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Reviewed by: The Truth About Triangles by Michael Leali Cassidy Russell Leali, Michael The Truth About Triangles. Harper, 2024 336 Trade ed. ISBN 9780063337367 19. 99 E-book ed. ISBN 9780063337381 10. 99 Reviewed from digital galleys R Gr. 5-7 Luca Salvatore loves pizza—making it is basically his superpower—but outside of his pizza creations, things aren't so good. He's "the kid who's always fine, " even though his parents are separating, his family is three months late paying rent at their pizzeria, and he doesn't know if his crush likes him back (or even likes boys at all). Mamma Gianna's pizzeria has been in his family for generations, and when twelve-year-old Luca's favorite pizzeria-themed reality show announces that it's taking submissions, he's convinced that getting on the show could save Mamma Gianna's (and his parents' marriage). In a stroke of luck, his application is chosen, but it doesn't fix his problems, and he instead comes to the realization that while trying to make everything better for everyone else, he's missing out on actually being a kid. Luca's running monologue is clever without being distracting ("He's embarrassed? Someone sous vide me already") and his sudden all-caps exclamations mixed with thoughtful reflections make him a compelling narrator. Most of the book's characters are learning to stop performing okay-ness, a journey that will resonate with any anxious kid. While some of the relationship resolutions are a little too perfect, Luca comes to terms with his parents' broken marriage and gains wisdom from his own mistakes, including how to how to be a better friend, boyfriend, and sibling. This fast-paced and sweet coming-of-age story gracefully balances romance, family, and self-discovery, serving it up one satisfying slice at a time. End Page 326 Copyright © 2024 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
Cassidy Russell (Thu,) studied this question.