Evocative story about a daughter-father home renovation.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Violence & Scariness
a little
Emotional distress is described in written form as well as illustrations, but no intense visuals or descriptions of violence in the book. Almudena is name-called by a group of neighborhood boys for not speaking Spanish, and they often mention her skin color and mixed heritage. There are depictions of mistrust and dislike towards a character who is ostracized based on their sexual identity and gender expression. An important character is neurodivergent due to a past violent incident in which he was "jumped" by gang members and it "messed up his brain." The incident is not described in detail.
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A few of the characters use moderate language once or twice, such as "butts," "ass," and "a--hole," and the Spanish slur for whore, "puta," comes up once. The neighborhood teens, headed by Beto, call Almudena "off-brand" and people often put her down because she doesn't speak Spanish and because of behaviors they perceive as "White" which derive from her half-White background. The word "f--k" is mentioned twice.
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As the main character helps her estranged father renovate a townhome located in a predominantly Latino neighborhood, readers learn about complex family relationships, making new friends, gentrification, and pulling off a renovation.
Positive Messages
a lot
The story narrates positive behavior of a compassionate teen meeting her estranged parent for the first time. The main character models integrity while learning about her immigrant father and her Guatemalan roots for the first time. She is responsible, respectful, honest, and mindful as she witnesses the struggles of the people from her father's neighborhood.
Positive Role Models
a lot
Fifteen-year-old Almudena faces difficult situations with maturity and grace. Almudena meets her father for the first time, learns about the interpersonal conflicts of a colorful cast of neighborhood characters related to personal relationships, spirituality, sexual identity, and gentrification. Throughout the narrative, Almudena models a warm and flexible character, and leads with integrity, often choosing to do the right thing when no one is looking. Although Almudena is sometimes angry or scared, she is strong enough to take the time to reflect and find the answers to face these challenges within herself.
Diverse Representations
a lot
The book employs well-rounded representations of conflicts pertaining to religion, ethnicity, non-traditional family structures, and sexual identity, while also exporing the issue of gentrification. Almudena is a mixed-race teenager from a single-parent household who does not speak Spanish. Her mother, a young white woman who owns a dance studio, raises her as a single mom. Almudena's father is a Spanish-speaking Guatemalan immigrant who once worked as a day laborer and eventually found steady work as a handyman. One of the characters in the book comes out as gay, and another struggles with being accepted by her peers because she lives her life openly as a lesbian. Though characters adhere to gender roles—for example, women go to the Laundromat while men do all the work that is perceived as "heavy lifting," these gender roles accurately represent gender norms traditionally practiced by people of Latino heritage. Other characters do challenge these stereotypes in a manner that is also a fair representation of people of Latino heritage.
Parents need to know that Samuel Teer's Brownstone is a graphic novel about a young teen coming to terms with her mixed identity during a first summer with her father. When Almudena's White mother leaves to live out her dream for a summer, Almudena goes to stay with her Spanish-speaking Guatemalan father, whom she's meeting for the first time. As they work together to renovate a ‘Brownstone' townhome, they must learn to communicate all the things they've never had a chance to say. Along the way, Almudena learns about the struggles the people from her father's Latino neighborhood face, including discrimination and gentrification. A past violent incident not described in detail involves a secondary character jumped by gang members which "messed up his brain." Neighborhood boys make fun of Almudena for not speaking Spanish, her skin color, and her mixed heritage and another character is ostracized for their sexual identity and gender expression. There's some mild language, including "butts," "ass," "a--hole," a couple uses of "f--k, and, once, the Spanish slur for whore, "puta." A couple is shown kissing, a romantic relationship between neighbors is implied, and a teen character smokes cigarettes.
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What's the Story?
In Samuel Teer's BROWNSTONE, a father and daughter work together to renovate an old townhome and to build the relationship they never got to have. When Almudena's mother goes away for a summer, she meets her immigrant Guatemalan father for the first time. Almudena has so many questions for him like: Who are you? Why have we not met before? Where have you been my whole life? She cannot wait to ask, but when she arrives at her father's door, she finds out he can only say a few words in English. Since Almudena does not speak any Spanish, she must learn to rely on the people in her father's community for help. Will she be able to find a place for herself in her father's life and share in his heritage?
Rich illustrations and captivating text tell the charming story of a young girl meeting her immigrant father for the first time. Brownstone will tug at your heartstrings and keep you entertained. The main character, Almudena, handles herself with integrity during a series of difficult situations that challenge her beliefs and require her to find out who she really is. Mar Julia's expressive character illustrations are beautifully executed and supplement the narrative with tenderness for the subjects and setting. Samuel Teer's entertaining narrative is constructed as a seamlessly layered tale that results in a moving reading experience. The characters' background stories come together in a rewarding way, leaving you with the feeling of wanting to stick around for more.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the complex family dynamics in Brownstone. How does not knowing her father affect Almudena? Is there anyone in your family you're curious to know more about?
Why do you think Almudena's father did not reach out? Did you understand his reason and behavior?
Did you find yourself judging Almudena's father for not being in her life? Did your point of view about Almudena's father change at the end of the book?
Communication is really challenging for Almudena and her dad, since they don't speak the same language. How do they figure out to connect and get to know one another? How important are other people? How important is non-verbal communication?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
suggesting a diversity update.
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
By Florencia Orlandoni
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
