Sal and Gabi Break the Universe

I don’t think it’s hyperbolic to call Carlos Hernandez’ Sal & Gabi Break the Universe a mold-breaker. Any expectations you bring to the book based on the publishing line it’s a part of, the genre it falls into, or the age reader it’s aimed at, are likely to be mistaken. The main characters also don’t fall into expected roles from similar stories. Rick Riordan’s various series have been mythology-based, and most of the initial titles in the Rick Riordan Presents line have stayed in that mold while lifting up the voices of marginalized peoples to tell stories from their own cultures. In Sal & Gabi, Hernandez makes full use of his heritage, but there’s almost no mention of mythology or gods. Instead, the author immerses us in modern Cuban-American language and cuisine, and … sleight-of-hand magic? Yep. Sal’s goal is to be a different kind of hero: a magician who brings joy to sick kids stuck in hospital just like the magician who did it for him. There’s no demi-god lineage, no monsters waiting to attack. The little bit of the past that impacts Sal’s present is not a mythological past but rather his own. In fact, there are no fantasy/magic elements at all other than Sal’s sleight-of-hand. The book is, I think, the first under the RRP umbrella to be science fiction. But rather than the far-future we often see in MG and YA books, this is a near future that is recognizably our own world with some hints of advanced (if not openly available) technology. And rather than dystopia, we get loving families, helpful adults, and a sense of community and hope. Even at the book’s darkest moments, and there are a couple, I didn’t feel despondent or mired down. Hernandez also manages to avoid one of the problems I struggle with in the few middle-grade books I’ve read, including the early Percy Jackson books (as much as I loved them): his characters act and sound like thirteen-year-olds. So many MG characters either read much younger than their supposed age, or much older. Reading the banter between Sal, Gabi, and their classmates, I felt like I was listening to my own nieces and nephews. At first, the characters seem like they’re going to fall into traditional roles: Sal as the titular chosen one, Gabi as the too-smart-for-her-peers outcast, Yasmany as the bully and “big bad.” But here again Hernandez subverts expectations. Yes, Sal can do something remarkable (rip holes between universes and pulls things – and people – into his own), but he’s not a Chosen One. Nobody is spouting prophecies about what he can and will do, and even the most scientifically-adept characters in the book don’t know why Sal can do what he can do, or what effect it will have on the fabric of the multiverse. Gabi is smart and sassy and a little bit feared, but also well-liked by her peers. Yasmany starts out as the bully, but he’s neither a snob nor a jerk, and his character shows immediate depth that characters like Draco Malfoy only wish they could have exhibited in the first book of a series. Not only is Yasmany not the “big bad,” the book doesn’t have a “big bad” at all! It’s so refreshing to read a MG/YA book where the conflict is situational rather than staged, and where the tension comes from wondering what new situation is going to complicate things rather than wondering when the hero is going to punch the villain. Other than the initial Sal-Yasmany encounter, which never gets as violent as it threatens to, I’m not sure there’s a single fight scene in the entire book. Sal, Gabi, Yasmany, and their classmates enjoy school, are creative without being falsely eccentric, and are polite even when they’re arguing. Sal’s and Gabi’s parents are involved in their kids’ lives rather than absent, curious and supportive without being pushovers. The other authority figures (principal, custodian, teachers, nurses) are likeable and engaged rather than stern and unyielding roadblocks. Again, there’s that sense of family and community, with good (but not untroubled) relationships almost all around. And people actually apologize when they make mistakes or false assumptions. Anyone who has heard Carlos read any portion of this book at various conventions and reading programs over the past year or two will not be surprised at the amount of humor the book holds. Everything from slapstick to fart jokes to more intricate wordplay is present, but the characters never engage in humor that is denigrating, embarrassing or vulgar. Even the snark and sarcasm teens are known for is delivered gently. Finally, I have to acknowledge how empowering it has to be for Cuban-American kids to read this book and “hear” their own language, the beats and rhythms and slang. There were even bits of dialogue completely in Spanish with no direct translation into English. I don’t read or speak Spanish but was able to pick up context clues and go back later to look up translations, but I was happy those moments exist in the text, because they will reach the intended audience and make those young readers smile and feel represented. Also: the sequel has been announced, and I cannot wait to find out how Sal & Gabi Fix the Universe and what happens before they do.

