Benny Ramírez and the Nearly Departed

February 15, 2024
Grades 3-6 Benny and the rest of his Cuban American family inherit his grandfather's home in Miami soon after his death, so they make the cross-country move from L.A. to start a new life in sunny south Florida. Benny has two siblings who are both talented in the arts and parents who scored positions at a local arts school, but he doesn't have any particular artistic talent. When they start to settle into their new home, Benny discovers he is able to see and speak with Abuelo's ghost and everything changes. This book is at once sweet and funny, and the author does a great job of showing a family dynamic in which everyone is happy for one another and everyone can be a winner or a star. Latine readers may catch some references to Cuban artists in the story, which is richly fleshed out to showcase Miami life and culture. Benny's first-person perspective as a middle-school student provides a lens through which young readers can enjoy a taste of Miami.

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March 1, 2024
When Latin music great Ignacio Ram�rez dies, his path to a rewarding afterlife is hindered by unfinished business that demands resolution. Not only is Benny Ram�rez the grandson of a famous Cuban American musician, but everyone else in his family has a talent, too: Papi is a well-regarded Hollywood producer, Mami has a gift for languages, older sister Cristina is a star dancer, and younger brother Manny is a promising actor. When the family inherits Benny's estranged grandfather's Miami home after his death, they leave Los Angeles, and the Ram�rez kids enter the South Miami Performing Arts School, where Benny, who feels like he isn't special, struggles to fit in. Fortunately, his musician abuelo's spectral presence is tied to his mansion, unable to move on. Ignacio must figure out what his unfinished business is and resolve it by New Year's. Only Benny can see Abuelo, who insists that helping Benny follow in his footsteps to become a world-famous trumpet player must be his unresolved task. Unfortunately, Ignacio has a history of egocentric behavior and little respect for boundaries, which leads Benny into many scrapes. The plot is reminiscent of other ghostly redemption tales, reinforcing the moral that family and community are more valuable than riches and fame. Iriarte writes with a lighthearted touch and includes ample physical comedy; the humor and Cuban American cultural touchstones make this work a welcome addition to the genre. A humorous and haunting riff on a classic storyline. (Paranormal. 8-12)

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March 1, 2024

Gr 3-7-Benny is not talented-not like his sister, the dancer; or his brother, the actor; or his recently deceased abuelo, the famous musician Ignacio Ramirez. He is forced to reckon with this when he and his family move into his grandpa's Miami mansion and Benny attends arts school. He discovers Abuelo is actually a ghost who has some unfinished business! Ignacio decides to help Benny become a star, so that the performer can go to the eternal party that is the afterlife. This debut title explores the complexities of family dynamics in a way that shows a love for the characters, including those who are not always the most sympathetic. Arguably the least relatable character, Ignacio, is the funniest to read about, with his wildly colorful outfits and his lack of self-awareness. As such, he may remind readers of their own weird relatives who are beloved. Though some of the humor falls flat, each emotional scene will riff on readers' souls. Children who are going through the pain of barely-there parents or family will relate to Benny and Ignacio's relationship. This pleasant title is best for young fantasy readers who like the paranormal, but do not want the scares. VERDICT Benny's story is a charming, not-scary ghost story with moments of joy, sadness, and wishing-you-were-there in Miami eating a delicious Cubano sandwich.-Wilsinia Ocasio

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