Spare Parts (Young Readers' Edition) - by Joshua Davis (Hardcover)

About the Book

"In 2004, four undocumented Mexican teenagers arrived at the national underwater robotics championship at the University of California, Santa Barbara. No one had ever told Oscar, Cristian, Luis, or Lorenzo that they would amount to much -- until two inspiring high school science teachers convinced the boys to enter the competition. Up against some of the best collegiate engineers in the country, this team of underdogs from Phoenix, Arizona, scraped together spare parts and a few small donations to astound not only the competition's judges but themselves, too"--

Book Synopsis

A riveting true story about dreams, dedication, and an amazing robot named Stinky, based on Joshua Davis' New York Times bestseller and now adapted for young readers by bestselling Mexican American author Reyna Grande.

In 2004, four undocumented Mexican teenagers arrived at the national underwater robotics championship at the University of California, Santa Barbara. No one had ever told Oscar, Cristian, Luis, or Lorenzo that they would amount to much--until two inspiring high school science teachers convinced the boys to enter the competition. Up against some of the best collegiate engineers in the country, this team of underdogs from Phoenix, Arizona, scraped together spare parts and a few small donations to astound not only the competition's judges but themselves, too.

Adapted by Reyna Grande--author of the acclaimed memoir The Distance Between Us about her experience as an undocumented child immigrant--this young readers' edition of Joshua Davis's New York Times bestseller showcases these students' ingenuity and courage in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds. Timely and empowering, Spare Parts is an accessible introduction to STEM, immigration, and the reality of the American Dream.

Review Quotes

New Mexico Land of Enchantment Book Award, Lizard Nominee (Reading List for Grades 6-8)

"This adaptation of Davis' adult book of the same name shifts focus among the four boys and offers explicit statements of what each gains from these experiences, making for an accessible and relatable read for the young target audience . . . An afterword provides bittersweet where-are-they-now updates, where engineering careers were not guaranteed, immigration woes continue, and COVID leaves its mark, but the boys have grown into mature adults." --The Bulletin, starred review

"Adapted from a popular adult title that inspired a feature film and a documentary . . . this thrilling tale offers an intimate glimpse into the difficulties faced by many young immigrants . . . Readers will be rooting for these hardworking, determined teens. An underdog story makes for high drama in this relatable take on the source material." --Kirkus Reviews

About the Author

Joshua Davis is the cofounder of Epic Magazine and longtime writer at Wired, where his work was nominated for a National Magazine Award for feature writing. He is an executive producer of the critically acclaimed Apple TV+ series Little America, which tells stories of immigrants across the United States. He is also the author of The Underdog, a memoir about his experiences as an arm wrestler, backward runner, and matador. He lives in San Francisco with his family.

Reyna Grande is the author of several books, including the bestselling memoir The Distance Between Us, where she writes about her life before and after she arrived in the United States from Mexico as an undocumented child immigrant, and the much-anticipated sequel, A Dream Called Home. She also co-edited an anthology by and about undocumented Americans called Somewhere We Are Human: Authentic Voices on Migration, Survival, and New Beginnings. Her books have been adopted as the common read selection by schools, colleges and cities across the country.