--- “Do your worst, multiverse,” I told my reflection. “I’m ready for you.” --- I love Rick Riordan’s books so I was super excited about the Rick Riordan Presents imprint. This was actually my first read in the imprint and I loved it! I was extra excited because I myself am Hispanic and I don’t read very many books by Hispanic authors/with Hispanic protagonists, so this was awesome! And it was a lot of fun! From the first page I knew I would love this—it was so funny! The characters find themselves in wacky situations, and just the fact that the multiverse is a thing is SO cool! --- “We don't know what calamitrons will do to human tissue. They could act like radiation and make you sick, or worse.” “Or maybe they'll give me superpowers!” “Dude,” Gabi cacaseca’ed, “you can steal stuff from other universes. You're good on superpowers.” --- One fun thing about Sal is that he’s a magician (he’s a manipulative little punk and it’s kinda great 😂). It’s funny cause he also has the ability to pull things from other dimensions, which is a different kind of magic altogether! Speaking of which, we never really find out WHY he is able to do this. Maybe it’s just me, but this is something I would like to know. I’m curious, okay! Lol. But this ability is super cool! The one thing we do know is that he was struggling with his mother’s death, and that’s sort of when this all began. And speaking of his mom, his stepmom is pretty cool. I love that they have such a healthy relationship. The cliché of the kids not getting along with their stepparent is boring and old, but Sal and his stepmom get along really well and I loved that. And then Sal’s dad is a physicist! As for feisty Gabby, I also loved her! One thing that confused me was that she had a lot of dads? I’m not sure what that was all about and it was never explained. I’m sure I’m missing something there, but I don’t know 😅 One relationship that was very surprising and intriguing was Sal and Gabi’s relationship with Yasmany, a bully. The relationship and even character development here was great! He has his own terrible issues going on at home, and we saw what a good friend Gabi is . She is just so caring and I love that about her 🥰 Another thing I loved was learning about Cuban culture. I’m Hispanic, as I mentioned, but I’m Mexican American. I am not very familiar with Cuban culture, but I presumed there were a lot of similarities. And there were! But there were also a lot of interesting differences and some phrases and sayings I had never heard before. So yeah, that was very fun! And speaking of that, there was quite a bit of Spanish in here, which I appreciated, and the book did a good job of translating without it feeling like it was hitting you over the head with it. There was also a lot of Spanglish which I loved because I myself speak Spanglish 😂 The book starts off with a chicken in a locker. Sal accidentally brings it from another universe, but as a cover he claims it was just a magic trick since, you know, he’s a magician. BUT because of this “trick,” he is called a ‘brujo’ at school, which is basically a witch. Now, I personally think witches are cool—they are one of my favorite supernatural creatures, BUT in my culture, brujeria ALWAYS has a negative connotation attached to it. Always. And apparently this is also the case in Cuban culture, which totally sucks for Sal. But I thought that was really interesting just seeing all these similarities between Mexican and Cuban cultures. Another similarity I hardcore related to was this: --- "Like any proper Cuban gathering, it took the adults another forty-five minutes of conversation to actually say good-bye." --- YES! This is my mom at every family gathering EVER! 🤣 Also the whole thing with the food... There was one part when Sal meets Gabi’s family and they feed him a heaping plate of food. At a Hispanic party, I promise you you will never go hungry. And they will feed you even if you’re not hungry. Just take the food, don’t refuse it... it’s the best thing you can do for yourself 😂 (Again, my mom, literally 🤣) Suffice to say, I really loved this! I was a little surprised because as I was reading this I found that this book was more character-driven, not plot-driven, which is what I’m used to/prefer. But it’s a good thing I loved these characters and their relationships with one another. I also loved the setting and the culture and the multiverses and the wacky situations the characters found themselves in... It was such a great book! And that ending was intense! I’m interested to see how they’re gonna, you know, fix the universe 😉

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!

