The Girl, the Ring, & the Baseball Bat

November 20, 2023
Three New Jersey teens obtain magical items that will purportedly solve all their problems in this entrancing magical-realism novel by Gomera-Tavarez (High Spirits). Eager to escape her religious mother’s strict rules, Dominican American Rosie can’t wait to graduate and attend the Innovation Technical Institute. But following a physical altercation between her younger sister Caro and another classmate, who claims that Rosie was also involved, Rosie is kicked out of the Accelerated program, threatening her future pursuits. When she discovers a picture of her mother as a rebellious teen, Rosie—along with Caro and new friend Zeke, a queer Jamaican American who’s managing depression following his intolerant mother’s death—tracks down the sisters’ magic-practicing aunt. Rosie soon procures a jacket that grants her mind control powers; Zeke receives a set of rings that allow him to choose his soulmate; and Caro finds an enchanted baseball bat that fixes anything it breaks. Initially, the teens enjoy the gifts, until they realize the danger the items also wield. Via the three teens’ personable alternating perspectives, Gomera-Tavarez crafts a spell-binding tale that delves into Latin American culture, intergenerational trauma, and sexuality. Ages 12–up.