Shame the Stars (Shame the Stars #1)

July 25, 2016
McCall’s (Summer of the Mariposas) complex historical novel explores a seldom-covered era: the struggle between American-born Mexicans (Tejanos) and white Americans in border towns during the Mexican Revolution of the early 20th century. Narrated by 18-year-old Tejano Joaquín del Toro, a secret poet impassioned both by his love for 18-year-old Dulceña Villa and his strong sense of justice, the book covers three-and-a-half bloody years in the small Texas town of Monteseco in graphic detail. Initially torn apart by their fathers’ opposing stances on dealing with the corrupt Rangers who rule the town, Joaquín and Dulceña are set up as Romeo and Juliet figures, but startling revelations bring the families to work for the same side. Sophisticated readers will appreciate the intricate political and ethical questions raised, as well as their relevance to contemporary border issues. McCall’s depiction of two important female characters, who stand out for their strength and grace in an otherwise staunchly traditional—and often hot-headed—male hierarchy, is especially compelling. A character list helps readers track the extensive cast, primary-source newspaper clippings appear throughout, and back matter includes a glossary, historical background, and reading suggestions. Ages 12–up.

July 1, 2016

Gr 6 Up-A story of the love of a young couple during the Mexican Revolution in 1915, with a Romeo and Juliet twist. The unrest of the revolution affects everyone in two fictional towns, Monteseco and Las Moras. Joaquin writes poems and his thoughts in a journal about the revolution but has never shared them with anyone. Dulcena writes articles about the revolution for her father's newspaper under a pen name. Her pieces are about the violence the Texas Rangers cause against the Mexican citizens in the region. The Rangers even resort to killing the Mexican citizens when they do not follow the Rangers' orders. Dulcena's father's printing shop comes under fire for what he prints in the newspapers. Joaquin and Dulcena keep their relationship a secret because of the happenings of the revolution. Their letters are covertly delivered by a friend of their families. The couple try to meet at night when no one is around and hope not to get caught, very much like the protagonists of the source material. The author keeps readers in suspense, while slowly revealing details about the characters' involvement in the revolution. An author's note sheds light on McCall's inspiration and research, and a glossary gives definitions of Spanish words used throughout the book. VERDICT A good purchase for historical fiction collections, especially where there are fans of Ashley Hope Perez's Out of Darkness.-Minerva Alaniz, Texas Tech University Library

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from July 1, 2016
In the early 1900s in Texas, the Mexican Revolution crosses the border, dividing the brown-skinned gente (people) from the white authority of the Texas Rangers. Eighteen-year-olds Joaquin del Toro and Dulcena Villa love each other; however, after their families fall out, they must resort to keeping their relationship a secret. The del Toros own a large estate with cattle and farmland and are friendly with Capt. Munro, the local leader of the Texas Rangers. The Villas own the print shop and are publishers of El Sureno, the local periodical considered seditious by the town's authorities. Told from Joaquin's point of view, the novel spans three and a half years of corrupt agendas, power struggles, violence, racism, and loss. Scattered throughout are well-placed, nonitalicized Spanish words and phrases, both archival and fictional newspaper clippings, letters exchanged between hotheaded Joaquin and no-nonsense Dulcena, and Joaquin's poetry-filled journal entries, personalizing and adding context to the overall political conflict. Far beyond a love story, the novel successfully tackles all kinds of hardship, including sexual violence and lynching; the historical conflict between the Rangers and the Tejanos feels uncannily contemporary. Women are the hidden heroes, because they must be, the hearts of both the revolution and the novel. Pura Belpre winner McCall delivers an ambitious, sardonically relevant historical novel--a must-read, complex twist on a political Shakespearean tragedy. (cast of characters, author's note, further reading, sources, glossary) (Historical fiction. 12 & up)

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September 15, 2016
Grades 9-12 Pura Belpre Award winner McCall (Under the Mesquite, 2011) chooses the tumultuous borderlands of Texas and Mexico at the time of the Mexican Revolution as the setting for her latest. Loosely based on Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, this story's lovestruck, but not quite so ill-fated, teens face opposition from their families and the growing unrest in their community. Eighteen-year-old Joaquin del Toro can think of nothing but Dulcena Villa, though a feud between their families means that the pair's interactions are limited to secret notes and meetings. Their romance is but a framework for the violence erupting in their Texas county between Tejanos (Texans) and Anglo Rangers, who are practicing their own brand of racism-driven vigilante justice. Though the dialogue doesn't always ring true, the historical aspects of the narrative are eye-opening. McCall infuses the little-discussed uprising in South Texas with Spanish (defined in a glossary) and primary-source newspaper clippings, and gives women a vital role in the Tejano fight for justice. A powerful story of love in the face of great odds.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)