Religious questions and ideas play a major role in And Now Miguel. Miguel prays to San Ysidro, then questions the validity of prayer and the ability of God or a saint to change reality. Different perspectives on faith are presented as various family members explain their understanding of "luck" or "making wishes," and the conclusion of the story suggests that the acceptance of God's will may be a sign of personal maturity.

Although based on a Roman Catholic culture, the novel explores questions that might be asked by people of any religion or culture.

Some readers may feel that the simple dialogue, with its occasionally improper grammar, presents a negative, stereotypical image of a minority family.

Nonetheless, Krumgold imbues his characters' discussions and actions with more than enough wisdom and thoughtfulness to counteract his perhaps overzealous attempts at dialect.

The stereotypical gender roles may cause some...