Second Generation Blues

Ages 13 And Up, Grades 8 And Up

Almost American Girl meets The Magic Fish in Second Generation Blues, a poignant coming-of-age young adult graphic novel about a Cuban American teen as he struggles to choose between being the son his parents need him to be and living the life he wants.

All Luis Menendez has ever wanted is freedom—from his father’s unrelenting disappointment, his endless responsibilities at his family's faltering restaurant, and the burden of being his immigrant Cuban American parents' only son.Now that he’s old enough, his summer is doomed to be spent sweating under the blistering sun, riding day in and day out on his bike, delivering food in his rapidly gentrifying New York City neighborhood. And if that weren’t enough, the weight of his predetermined future to take over the family restaurant (already decided by his father, of course) grows heavier by the day.The only bright spot in his endless summer is Yara. Confident, assertive, and kind of everything Luis ever dreamed of, she might be the only one who actually understands him—that is, if he could find any time to spend with her.But when Luis decides to carve out a space for himself amid the chaos, even if it comes at the cost of a few lies along the way, he finds himself having to answer a question he's always avoided: If being the son his parents need him to be means giving up living the life he always wanted, which is he willing to sacrifice?

About the Author

Julio Anta is the author of many graphic novels, including the Eisner Award–nominated Frontera; Sí, Se Puede: The Latino Heroes Who Changed the United States; Speak Up, Santiago!; and This Land Is Our Land: A Blue Beetle Story. Julio was born and raised in Miami, Florida, and currently resides in New York City, where he works to tell narratively rich stories about a diverse range of Latinx characters for readers of all ages. Red Dryer is a Mexican comic artist working on a solo debut graphic novel, along with a second untitled book, with HarperCollins Publishers. Dryer was born in White Plains, New York, is currently based out of California, and now pursues storytelling with heavy topics in a digestible manner.