Content Warning: This section of the guide contains themes of displacement and challenges of military family life, including references to military deployment in conflict zones, military weapons, and fatality.

“I grip Dad’s old army compass, willing myself not to launch it at the obnoxious raven heckling me from the bedroom window. I’ve lived in five other places, but the birds in New Haven are by far the most annoying.”

This quote begins the novel and establishes several important elements of Nestor’s world. The novel’s first-person narration allows the reader to see through Nestor’s eyes while introducing elements such as Nestor’s Army compass—a symbol of Nestor’s relationship with his military father as well as the journey of personal growth Nestor will take throughout the novel—the challenges of frequent moves and Nestor’s unique ability to speak to animals.

“Three months ago, Mom and I stood on a hot tarmac and stared at Dad’s back as he boarded a big-bellied airplane to Afghanistan. It was our fourth time watching him fly away, his shoulders hunched a little more with each deployment. I gripped Mom’s hand, my palm sweaty, and pretended it was the strong sun making my eyes water. Now Dad is across an ocean, playing catch with someone who is not me. Dad says all this moving, all this being separated, is part of the job […] every time the Army says ‘move,’ you move. And it sucks.”

This quote highlights the difficult realities of military family life. Nestor’s separation from his father during deployment and the experience of constantly uprooting to move at the Army’s demand are two things that weigh on Nestor throughout the novel. The first-person narration lets the reader see the resilient way Nestor handles these situations, as well as the inner emotional conflict these experiences create. The image of Raúl’s hunched shoulders suggests it’s as difficult for him to leave his family as it is for them to miss him.

“‘Chao, Pescao,’ Abuela calls after me as I leave her house. I wave and shout back, ‘Y a la vuelta, picadillo!’”

This popular Cuban saying when saying goodbye translates to “Bye, fish. And tomorrow, ground beef” and references ration cards once used in Cuba that would allow shoppers to purchase essential foods only on specific days. Abuela and Nestor have a tradition of saying goodbye with this saying, highlighting Nestor’s Cuban American heritage and how it shapes his identity.