Abby McGanney Nolan
THE WASHINGTON POST – In Sal and Gabi Break the Universe, at first, 13-year-old Sal Vidón seems to be simply a very talented magician. Sal has just moved from Connecticut to Miami, Florida, and in his third day at Culeco Academy of the Arts, he avoids a fight with a bigger classmate by somehow putting a dead chicken in the bully’s locker.
Before long, it’s clear that not only is Sal a quick-witted character and narrator, he also has skills that go way beyond magic tricks. He can draw on parallel universes to try to solve difficult problems.
But, as author Carlos Hernandez shows in this never-boring novel, dealing with the multiverse has its risks. This is especially true when Gabi Reál, another classmate, becomes curious about the new kid and trips up some of Sal’s plans.
While describing his first hectic days of school in Miami, Sal also fills us in on the serious challenges he has faced in his life. His mother died when he was eight years old, and he has been diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. He is not only dealing with his grief, but also trying to keep track of his blood-sugar levels. When Sal forgets to eat and wakes up in the hospital, he sees that Gabi is also coping with medical issues. From then on, they become the best of friends.
Even in dire situations, Sal’s mood remains cheerful, partly because he sees how most people are trying to do what’s right. He would rather not be sent to the principal’s office every day, for instance, but he has great respect for Principal Torres. She is willing to admit a mistake and has “zero tolerance for cacaseca”.
What, you may ask, is “cacaseca”? Throughout the book, Sal explained such gems of Cuban American conversation. As he puts it, “It literally means ‘dry poop’, but really it means ‘Dude, your poop is so played out. Don’t try to play me with your played-out poop”.
Sal and Gabi don’t tolerate cacaseca, either. They are both energetic, kindhearted and intelligent, none of which prevents them from getting into much more trouble than they – or Sal’s physicist father – could have imagined. Might their well-meaning actions put the entire universe in danger? You’ll have to read this book and its 2020 sequel, Sal & Gabi Fix the Universe to find out.
