Torrey Maldonado - Author and Educator

TORREY MALDONADO

Author    Educator

Torrey Maldonado - Author and Educator
Hands by author Torrey Maldonado

THE NATIONAL AMBASSADOR FOR YOUNG PEOPLE’S LITERATURE Meg Medina says grab HANDS & it’s “full of VOICE, HEART. It moves HARD & QUICK LIKE A MOVIE, LIKE A BOXING MATCH“.

Hands by author Torrey Maldonado

A JUNIOR LIBRARY GUILD GOLD STANDARD SELECTION

Hands

Grades 5 and up

Trev would do anything to protect his mom and sisters, especially from his stepdad. But his stepdad’s return stresses Trev—because when he left, he threatened Trev’s mom. Rather than live scared, Trev takes matters into his own hands, literally. He starts learning to box to handle his stepdad. But everyone isn’t a fan of his plan, because Trev’s a talented artist, and his hands could actually help him build a better future. And they’re letting him know. But their advice for some distant future feels useless in his reality right now. Ultimately, Trev knows his future is in his hands, and his hands are his own, and he has to choose how to use them.

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School Library Journal, starred review

“Packs a punch with a rapidly progressing plot and short chapters” . . . “This is an absolute must-have for every middle grade library collection.”

Horn Book

“An accessible, engaging, and heartfelt story.”

Kirkus

“A 12-year-old boy grapples with his ability to handle conflict without using his hands. Brief chapters, a fast-paced narrative, and simple language make this an accessible read. The characters feel relatable, and Trevor’s love for his community comes through clearly in the first-person narration. A short story with a lasting impact.”

Publishers Weekly

“This intense page-turner by Maldonado (What Lane?) perceptively explores the complexities of one Black tween’s experience facing difficult situations, the effect that violence has on one family’s future, and the value of community when working through hardship.”

Hands  in the press

FOLKS FROM AROUND THE WORLD ARE LINING UP TO GRAB THEIR COPY. PREORDER YOURS!

See Torrey Maldonado unboxing the book Hands