  | Forest world Author: Engle, Margarita | |
| Price: $6.50 | ||
Summary:
Sent to Cuba to visit the father he barely knows, Edver is surprised to meet a half-sister, Luza, whose plan to lure their cryptozoologist mother into coming there, too, turns dangerous.
| Reading Counts Information: Interest Level: 3-5 Reading Level: 7.90 Points: 7.0 Quiz: 75706 | ||
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (06/15/17)
Booklist (+) (07/01/17)
The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (A) (00/09/17)
The Hornbook (00/09/17)
Full Text Reviews:
Booklist - 07/01/2017 *Starred Review* Eleven-year-old Edver, who lives with his cryptozoologist mother in Miami, is surprised when Mom decides he should spend the summer in Cuba with Papi (she’s off to Fiji for work), and later shocked to learn that he has a 12-year-old sister, Luza. It takes a while for the wary siblings to establish a rapport: he’s a science nerd who loves computer games, while she’s artistic and feels abandoned by their mother. In an attempt to lure Mom to the island, they post an online message about a new butterfly species, and unwittingly attract a wildlife poacher instead. Told by Edver and Luza in alternating free verse poems, Engle’s multidimensional characters often exhibit behaviors that mirror global relationships between Cuba and the U.S., where misinformation can lead to distrust. Luza is jealous of her brother’s comparative wealth, while Edver is confused about why Mom kept his sister a secret. While reveling in the beauty of the forest (a World Biosphere Reserve) that Papi protects, Engle does not sugarcoat economic realities in contemporary Cuba. Luza and her family must hitchhike to travel any distance, stand in line for ration coupons, and have little or no access to modern technology. A beautifully written eco-adventure, this is also a thoughtful exploration of the realities faced by families separated by 90 miles and politics. - Copyright 2017 Booklist.
