Lulu and Milagro's Search for Clarity

December 1, 2021
Sisters set off on a college tour in search of answers to their uncertain futures. Peruvian American Milagro Zavala and her younger sister, Lulu, couldn't be any more different, and it shows--especially in their life goals. Milagro is desperate not to die a virgin; Lulu dreams of attending Stanford's summer program. But their Mami stands in the way: She wants Milagro to behave like a respectable young lady, and she makes Lulu promise to stay in Baltimore for college, believing that leaving home will ruin her. After all, the girls' older sister, Clara, has changed dramatically since leaving for the University of Iowa. When Lulu and Milagro embark on the same college road trip, a joint effort organized by St. Agnes, their Catholic girls' school, and St. Anthony, the nearby all-boys school, they must find out whether their dreams are possible--and talking to Clara in person seems like the key. This novel digs deep into the twists and turns of sisterhood, and the girls' voices are delightfully distinct and humorous. Lulu calls one of Milagro's make-out partners a "cologne-wearing parasite"; Milagro gleefully tells readers that her first sexual encounter "will be me, him, and my soul slowly departing to hell." The bilingual Zavala sisters are steeped in their culture, and the rest of the cast is culturally diverse as well. Readers will feel like these deeply real, funny, and ambitious sisters are their own close friends. (author's note) (Fiction. 13-18)

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Starred review from January 1, 2022

Gr 9 Up-The Zavala sisters have always been close, but ever since eldest sister Clara left Baltimore to attend college in Iowa, things have been different. Lulu is just as dedicated to school as Clara was, and has received an interview invitation to a summer program at Stanford. Milagro is focused on her boyfriend Pablo and trying not to get too many detentions. When Clara returns home during winter break, the sisters and their mom realize that something is different-Clara has changed, but she won't talk to Lulu or Milagro about what is going on. As Lulu prepares to go on a weeklong trip visiting colleges, Milagro's plans for intimacy with Pablo change as she discovers he's not who she thought, and she suddenly finds herself on the bus with Lulu. Throughout the trip, the sisters struggle with finding out what they want to do in the future; Lulu wants Clara to patch things up with their mom so she can also have the opportunity to go away for college, while Milagro makes forgetting about Pablo her priority. As they go from college to college, the sisters discover that their future can be different from what they imagined, but that that's not a bad thing. And as they get closer to the end of the trip, they find out important truths about themselves and about Clara. VERDICT A funny, heartfelt story filled with unique and unforgettable characters, the strength of sisterhood and family, first love, and a love for STEM and the arts, this young adult novel will have readers laughing out loud while also thinking about their own future. Highly recommended for young adult collections.-Selenia Paz

Copyright 2022 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 1, 2022
Grades 10-12 Sisters Lulu and Milagro are as different as it gets. Milagro is the sociable sister who cares more about fashion and her boyfriend, Pablo, than life after high school. Lulu is her awkward younger sister who wants to help save the environment and has her heart set on being a Stanford University High School Summer Scholar. Lulu is excited to be chosen to go on her high school's annual college field trip, a week of traveling across the country and visiting different campuses. Milagro, however, would rather be doing anything else. But it is through this trip and all its unexpected experiences that they will learn a lot about themselves and each other. This coming-of-age story explores the topic of post-high-school plans and the pressure some teens may feel to fit a mold or live up to certain expectations that have been set for them. Readers who are first-generation kids of immigrants will especially find Lulu and Milagro's Search for Clarity relatable.

COPYRIGHT(2022) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

March 1, 2022
Unlike her younger sister, Lulu, Milagro has never cared about college. So she's not thrilled to learn that she'll be joining Lulu on their Catholic school's annual spring break field trip, visiting schools across the country. Lulu dreams of going to college far from their Baltimore home like the girls' oldest sister, Clara. She is scheduled to interview for an internship at Stanford, but their mother wants Lulu to stay closer by. On the trip, the sisters attend classes and club meetings, sneak out to parties -- and fight with each other. When they discover that Clara has been lying to them, Lulu ditches the trip to look for her, which ultimately brings the three siblings together for an honest conversation. Alternating chapters fully develop Lulu's and Milagro's distinct personalities; they have different interests and priorities, but their admiration and love for each other is clear. The experience also inspires them to reimagine their futures: Milagro considers college as a possibility, while Lulu pursues the internship -- and romance, too. (Her relationship with Leo, her assigned trip partner who shares and appreciates her intelligence, is a highlight.) Details from their lives as a family of Peruvian American women add depth to this story of sisterhood and self-discovery. Rachel L. Kerns

(Copyright 2022 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

January 1, 2022
Unlike her younger sister, Lulu, Milagro has never cared about college. So she's not thrilled to learn that she'll be joining Lulu on their Catholic school's annual spring break field trip, visiting schools across the country. Lulu dreams of going to college far from their Baltimore home like the girls' oldest sister, Clara. She is scheduled to interview for an internship at Stanford, but their mother wants Lulu to stay closer by. On the trip, the sisters attend classes and club meetings, sneak out to parties -- and fight with each other. When they discover that Clara has been lying to them, Lulu ditches the trip to look for her, which ultimately brings the three siblings together for an honest conversation. Alternating chapters fully develop Lulu's and Milagro's distinct personalities; they have different interests and priorities, but their admiration and love for each other is clear. The experience also inspires them to reimagine their futures: Milagro considers college as a possibility, while Lulu pursues the internship -- and romance, too. (Her relationship with Leo, her assigned trip partner who shares and appreciates her intelligence, is a highlight.) Details from their lives as a family of Peruvian American women add depth to this story of sisterhood and self-discovery.

(Copyright 2022 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)