Best-selling author Rick Riordan presents the sequel to Tehlor Kay Mejia's critically acclaimed own-voices novel about science-obsessed Paola Santiago.
Six months after Paola Santiago confronted the legendary La Llorona, life is nothing like she'd expected it to be. She is barely speaking to her best friends, Dante and Emma, and what's worse, her mom has a totally annoying boyfriend. Even with her chupacabra puppy, Bruto, around, Pao can't escape the feeling that she's all alone in the world.
Pao has no one to tell that she's having nightmares again, this time set in a terrifying forest. Even more troubling? At their center is her estranged father, an enigma of a man she barely remembers. And when Dante's abuela falls mysteriously ill, it seems that the dad Pao never knew just might be the key to healing the eccentric old woman.
Pao's search for her father will send her far from home, where she will encounter new monsters and ghosts, a devastating betrayal, and finally, the forest of her nightmares. Will the truths her father has been hiding save the people Pao loves, or destroy them?
Once again Tehlor Kay Mejia draws on her Mexican heritage to tell a wild and wondrous story that combines creatures from folklore with modern-day challenges.
Book #75 of 2021
REVIEW: Thank you to NetGalley and Disney Publishing Worldwide for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for a review. As usual I am so thankful for Rick Riordan presents for bringing another culturally rich middle grade novel into the world through the words of what is becoming one of my favorite authors, Tehlor Kay Mejia. This is book two in the Paola Santiago series. The first book Paola Santiago and the River of Tears was published in August 2020 and my favorite middle grade novel of last year. This book is full of so many things that ALL middle grade novels need and that's some incredible representation. We've got our main characters Paola and her family and Dante and his abuela who are Mexican-American and then we've got Emma and her friends the Rainbow Rogues which are an LGBTQIA+ club that Emma is now a part of. We get to revisit the legend of La Llorona with the addition of The Hitchhiker which is another urban legend which has been around for many many year. We get to learn more about Dante's past and how he came to live with his abuela and how connected to the paranormal she really is. The Ninas are back in this book and we get to learn more about Naomi and what she has been up to since their adventures in River of Tears. One of the things that I really love about this book is the little nuggets that are dropped through out that are so powerful. It touches on so many different social justice issues, it reminds us that abusive behavior of any kind is never ok, and it reminds us of the importance of empathy and family whether is be the one we are given or the one that we choose. Tehlor's voice is a powerful one that is very much needed in this world and this is another incredible book to add to your shelf.
Publication date: August 3, 2021
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