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The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora cover art

The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora

Written by: Pablo Cartaya
Narrated by: Pablo Cartaya
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Publisher's Summary

Save the restaurant. Save the town. Get the girl. Make Abuela proud. Can 13-year-old Arturo Zamora do it all, or is he in for a big, epic fail?

For Arturo, summertime in Miami means playing basketball until dark, sipping mango smoothies, and keeping cool under banyan trees. And maybe a few shifts as junior lunchtime dishwasher at Abuela's restaurant. Maybe. But this summer also includes Carmen, a cute poetry enthusiast who moves into Arturo's apartment complex and turns his stomach into a deep fryer. He almost doesn't notice the smarmy land developer who rolls into town and threatens to change it. Arturo refuses to let his family and community go down without a fight, and as he schemes with Carmen, Arturo discovers the power of poetry and protest through untold family stories and the work of José Martí.

Funny and poignant, The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora is the vibrant story of a family, a striking portrait of a town, and one boy's quest to save both, perfect for fans of Rita Williams-Garcia.

©2017 Pablo Cartaya (P)2017 Listening Library

What the critics say

A 2018 Pura Belpré Author Honor Book

An E.B. White Read-Aloud Middle Reader Award finalist

A 2018 Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year

Amazon Best Children's Books of 2017

Publishers Weekly Flying Start

Kirkus Reviews Best Fiction of 2017

Chicago Public Library Best Book on 2017

NYPL Best Books for Kids 2017

2017 Nerdy Book Award Winner

2018 Texas Lone Star Reading List Selection

2018-2019 Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children’s Book Award Nominee

2018-2019 Sunshine State Young Readers Award Nominee

Charlotte Observer Best Books of 2017 for Young Readers

News & Observer Best Books for Young Readers

"Pablo Cartaya brings humor, poignancy, and a fresh voice to his reading of his audiobook. His prose is rich with imagery and honesty, and his cast of characters is bursting with warmth, personality, and passion.... Through lively prose and a lyrical narration, Cartaya weaves a story of courage, food, family, and community.... The sense of culture and place is rich, and the dialogue is refreshingly realistic. An ideal summer listen." (AudioFile)

"Irresistibly exquisite." (Kirkus Reviews, starred review)

"At turns funny, beautiful, and heartbreaking... engrossing." (Booklist, starred review)

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