Thirteen-year-old Domingo José Sepulveda Jr. begins his coming-of-age narrative at his father’s funeral in New York City in 1999. The family came to the U.S. from the Dominican Republic when Domingo was 6, and Papi died of brain cancer before the age of 40. Now Domingo sees Papi in his dreams and as a waking apparition. Papi, it seems, is going to haunt him in the form of a pigeon until Domingo can process his death. Domingo’s best friend, Naño (whose profanity-laced speech adds junior high authenticity), joins his ghostly nighttime adventures in a nearby park. In the Dominican Republic, his cousin Matias possesses a magical meteorite that controls nature. Bonifacio juxtaposes these moments of magical realism with scenes of harsh reality, such as gun violence at the local basketball courts. Domingo’s beautifully fluid, Spanish-infused, first-person narration contains literary allusions and rich, culturally grounded dialogue and descriptions of family get-togethers (including mouthwatering food). The settings—like Domingo’s Brooklyn neighborhood and Hato Mayor in the Dominican Republic, where he lived as a small child—pulse with life and love. Domingo’s personal growth takes place over the course of a year, during which he ponders religion and faith as he tries to make sense of adult situations. Humanity shines through in this work that is notable for its cast of memorable, well-wrought characters.