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A Pura Belpré Young Adult Author Honor Book
In this stirring young adult novel-in-verse from award-winning author Margarita Engle, love and conservation intertwine as two teens go on a "transformative journey celebrating the power of overcoming personal struggles to make a lasting impact" (Kirkus Reviews).
Ana and her mother have been living out of their car ever since her militant father became one of the FBI's most wanted. Leandro has struggled with debilitating anxiety since his family fled Cuba on a perilous raft.
One moonlit night, in a wilderness park in California, Ana and Leandro meet. Their connection is instant—a shared radiance that feels both scientific and magical. Then they discover they are not alone: a huge mountain lion stalks through the trees, one of many wild animals whose habitat has been threatened by humans.
Determined to make a difference, Ana and Leandro start a rewilding club at their school, working with scientists to build wildlife crossings that can help mountain lions find one another. If pumas can find their way to a better tomorrow, surely Ana and Leandro can too.
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Creators
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Publisher
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Awards
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Release date
April 23, 2024 -
Formats
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OverDrive Listen audiobook
- ISBN: 9781797177694
- File size: 65250 KB
- Duration: 02:15:56
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Languages
- English
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Reviews
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March 25, 2024
Seventeen-year-old Ana and her mother live in their car in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, a rewilded military outpost. Most of her botanist mother’s government salary is being allocated to locating Ana’s disappeared father. While walking through the park one night, Ana encounters a puma, as well as a Cuban boy named Leandro, whose service dog, Cielo, helps him manage panic attacks, which have become more frequent since his family’s dangerous journey to the states via boat. Though Ana leaves before they can exchange numbers, Leandro’s transfer to a new high school, and a serendipitous job offer for Ana’s mother, ensure that their paths cross again. Distinctive verse by Engle (Wings in the Wild) portrays Ana and Leandro’s alternating perspectives to fully immerse readers in this sweetly rendered romance, adding depth to the teens’ parallel journeys. Additionally, sections titled “Cielo the singing dog” contribute levity to serious moments. It’s a heartwarming and inspiring eco-centric read that addresses timely issues such as conservation of wildlife and emphasizes the importance of people’s connecting to nature—and each other. Ages 12–up. Agent: Michelle Humphrey, Martha Kaplan Agency. -
A talented trio of narrators, Zac Aleman, Andre Bellido, and Alejandra Reynoso, bring this story of transformative change to life. Unhoused 17-year-old Ana and her mother live in a car in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. One night, she meets 17-year-old Leandro and his service dog, Cielo. The story is told from the alternating points of view of Ana, Leandro, and Cielo. Ana and Leandro quickly bond over their love of nature and their shared Cuban culture. The narrators successfully infuse their voices with the rapid emotional changes of their characters' complicated circumstances. Aleman voices Cielo in a rich voice that conveys wisdom. Bellido and Reynoso aptly change their voices to match the emotional turmoil of young adults who are learning to navigate life. A.M. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine -
July 1, 2024
Gr 7 Up-Leandro escaped Cuba on a boat with his family, but he's convinced his en-route watery tumble caused his father's drowning. Bellido embodies him as deep, anguished, hesitant, with just a hint of an accent. The voyage's stowaway puppy was trained as Leandro's therapy dog: "I hum a song/ into his hand/ until he understands," Cielo the singing dog explains about Leandro's panic attacks, soothingly voiced by Aleman. Ana, vulnerably ciphered by Reynoso-from dreamy to determined-is also fatherless, not because he's dead but because she and her mother must stay hidden from the FBI-most-wanted domestic terrorist he's become. The teens' initial meeting in a moonlit park is magical, an instant connection that serendipitously continues when they rediscover each other at the same high school. Together, they help create a re-wilding group to assist local efforts in sustainably saving threatened wildlife. VERDICT A shining triumvirate enhances Engle's tender, polyphonic journey.
Copyright 2024 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
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