The King of Aloe Vera – Tomas Moniz
Algonquin Books: Sept. 29, 2026
288 pages, $29.00
If you liked Remarkably Bright Creatures, The Road to Tender Hearts, and/or How to Read a Book, then there’s a good chance you will love The King of Aloe Vera. Like those books, the protagonist is an older person whose life is changed through a friendship with a younger person who has entered their life at just the right moment. Of course, the latter is also changed by the relationship.
The King of Aloe Vera is a tribute to the importance of friendship, neighborhood, and community, as well as a love letter to San Francisco’s diverse Mission District.
Rey Calderon, 75, is still dealing with grief several years after the death of his wife Juliet from cancer. He lives quietly, spending time sitting on his stoop and watching the passing parade on Shotwell Avenue, volunteering at the local library, and taking a dance class at the studio down the street just because. He has brief interactions with his neighbors Tonio, Mitch and his dog Billy Boy, Chavez (one of the regulars at the nearby homeless encampment), and Q, a queer 21-year-old girl who is on probation and at war with her hardheaded dad, Mario.
Rey and his wife signed a contract to vacate the apartment and move to a senior living community in San Leandro, where Rey grew up, and he has one month left before it’s time to leave the Mission District. He’s stuck because while he’s ready for a change, he’s not sure he wants to live in the senior community in the East Bay. It just seems too artificial. And all those old people! The King of Aloe Vera takes place over Rey’s last month on Shotwell, with each chapter covering one day. You can feel the clock ticking.
While the plot is predictable in the broader sense – cranky old loner comes to know and be known by the people around him, especially a “kid” – the way in which this happens makes for a pleasurable and heartwarming read. Rey’s interactions with his library supervisor, the guy from the senior community, his financial advisor, the quirky folks on his street, and the prickly Q lead him to review his past and consider his future. Suffice to say, many (mis)adventures ensue. In the end, Rey has a greater impact on those around him than he would have thought possible.
The King of Aloe Vera is a story of Latinx identity, intergenerational friendship, and chosen family with characters you will take to heart.
