After 9/11, a young Mexican boy relocates to an Indiana town with his mother and brother. Facing a society wary of foreigners, he navigates the complexities of identity, sexuality, and bullies, alongside his steadfast friends Ji-Hyeok and Emily Rossi. As he matures, his youthful voice takes the form of free verse, filled with boundless potential, while his older self reflects in sonnets, crafting the systematic structure of his memories.

“Beautiful and moving. I mean, emotionally, but also the pace. Formally, it's so brilliant. The juxtaposition of free verse and sonnets, the melding of past and present, and the yearning and tenderness. Really, yours is such a distinct voice––sorrowful and shimmering and funny. A great book.”

—Nate Lippens, author of My Dead Book: A Novel

“It develops so beautifully. You have to get to the end point! Now is the time to put something like this out. It’s just a beautiful journey. This is gorgeous work.”

—Noelia Cerna, author of Las Piedrecitas

“I felt close to the characters in this story and like any great book, I’ll miss a few of them. They felt real to me, like I could give them a call and pick up where the book left off. This is the skill of a gifted writer and Ricardo Quintana-Vallejo does not let down in his first novel, I Hunt For Stars Alone.”

-Marc Valle, mavthewriter.com

“Vallejo's words are beautifully written through tender emotion in the form of verse and sonnets. The book follows a young Mexican boy who discovers himself while being relocated after the 9/11 attacks. The main character struggles with understanding gender, identity, prejudice and suspicion, love and friendship.”

-Kaicie Boeglin, The Anchor

“9/11 serves as the backdrop for I Hunt For Stars Alone, a gripping tale of immigration, identity, sexuality, and above all else, family, as the young protagonist adjusts to his new life in Indiana. Small moments, like receiving a bike as a gift and sneaking a burger with his mother, have big impact and keep the reader emotionally engaged. From the first page to the last, Quintana-­Vallejo’s lyrical verse gives voices to the inner world of the young protagonist, while carefully placed sonnets told from a retrospective adult perspective add gravity to the most serious themes, such as sexual assault and dementia. Readers might recognize themes like sexuality and identity, as well as certain plot beats, from many other YA novels but Quintana-­Vallejo’s inimitable, breathtaking free verse sets I Hunt Stars Alone apart. Specific cultural touchstones from 2001-2002 also build out the novel’s world and provide authenticity to the young protagonist’s experience.” 9.75 Points out of 10

-The BookLife Prize, 2024