters
Falling Short by Ernesto Cisneros

emotional funny hopeful reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I thought this story was such a sweet examination of a friendship between two 12 year old boys in a way that was really lovely to see. They were so supportive of each other and I thought the fact that they were comfortable talking about their feelings and insecurities was really refreshing and will be great for kids around middle school age to see. There was also lots of basketball and sports content for sports fans though the heart of the story is really Marco and Isaac's friendship.
I do think that Isaac's father's drinking problem was handled a little too easily though. I applaud the author for taking care with the character so that the reader is really rooting for him to treat his addiction successfully, but I think the ending was tied up a little too quickly. Still, this book is really for 4th-7th graders and that's a tough balance to strike between being realistic without being too much for the reader to grapple with.
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