Parents' Guide to

The Closest I've Come

By Andrea Beach, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Absorbing, realistic, hopeful tale of teen in the projects.

The Closest I've Come Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Community Reviews

There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

Debut author Fred Aceves has written what he knows, and his honest look at life in the projects for 15-year-old Marcos is sometimes hard to take yet ultimately full of hope for the future. The Closest I've Come doesn't flinch from the realities of being not just broke but truly poor, as seen through the eyes of high school sophomore Marcos. Teens from any background will relate to Marcos as he struggles to understand his place in the world and seeks to make and keep deeper connections with those around him. They'll admire his growing determination not to stay stuck in the projects forever, and easily relate to the typical teen struggles he faces, like getting up the courage to talk to his crush, or the pressures from a seemingly uncaring school staff and administration.

Aceves doesn't wrap everything up in a pretty ribbon or solve Marcos' problems with a magical solution; he keeps it real all the way through. But it is ultimately a hopeful story, and one that can inspire teens to care about themselves even when it seems like no one else does.

Book Details

  • Author: Fred Aceves
  • Genre: Coming of Age
  • Topics: Friendship , High School
  • Book type: Fiction
  • Publisher: HarperTeen
  • Publication date: November 7, 2017
  • Publisher's recommended age(s): 14 - 17
  • Number of pages: 320
  • Available on: Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
  • Last updated: December 21, 2017

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate