Grow Up, Luchy Zapata

By: Alexandra Alessandri

Narrated by: Dominique Franceschi

A funny, relatable middle school drama about two Colombian American girls who have always been BFFs—until sixth grade turns everything upside down.

Luchy Zapata is starting middle school, and she’s muy excited. She and her two best friends, Cami and Mateo, will finally be at the same school. Luchy and Mateo will be in art class together, and she and Cami can try out for the same soccer team! As long as they’re all together, Luchy can handle anything.

But Cami has been acting weird ever since she got back from visiting family in Colombia. She’s making new, “cool” friends who just seem mean. And suddenly, everything about Luchy and Mateo is too immature for her.

Luchy is determined to help Cami remember how special their friendship is. They’ve been BFFs their whole lives, and that can’t just disappear in a poof of glitter! But…what if Cami doesn’t even want to be friends anymore?

Critic reviews

"Narrator Dominique Franceschi creates a youthful and passionate voice for 11-year-old Colombian American Luchy, who encounters exciting and difficult changes as she enters middle school. Luchy struggles with the pressure of connecting to her Colombian heritage and living up to her family’s expectations. To make matters worse, it seems like her longtime best friend, Cami, is perfect. Franceschi captures Luchy’s tumultuous emotions as she makes the soccer team and forms friendships but finds herself drifting away from Cami. Listeners will cheer on Luchy as she learns about the importance of family and friendships, both old and new, in this coming-of-age story."

Great narration, super sweet story

A really sweet and vert well written story about friendship, growing up, and discovering yourself. Franceschi did a great job at bringing Luchy, Cami and Mateo to life. Really appreciated all the Colombian elements in the book, as well as how the narrator felt really at home switching between Spanish and English. Definitely recommending this to my younger nieces.

a wonderful story of friendship & finding oneself

So much happens in the lives of kids during their middle school years. It is all about change. Peer pressure grows, puberty begins, expectations are bigger and friendships change. Both of my kids had friendships implode in the first weeks of sixth grade, as the kids around them tried to find their own places in their new world.

Alexandra Alessandri brought all the angst and worry to life in her new book Grow Up, Luchy Zapata. The story takes us into the world of the title character, who is excited to start middle school and to reunite with her best friend, Cami, who was away from home visiting family. Unfortunately she quickly finds that her friend is looking for something different now. She wants to grow up: suddenly she cares about makeup, boys and fitting in with the more popular girls. Luchy feels abandoned. She feels like she is no longer enough.

The author explores identity and self-acceptance, allowing her character to feel the emotions associated with that sense of not belonging. I think a lot of children could see themselves in this story, and might find better ways to handle their own feelings of insecurity.