Eleven-year-old Florencia del Lago learns that dreams are mercurial, malleable things in The Reel Wish, an inspiring and sincere middle-grade bildungsroman by Yamile Saied Méndez (Furia).
Florencia knows she and her best friend Selena deserve lead roles in their exclusive ballet academy's production of the Nutcracker. Both are auditioning for Clara, but "only one girl among dozens [will] be selected for the honor." It is Florencia who becomes "the youngest and first Latina Clara ever." Between regular dance classes and rigorous Nutcracker rehearsals, Florencia doesn't have time for anything else--including schoolwork. Her mother tells her that "hard work pays off," but with Florencia's first performance comes her first panic attack: "I let out my breath in short, painful gasps. Stars popped in my eyes." Selena jumps in to dance Florencia's part and becomes the studio's new star while Florencia is kicked out. At 11, Florencia wonders if she'll ever dance again--until she discovers the "electricity" of Irish dance.
The Reel Wish is an impactful and nuanced look at childhood mental health and the pressures children sometimes face when pursuing their passions at an early age. Florencia's panic attacks are realistic, as are the responses of those around her--not everyone reacts well or is supportive. Still, Méndez brings a compassionate lens to Florencia's struggles. There is no magic wand to remove the attacks entirely, and not all her relationships survive, but Florencia finds supporters willing to stand in her corner and she learns that a true passion never fades. --Kyla Paterno, freelance reviewer