I have to preface, I've read every book in the "Rick Riordan Presents" imprint so I had high hopes for this book. Its a great book overall, with a very detailed setting and fully developed characters. I feel like the drawings/pictures the imprint releases definitely help me to imagine the different characters. For example, the drawings of Papi, American Stepmom, and Principal Torres totally sell what Carlos Hernandez is selling. My compliments to the illustrator. I also really loved how Hernandez explored the idea of family in this book. Gabi has multiple dads, but it works. Sal misses his mother ("Mami Muerta") but that doesn't make it so her can't have a strong relationship with his stepmother, an almost bonus parent relationship instead of attempting to replace her. My one reservation about this book is that the mythology aspects are not immediately obvious (like they are in the other Rick Riordan presents books). I had expected to get an education on Cuban mythology, but I didnt really see that happening. It at times reads more like a book on science fiction than mythology. No matter what, I still recommend reading this book, and will definitely be reading the sequel! :) Can't wait to see what shenanigans Sal and Gabi are up to next

I heard about this book when it was first published and was interested in it, but not enough to purchase it for myself and read it. I mean, it IS "written for kids" and I am a cranky old woman. Then, my tween granddaughter came to visit me for the summer. She is a struggling reader and had been assigned to read 300 pages over the break (a CHORE that she DREADED every day). UGH! That's when I decided to give this book a whirl. When we first received it, she was intimidated to say the least, because it was nearly 400 pages long AND the words were so small! But the forward - written by Rick Riordan himself) tweaked her interest. She pensively began what seemed to her to be a daunting task and the very first pages turned drudgery into delight! By the end of chapter one, she was unable to NOT continue reading so she could find out what would happen in chapter two! Before long, the story completely devoured her reluctance. Because of Sal and Gabi, my granddaughter's reading skills are improving before my very eyes. She is enjoying the experience of reading and gaining confidence. Here, she has discovered that reading can be phenomenally entertaining. Thank you Carlos Hernandez for sharing your brilliant mind with us! This book is a masterpiece of literary craftsmanship that will keep your teenager laughing and turning the pages for hours! We can't wait to read the sequel.

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!

I love this book. It has been a long time since I carried a big 400-page hardcover with me everywhere I went so I would have more time to read - but this book is that sort of book. It is also the sort of book that I wanted to slow down reading as I neared the end and realized how long I might have to wait to read more about Sal & Gabi and their parade of family and friends. One part Little Brother snark, one part Wrinkle in Time universe weirdness, two parts clever teens finding their way through the challenges life throws our way. I enjoyed learning more about Cuban-American culture. I particularly loved the way the author slowly reveals how things work in the universe he has created. Sal & Gabi will make you laugh out loud - and might even make you wipe away a tear or two. You are in for a great ride, be you an adult with a soft spot for middle-grade fiction (like me) or a kid looking for something new to read.

I have such respect for Rick Riordan is doing up with his celebrity to promote other authors writing about their own culture and myths. And of all the books in his Rick Riordan Presents imprint, the one I read yesterday, Sal and Gabi Break the Universe, is the best so far. It’s set in the Cuban community in Miami; it has a hero with type 1 diabetes who loves his stepmother even though he still misses his late mom; a friend who has a mom and any number of dads, a diverse group; adults and kids who have real conversations and appreciate each other; the best arts school since Fame; and most important it has joy, wonder, laughs, showmanship, magic both real and stage, and of course there are fart jokes (because these are still middle school kids). Highly recommended. I still hate the title, though. Perfectly accurate, but the title and cover didn’t make me expect the book to be as good as it was.

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

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 kids really enjoyed this series. It was an easy read but my daughter is an advanced reader.

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.

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