 Loading...  | El Nino Author: Ryan, Pam Munoz | |
| Price: $23.78 | ||
Summary:
Over the course of a California summer, Kai, a competitive swimmer in training, learns about a legendary Amazonian queen, about El Nino and about letting go of grief.
| Illustrator: | Cepeda, Joe |
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (03/15/25)
School Library Journal (+) (04/01/25)
Booklist (00/04/25)
The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (+) (00/05/25)
Full Text Reviews:
Other - 03/03/2025 Eighth grader Kai Sosa contends with grief following his older sister’s death in this powerful tale by Newbery Honoree Mu?oz Ryan. Two years prior to the book’s start, Kai’s 16-year-old sister Cali, a record-breaking competitive swimmer, waded into the Pacific Ocean and never returned. Named for Califia, the mythic Amazonian queen who inspired the name of California, Cali was passionate about aquatic mythology and shared this love with Kai. Hoping to emulate Cali, Kai joins a swim team but falls short of the demanding expectations. He’s distracted thinking about Cali’s disappearance, the legend of Queen Califia, and the entity’s Library of Despair and Sorrow purportedly hidden in the ocean. When Coach Dominie and Assistant Coach Xos? take the team to practice in the open ocean, Kai embarks on an otherworldly experience that leaves him questioning reality. Delicate, blue-lined digital illustrations by Cepeda (The Best Worst Camp Out Ever) amp up the surreal atmosphere and magical realism elements of Kai’s journey through loss. An author’s note concludes. Spanish-language edition publishing simultaneously. Ages 8-12. Author’s agent: Kendra Marcus, Bookstop Literary. Illustrator’s agent: Jen Rof?, Andrea Brown Literary. (May) - Copyright 2025
School Library Journal - 04/01/2025 Gr 3–7—Ryan's latest is a whirlwind of emotions, a story that glistens like sunlight on waves and plunges deep into grief, identity, and destiny. Kai Sosa isn't just a swimmer seeking glory; he's a brother caught between reality and the whispers of the sea, where his lost and presumed dead sister seems to be sending him a message. Ryan weaves a narrative that moves like the tide, one that is at times calm and reflective, and at others wild and relentless. The swimming competition, Kai's struggle to live up to his family's legacy, and the mystery of a missing gold cuff intertwine in a breathtaking story infused with magical realism. Every stroke in the water is a battle against the weight of the past and the uncertainty of the future. With poetic and evocative prose, the book captures the ache of loss and the hope that lingers even in the most unpredictable currents. VERDICT More than a novel, this is a journey into the heart of a boy searching for answers and a lost piece of himself, and a story that will linger with readers.—Aurora Dominguez - Copyright 2025 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.
