Sal and Gabi Fix the Universe is a heartwarming story of family and friendship, and as you journey back into the world of Sal Vidon and Gabi Real, readers will wish they could enroll at Culeco Academy. The newest addition to the Rick Riordan Presents banner shows us the continuing growth of Sal, who has the power to rip holes in the universe but struggles at navigating the social norms of middle school.
Sal has found his place in Miami, and the friendship he has forged with Gabi is strong. His father, Gustavo, has begun to mend the holes in the universe that Sal has created, and everything seems to be going well for Sal and Gabi. That is until another Gabi from an alternate universe arrives with a warning for Sal.
This alternate Gabi describes how in her universe Sal’s dad destroys the Earth while trying to seal the dimensions between the multiverse. Dubbed FixGabi by Sal, she hopes to save her world and stop Gustavo from destroying Sal’s. However noble and good her intentions are, FixGabi is not what she seems. Sal learns that she too is out to destroy the multiverse. Now Sal and his Gabi must work together to thwart her dastardly plan.
While this dimension ending problem is occurring Sal gets placed in a director’s role of the school’s Rompenoche, the yearly play held during the parent teacher conferences. Sal must navigate the hurt feelings he has caused after criticizing the original director Aventura, and then work with everyone including Gabi, their friend Yasmany, and Principal Torres to create the best production for the school.
Carlos Hernandez gave readers a treat with his humor and creativity when he released Sal and Gabi Break the Universe. When I started his follow up Sal and Gabi Fix the Universe, I didn’t think he could top the nonstop laughs of his first book. I was so very wrong. From the first page to the last, I laughed continuously. Sal Vidon is one of the funniest lead characters in print.
What stands out most for me in Sal and Gabi Fix the Universe is how Hernandez has taken some pretty likable characters and developed them further with the growth of their friendships and family dynamics. Here we see Yasmany, a one-time bully to Sal, in trouble because of his difficult family. Though it seemed like Yasmany had found safety out of his house by staying with his abuelos in the previous book, now they are trying to get him to move back home. Poor Yasmany doesn’t have a family that wants or appreciates him. This kid is torn up by so many emotions, and it is the love and care that his friends, including Sal, have for him that will make readers smile.
Principal Torres is the principal that every kid wishes they had. She’s fair and firm in her approach to running Culeco, but she believes in giving every student a chance, and in cases like Sal, multiple chances. Principal Torres is given a voice of wisdom and intelligence for a role that is often played as the villain in a lot of stories. Torres like the teachers in Hernandez’s world are unique and different then what you would expect from a middle grade novel. School is not cast as a terrible place, rather, Culeco Academy is the place everyone dreams of being at.
Family has a broad definition in Sal and Gabi Fix the Universe. What makes the family moments so touching as you read through is how Carlos Hernandez embraces the fluidity in family. Sal’s mother died years ago, and since then his father Gustavo has remarried. Sal loves his stepmom but refers to her in a playful way as American Stepmom. What you might expect from this family dynamic is one of a battle of wits and contempt for each other. Nothing could be further from the truth. Sal misses his mom but loves American Stepmom as if she were his own mother. American Stepmom shows in every page that she loves Sal too.
As I sat and read Sal and Gabi Fix the Universe while the world deals with the whole COVID-19 pandemic, I couldn’t help but revel in the joy in which Sal Vidon lives his life. He is a boy who tries to be good, but also cares about other people’s feelings. Sal wants to entertain people. The fact that he can break holes in the universe and access other dimensions on parallel Earths is just one of the aspiring magician’s tricks.
Carlos Hernandez has brought readers a great treat for this May. We are back in Miami with Sal and Gabi, and while we read about their adventures, we can laugh along as Sal makes friends with an AI toilet, chuckle along with Sal and his teachers as they discuss how art is so much more then whether you like it, and feel the anguish of Yasmany as he comes to terms at a young age that the family he was born into is not the loving wonderful people he deserves.
Sal and Gabi Fix the Universe will make you laugh out loud, hope for the best, and rejoice when you see how kids can fix the world. Also, you will have an unquenchable desire to eat empanadas. Whatever Earth you are on, Sal and Gabi Fix the Universe is a 4 Star book that has done the impossible and excelled past the original work.