A Hero's Guide to Summer Vacation

By: Pablo Cartaya

Narrated by: Pablo Cartaya

A New York Times bestseller!

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

Gonzalo Alberto Sánchez García 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 García—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.

Critic reviews

Praise for A Hero's Guide to Summer Vacation by Pablo Cartaya:

A New York Times Bestseller
A 2026 Pura Belpré Children’s Author Honor Book
A Publishers Weekly Summer Read
A Latinx in Publishing and Common Sense Media BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR
2026 Texas Lone Star Reading List
A Pedro and Daniel Intersectionality Book Awards (PADIBA) Longlisted MG/YA Book

★ “A touching intergenerational road trip epic that juxtaposes heavy themes surrounding loss with playful yet sophisticated interpretations of artistic integrity.”
—Publishers Weekly, starred review

★ “Cartaya weaves humor, heartbreak, and a host of literary tropes and techniques into this complex tale of three grieving road trippers.”
—Booklist, starred review

★ “Wondrous.”
—Shelf Awareness, starred review

“Cleverly structured and sweetly engaging.”
—Kirkus Reviews

“In this exploration of grief, generational impact, and healing, readers will find a book they can’t put down.”
—School Library Journal

“This intergenerational book spins each character's grief together and then, gives them a hero.”
—Edith Campbell for School Library Journal’s Pearl’s & Ruby’s blog

“Con humor, corazón y mucho viaje interior, esta novela es ideal para tweens que buscan una lectura cálida y emocionante, perfecta para el verano.”
—People En Español