Language: PG (4 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG-13 (adolescent sexual development - both male & female, body dysmorphia, addiction to online gaming, minor character was catfished online and sexually extorted); Violence: PG (mentions cockfighting, mild peril during a flood)
BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ADVISABLE
AUDIENCE APPEAL: SOME
Written in verse, Stream is a novel in two voices serving as a combined sequel for Elio’s (Ultraviolet) and Celi’s (The Moon Within) stories from prior books. Elio and Celi are disconnected from the real world in different ways: Elio is addicted to online gaming, while Celi is chasing the unattainable status of social media influencer. When an awful catfishing incident happens to a fellow classmate, parents begin to take a closer look at their kids' online habits. As a result, Elio and Celi are both sent to unplug in the tiny off-grid Mexican village of Atoyec during the summer after their 8th grade year.
I had high hopes for Stream after enjoying Ultraviolet, but this one missed the mark for me. The 'social media/technology is bad' theme felt less like a poetic exploration and more like harping on a trend for the duration of the book. While Elio and Celi have some great moments of depth, their relationship felt incredibly hasty by the final chapters. Most importantly, the ending lacked credibility; it’s hard to buy into a plot where eighth graders are single-handedly saving a village from a natural disaster and performing emergency medical rescues. It just didn't feel like an authentic representation of being fourteen.
Kiera, ELA teacher #BookswithBeddes
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