Bubbles

Stiven, the youngest member of a street gang, must prove himself by robbing a payment centre. Once inside the building, he comes face to face with Ágata, his old friend and first love. Immediately, everything comes flooding back to him: his mother, who is in prison; his godfather, who took him in; the boarding school he ran away from.
Stiven finds himself at a crossroads and must make a decision. The bubble surrounding him begins to dissolve.
By allowing her 17-year-old protagonist to tell his own story, Gabriela Mirza has created a direct and agile narrative. With precise, emotional descriptions and vivid language, Pompas is a believable portrait of a young adult whose pain, loneliness, and longing for security are immediately palpable.
The book, fast-paced and exciting from start to finish, features artwork by visual artist Jorge Mato (ca_teter).

Key points

2024 – Selected for The White Ravens List
2024 – Bartolomé Hidalgo Award in Children’s and young adult category, Uruguayan Book Chamber
2018 – Amanuense Award in young adult category

• It explores the challenges of growing up, survival in a hostile environment, and love as a redemptive force.
• The first-person narrative and colloquial Uruguayan language allow readers to hear a real teenager speaking, rather than an adult writing for young people.