A review by choirqueer
Forest World by Margarita Engle

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!