Danilo Was Here

Gr 5 Up–It has been months since Danilo has seen or heard from his father. Going to the United States to explore new opportunities, his father leaves behind a family struggling to make ends meet. The situation gets even more desperate for Danilo’s family when American forces invade Panama, forcing their displacement from a crumbling apartment to a makeshift shelter. When Danilo, a skilled baseball player, is presented with a unique opportunity to train in the U.S., he makes a call that could change his future, the fate of his family, and give him a chance to find his father. Set in Panama and the U.S. at the end of Operation Just Cause in 1990, Danilo’s story is briskly paced and shines a light on the challenges of navigating family trauma, especially through the dual lenses of PTSD and microaggressions. These themes are handled with sensitivity and care, making the story accessible to a middle grade audience. Though at times the dialogue can be unnatural and the plot resolves too neatly, the story has heart and hope shines through. Highly engaging and set during events that may be unfamiliar to most readers, this is a poignant tale of resilience, family, and self-discovery.