Danilo Was Here by Tamika Burgess

Danilo Was Here

Tamika Burgess

HarperCollins · Hardcover · January 21, 2025

A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection From the acclaimed author of Sincerely Sicily, Tamika Burgess, comes a timely coming-of-age story about a young boy’s fight to save his family and his dreams in the aftermath of the US military invasion of Panamá.

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Who it’s for
Baseball, family, and displacement meet in a coming-of-age story with difficult choices.
Genres
Baseball & Softball, Wars & Military History, US: Hispanic & Latino Stories
Published
HarperCollins, January 21, 2025

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About this book

A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection From the acclaimed author of Sincerely Sicily, Tamika Burgess, comes a timely coming-of-age story about a young boy’s fight to save his family and his dreams in the aftermath of the US military invasion of Panamá. Perfect for fans of Janae Marks, Adrianna Cuevas, and Chrystal D. Giles! Danilo Osorio Jr.’s baseball skills were once the pride of his father and entire hometown of El Chorrillo, Panamá.

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But that was then, and this is now… Following 1989's Operation Just Cause, a US military invasion that left his neighborhood decimated, Danilo couldn’t care less about baseball or the father who abandoned him for opportunities in the States. Now Danilo’s focus is taking care of his mamá and sister and trying to save them all from needing to relocate to a refugee camp. When Danilo unintentionally catches the eye of a baseball recruiter and is offered the opportunity to visit and train in California—the same place as his father’s last known address—he is tasked with deciding to go or stay. But if playing baseball could help him find his father and secure the extra funds his family needs, Danilo is willing to travel anywhere, even to the very country responsible for destroying his home. Between his tough-as-nails baseball coach, ultracompetitive teammates, and overly enthusiastic host family, Danilo’s plans encounter some curveballs. And when his turn to bat finally comes, he’ll have to decide what and who he’s actually fighting for.

More Than the Game

Baseball, family, and displacement meet in a coming-of-age story with difficult choices.

Come here for

  • A young player weighing family needs against a chance to train in California
  • The strain of returning to baseball after his neighborhood is devastated

Expect

  • A grounded story shaped by family ties and displacement
  • Tough choices about home, ambition, and who deserves his loyalty

Where it sits

Baseball & Softball62%
US: Hispanic & Latino Stories43%
Wars & Military History38%

Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.

Publisher categories

  • Boys & Men
  • Multigenerational Families
  • Parent-Child Stories
  • Wars & Military History
Show all 8 publisher categories
  • Caribbean & Latin American Stories
  • Baseball & Softball
  • Homelessness & Poverty
  • New Experiences
Authors
Tamika Burgess
Publisher
HarperCollins
Published
January 21, 2025
Format
Hardcover
Reading lane
Boys & Men