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A Hero's Guide to Summer Vacation

By Pablo Cartaya
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Brief Description
Reality proves more epic than fantasy in this family road trip story starring a reluctant young hero and his curmudgeonly grandfather. Gonzalo Alberto Sanchez Garcia has never considered himself the hero of his own story. He's an observer, quietly snapshotting landscapes and drawing the creatures he... Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
$2100
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Reality proves more epic than fantasy in this family road trip story starring a reluctant young hero and his curmudgeonly grandfather.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Reality proves more epic than fantasy in this family road trip story starring a reluctant young hero and his curmudgeonly grandfather.

Gonzalo Alberto Sanchez Garcia has never considered himself the hero of his own story. He's an observer, quietly snapshotting landscapes and drawing the creatures he imagines emerging from them. Forced to spend the summer with his estranged grandfather, Alberto William Garcia—the very famous reclusive author—Gonzalo doesn't expect to learn that heroes and monsters are not only the stuff of fantasy.

But that's precisely what happens when Gonzalo's CEO mother, Veronica, sends Alberto on tour to promote the final book in his fantasy series for children and Gonzalo must tag along, even though he feels no connection to his grandfather or the books. Together, they embark on a cross-country road trip from Mendocino to Miami in a classic 1968 Oldsmobile Cutlass S convertible named Mathilde.

Over the course of ten epic days on the highway, they will slay demons, real and imagined; confront old stories to write new ones; and learn what it truly means to show up for your family.

A Hero's Guide to Summer Vacation by Pablo Cartaya is a tale of discovery and transformation, exploring the bonds that tie and the power of storytelling to heal and connect.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780451479761

Publisher: Penguin Putnam Inc

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 05 May 2026

Country: United States

Imprint: Signet

Audience: Children

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 16.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 195.0mm

Weight: 198g

Pages: 288

Collections

Children's Books Children's Fiction Children’s, Teenage and Educational General Fiction Pablo Cartaya Penguin Books Young Adult

About the Author

Pablo Cartaya is a sought-after speaker, actor, educator, and the award-winning author of The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora, Marcus Vega Doesn't Speak Spanish, Each Tiny Spark, The Last Beekeeper, and Curveball. Learn more about Pablo at PabloCartaya.com and follow him online @PHCartaya.

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