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maddie_1999's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
aimeepauls99's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
lkstrohecker's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
fast-paced
mschley's review against another edition
Novel in Verse Selection
Published August, 2017
This novel in verse alternates between two siblings, Edver and Luza. The story jumps in to the moment that 11-year-old Edver is set to spend his summer in Cuba with his father whom he has not seen since he left Cuba as a baby. When he arrives, he discovers that the surprise his mother told him about is actually his 12-year-old sister Luza. The back and forth of the alternating viewpoints allows the reader to glimpse both sides of the struggle as the two try to develop some sort of relationship. It is a great example to readers of this age group how people can view the exact same situation differently. This book introduces readers to a whole new world by describing life in Cuba, both the good and the bad. The beautiful, lush, and biodiverse forest is juxtaposed with a city of crumbling homes, rationed food, and no internet connection (guess which one bothers Edver the most). It also allows readers a glimpse into the complicated families that developed as some parts moved to America and others stayed behind, exercising those empathy muscles. The story delves into the importance of preserving nature and protecting biodiversity as well as the danger of posting untrue things on the Internet. Edver and Luza learn that lesson firsthand as their small little post brings the villainous Human Vacuum Cleaner to their precious forest. The entire story flies by as you’re immersed into the lives of Edver and Luza as they try to navigate their complex relationship, how they feel about their parents, find confidence in themselves, and try to tackle the greedy man bent on destroying nature rather than protecting it.
There are so many pieces of this book that could be used as jumping off points for discussion. It tackles complex families, immigration, conservation, and inequality. Here are a few discussion questions that could be used with this age group:
1. Luza and Edver have very different ideas about money and possessions based on where they grew up. How did reading about life in Cuba make you see the things you have differently?
2. Preserving nature is an important part of this story and we learned a lot about how special and important plants and animals are to the world. Can you think of anything you can pledge to do to help protect nature too?
3. Edver and Luza start a whole chain of events with a single post on the Internet. Do you usually take a lot of time to think about what you post? Did reading this story make you think any differently about what you say on the Internet?
Published August, 2017
This novel in verse alternates between two siblings, Edver and Luza. The story jumps in to the moment that 11-year-old Edver is set to spend his summer in Cuba with his father whom he has not seen since he left Cuba as a baby. When he arrives, he discovers that the surprise his mother told him about is actually his 12-year-old sister Luza. The back and forth of the alternating viewpoints allows the reader to glimpse both sides of the struggle as the two try to develop some sort of relationship. It is a great example to readers of this age group how people can view the exact same situation differently. This book introduces readers to a whole new world by describing life in Cuba, both the good and the bad. The beautiful, lush, and biodiverse forest is juxtaposed with a city of crumbling homes, rationed food, and no internet connection (guess which one bothers Edver the most). It also allows readers a glimpse into the complicated families that developed as some parts moved to America and others stayed behind, exercising those empathy muscles. The story delves into the importance of preserving nature and protecting biodiversity as well as the danger of posting untrue things on the Internet. Edver and Luza learn that lesson firsthand as their small little post brings the villainous Human Vacuum Cleaner to their precious forest. The entire story flies by as you’re immersed into the lives of Edver and Luza as they try to navigate their complex relationship, how they feel about their parents, find confidence in themselves, and try to tackle the greedy man bent on destroying nature rather than protecting it.
There are so many pieces of this book that could be used as jumping off points for discussion. It tackles complex families, immigration, conservation, and inequality. Here are a few discussion questions that could be used with this age group:
1. Luza and Edver have very different ideas about money and possessions based on where they grew up. How did reading about life in Cuba make you see the things you have differently?
2. Preserving nature is an important part of this story and we learned a lot about how special and important plants and animals are to the world. Can you think of anything you can pledge to do to help protect nature too?
3. Edver and Luza start a whole chain of events with a single post on the Internet. Do you usually take a lot of time to think about what you post? Did reading this story make you think any differently about what you say on the Internet?
choirqueer's review against another edition
5.0
This powerful, moving story is about two siblings who were separated when they were very young; the mom moved to the US with the brother and the dad stayed in Cuba with the sister. The kids meet for the first time, struggling to get to know each other and figuring out their family's story. They bond over a shared passion for the natural world and desire to work together to save endangered species, based in the deep respect for the planet that their parents instilled in them. The story is told in verse, with narration alternating between the two kids, and their voices are so lovely. They describe the different plants and animals they encounter, they talk about using scientific methods to learn more about the world around them and to solve problems, and their enthusiasm feels really genuine and relatable. I loved reading this as an adult and I would really love to get it into the hands of more kids!
prof_shoff's review against another edition
2.0
Admittedly, I’m not a fan of narrative through poetry. The story could possibly engage younger readers but I wouldn’t put it on my “must read” list.
kobrien1014's review
adventurous
informative
inspiring
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
hricarte's review against another edition
4.0
This contemporary novel in verse is perfect for middle grade readers and short enough for a class read aloud. Engle writes beautiful and creates strong, distinct voices for Edver and Luza, two siblings separated by the political disparities between Cuba and the US. They meet for the first time as tweens and struggle to relate, bond, and communicate as essential strangers. Engle weaves a good deal of themes into the short novel, focusing much on the lush endemic attributes of Cuba and the very real crime of exotic species poaching.
joceraptor's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abandonment and Child abuse
amanda28's review against another edition
4.0
Really beautiful imagery in it. I loved the premise and the way that it doesn’t answer some of the difficult questions, very true to life: sometimes our (Cuban) parents do things we don’t understand, and we may never get answers to these things.