The New David Espinoza
Written by Fred Aceves
Narrated by Christian Barillas
4.5/5
()
About this audiobook
This story from the acclaimed author of The Closest I’ve Come unflinchingly examines steroid abuse and male body dysmorphia. Perfect for fans of Jason Reynolds and Matt de la Peña.
David Espinoza is tired of being messed with. When a video of him getting knocked down by a bully’s slap goes viral at the end of junior year, David vows to use the summer to bulk up— do what it takes to become a man—and wow everyone when school starts again the fall.
Soon David is spending all his time and money at Iron Life, a nearby gym that’s full of bodybuilders. Frustrated with his slow progress, his life eventually becomes all about his muscle gains. As it says on the Iron Life wall, What does not kill me makes me stronger.
As David falls into the dark side of the bodybuilding world, pursuing his ideal body at all costs, he’ll have to grapple with the fact that it could actually cost him everything.
A Chicago Public Library Best Teen Fiction Selection
A Banks Street Best Children's Book of the Year
Fred Aceves
Fred Aceves is the author of The Closest I’ve Come, which was an ALA/YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults selection, a Kirkus Reviews Best Books of the Year selection, and an NYPL Best Books selection. The New David Espinoza is his second novel. Fred has lived in seven different countries and currently lives in Mexico. His online home is www.fredaceves.com.
Related to The New David Espinoza
Related audiobooks
Carter Finally Gets It: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Here to Stay Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Field Guide to the North American Teenager Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5We Didn't Ask for This Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Disturbed Girls Dictionary Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Education of Margot Sanchez Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Rise Up!: How You Can Join the Fight Against White Supremacy Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Why We Fly Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Running Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Three Things I Know Are True Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Lockdown Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This Might Hurt a Bit Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Art of Losing Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5All the Right Stuff Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Suggested Reading Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5We Were Beautiful Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Street Love Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Undoing of Thistle Tate Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Other Boy Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5American Street Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5He Said, She Said Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Tiffany Sly Lives Here Now Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I'm Not Dying with You Tonight Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5How to Build a Heart Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Martin McLean, Middle School Queen Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsNever Look Back Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This Book Is Anti-Racist Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Jane Anonymous: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Truth Project Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Love, Hate & Other Filters Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
YA Social Themes For You
They Both Die at the End Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5If He Had Been with Me Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Powerless Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Hate U Give Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5We'll Always Have Summer Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Summer I Turned Pretty Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Firekeeper's Daughter Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The First to Die at the End Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Monday's Not Coming Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Uglies Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Weight of Blood Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Warrior Girl Unearthed Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Powerful: A Powerless Story Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Crank Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Downstairs Girl Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Specials Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Better Than the Movies Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5It's Not Summer Without You Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Insurgent Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Pretties Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Children of Virtue and Vengeance Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Betting on You Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Allegedly Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Way I Am Now Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Hummingbird Killer Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Butterfly Assassin Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Every Last Word Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Akata Witch Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Allegiant Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Reviews for The New David Espinoza
10 ratings2 reviews
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Moving story
I would recommend to high school students and parents - Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5David Espinoza is a 98 lb. weakling. He gets bullied at school and even has a "bitch slap" scene go viral. The summer vacation provides a chance for him to remake himself. He visits a local gym -- sketchy but cheap -- and begins to work out regularly. When he sees no progress in a week, when surrounded by super-buff guys, he takes drastic measures. He seeks out and takes steroids and other body-enhancing measures. What begins as exciting soon turns compulsive. The steroid effects and bodybuilding culture takes over David's life. Will he quit before it is too late? This is a hard-hitting, graphic first-hand account of steroid abuse and muscle dysmorphia. It should be required reading for young men lured by the promise of building muscle quickly. This is the often over-looked boy's perspective on this issue. The author Aceves also does a nice job of showing that physical changes don't mean that much when you're still emotionally insecure and seeing the world (your body) through a distorted lens.