Mañanaland

Starred review from January 20, 2020
Set in the fictional Latin country of Santa Maria, this richly tiered novel is, at its core, wrenchingly real. Maximiliano Córdoba, almost 12, often wonders “about big and bewildering things,” principally why his mother disappeared when he was a baby, but Max’s somber Papá refuses to answer any questions. Newbery Honoree Ryan (Echo) infuses the soccer-loving boy’s story with mystery based on local myth, closely guarded secrets, and a missing birth certificate. As the boy walks with his solitary Papá, ironically a builder of bridges in their small town, a peregrine falcon appears; legend has it that the falcon annually brings “the ghosts of the hidden ones”—refugees who fled a neighboring country’s cruelties with the help of “guardians” who shepherded them to safety through local ruins. The author interlaces this lore with the intricate story of how Max’s family played a key role in the real-life drama, and how the boy bravely steps in to carry on that legacy. Lyrical allusions to the heartbreaking reality of life under repressive regimes and Max’s belief in the promise of tomorrow fuse the title and plot of this compelling novel, which ends on a reassuring note. Ages 8–12.

February 1, 2020

Gr 3-6-Eleven-year-old Maximiliano Córdoba lives in Santa Maria village with his father's extended family of stone masons. On the mundane level, he wants to join a fútbol clinic with his friend Chuy, but an abandoned stone tower-La Reina Gigante-makes him wonder about hidden refugees fleeing the neighboring country of Abismo. While Max's father is away, Max encounters a refugee, Isadora, and learns his family are secretly guardians who help people flee to safety. In his father's absence, Max determines to guide Isadora to the next stop with all the dangers that entails, partly to discover information about his long-absent mother. As always, Ryan's strength is in her visually expressive language. Readers can picture the village, the personified tower, and Max's journey through rough country. Poignant, memorable moments are created with just a few sentences. On the other hand, the novel is slow to start. Additionally, the imaginary country construct vies with specific details found in real life such as Catholic churches, fútbol, and a Portuguese water dog. The first half of the novel is an uneasy detente of this paradox. However, as Max and Isadora set out, the imminent danger and their growing friendship will pull readers fully into this world and make Ryan's story feel solid. VERDICT A gem of a story with timely messages whose main audience is educators and contemplative children. Nevertheless, a required purchase.-Caitlin Augusta, Stratford Library Association, CT

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from December 15, 2019
A boy journeys to self-discovery through the power of stories and traditions. Eleven-year-old Maximiliano Córdoba is ready for an idyllic summer. He plans to work hard as a builder for his father and train for fútbol tryouts. Plus, Max hopes dad will take him to visit the towering ruins of La Reina Gigante, a haunted hideout used in the past by the Guardians to hide refugees as they fled Abismo, a war-torn, neighboring dictatorship. However, when Max must provide his birth certificate to join the team, he feels his dream summer crumble away. The document disappeared years ago, along with his mother, the woman with whom Max shares "leche quemada" eyes. Soon, Papá leaves on a three-week journey to request a new one, and Max finds himself torn between two desires: to know the truth about why his mother left when he was a baby and to make the team. As Max discovers the enchanting stories his grandfather has been telling him for years have an actual foothold in reality, he must choose between his own dreams and those of others. Kirkus Prize winner Ryan (Echo, 2015) beautifully layers thought-provoking topics onto her narrative while keeping readers immersed in the story's world. Although set in the fictional country of Santa Maria, "somewhere in the Américas," the struggles of refugee immigrants and the compassion of those who protect the travelers feel very relevant. This tightly packed, powerful fantasy contains resonant truths. (Fantasy. 7-14)

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Starred review from January 1, 2020
Grades 4-7 *Starred Review* In a small town located somewhere in the Am�ricas, eleven-year-old Max has been raised by his no-nonsense father and head-in-the-clouds grandfather, ever since his mother disappeared when he was a baby. Longing to find her, the f�tbol-loving protagonist uncovers secrets about his family's past and embarks on a dangerous mission to help a refugee from a dictator-led neighboring country find her way to Ma�analand. The two traverse rocky terrain, hide from those looking to collect a reward for the missing refugee, and follow the map that Max learned through his grandfather's nightly bedtime story. In her first book since the Newbery Honor-winning Echo (2015), Mu�oz Ryan crafts a lyrical, fablelike tale of love, loss, community, and standing up for what is right. The novel is told with evocative and dreamlike writing and features authentic characters who tug at the heartstrings. As the impeccable pacing keeps readers guessing, the timely story line will resonate, especially bringing to mind the plight of young people who have to travel long distances in unfamiliar lands to find safety. This story, infused with magic, reminds children that humanity thrives when people embrace differences and construct bridges instead of borders. Another unforgettable work from a master storyteller.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)