Carlos Hernandez has published more than thirty works for fiction, poetry, and drama, most notably a book of short stories for adults entitled The Assimilated Cuban's Guide to Quantum Santeria. He is an English professor at City University of New York, and he loves to both play games and design them. He lives with his wife, Claire, in Queens, New York. Follow him on Twitter: @WriteTeachPlay.
*"Delightfully weird, this is unlike any other book in the middle
grade canon. Hernandez has managed to include conflict and
excitement into his first novel for young people . . . Fans who
enjoyed Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time and Rick Riordan's
works will love Sal and Gabi, as will readers looking for upbeat
fiction with Spanish-speaking characters. Hernandez offers a
rip-roaring and emotionally resonant sci-fi adventure. A must-have
for middle school or upper elementary libraries . . ."--School
Library Journal (starred review)
"Sal and Gabi Break the Universe is beautiful, bonkers, and filled
to the brim with a fiercely unstoppable joy."--William Alexander,
National Book Award-winning author of A Properly Unhaunted
Place
"An extraordinary adventure about family and friendship, pulled off
with show-stopping style. If Harry Houdini, Mr. Rogers, and Dr.
Stephen Hawking wrote a book together, it might come close to the
wonder, magic, and metaphysics of Carlos Hernandez's Sal and Gabi
Break the Universe, but only Hernandez can bring the magnificent
Sal Vidon, the brilliant Gabi Real, their families, and fellow
students at Culeco Academy of the Arts to life. This book is a
delight and a must-read."--Fran Wilde, Hugo, Nebula, and World
Fantasy Award Finalist; author of Updraft
"Artfully balancing sf antics with a meaningful exploration of
grief, Hernandez fills his fast-paced novel with an intriguing
blend of sf, folklore, and Cuban culture and populates it with
delightfully well-rounded, clever, and exceptionally kind
characters, all in a lively, distinctive voice. With a compelling
cliff-hanger ending, this engrossing adventure is sure to leave
readers excitedly anticipating the next installment."--Booklist
(starred review)
"The story moves quickly, with lots of multiverse traffic, school
hijinks, and strong, smart, diverse characters. Most are
Cuban-American in various shades of brown, like Sal, Gabi, and
Yasmany, and Hernandez effortlessly folds in multiple
intersectionalities, including Sal's diabetes and Gabi's unusual,
delightfully matter-of-fact family structure. Secondary characters
receive as much care and love as the primary cast, and readers will
find themselves laughing out loud and rooting for Sal, Gabi, and
even Yasmany until the very end. This book, drenched in Cuban
Spanish and personality, is a breath of fresh air."--Kirkus Reviews
(starred review)
"This book is good-hearted, funny, magical, and absolutely
unputdownable. I fell in love with all the characters and want to
keep reading about them forever."--Tina Connolly, author of the
Seriously Wicked Series
"This vibrant tale from Cuban-American Hernandez (The Assimilated
Cuban's Guide to Quantum Santeria for adults) is peppered with
Spanish dialogue and slang, filled with mouthwatering plates of
Cuban cuisine, and highly inclusive, featuring a sprawling,
memorable cast, including Gabi's collection of gender-spanning
dads. A nonstop sense of wonder accompanies a genuinely
heartwarming and humorous tone, and Sal and Gabi are clearly a
fictional team destined for greatness."--Publishers Weekly (starred
review)
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