The Water Bears

February 1, 2020
Healing comes from unexpected places in this new middle-grade read. It's hard to stand out in an offbeat island community known for monster sightings and an eccentric artists colony, but a year after he was mauled by a bear, Newton "Newt" Gomez feels like an outsider on his island home. As friends and family try to support him in the best ways they know how, Newt just wants to escape the island and the nightmares he endures every night. Plans to transfer to middle school on the mainland, where nobody knows the story behind his scarred leg and limp, are met with disapproval, but Newt feels certain that leaving the island will give him a much-needed fresh start. His plans are complicated, however, when he befriends a mysterious newcomer and becomes embroiled in an intriguing mystery involving a taco truck and beach flotsam that might grant wishes. Further complexity is added to Newt's story by the fact that his is the only Mexican American family living in his island town, a fact that adds to his feelings of difference and fuels his desire to leave. Other characters are assumed white. Rich character building, tender relationships, and a vibrant setting tingling with magical possibility combine for a satisfying tale. Both a whimsy-soaked journey of self-discovery and a successful exploration of the tough reality of recovering from trauma. (Fiction. 9-13)

COPYRIGHT(2020) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

March 1, 2020

Gr 4-7-Newt Gomez lives on a remote island and worries about bears because one swam out last year and attacked him. Now the almost 13-year-old has bear-related post-traumatic stress disorder: bad dreams, cold sweats, fear of bear-like noises. He wants to live with his abuela on the mainland, where he won't be the only Latinx kid in town. But things keep getting in his way: a mysterious new friend who happens to be a girl, a best buddy who won't give up on him, and a washed-up wooden bear that just might grant wishes. Newt doesn't believe in the bear's power-but will he try its magic in order to get what he wants? Of course, that would mean figuring out what he really wants. This is a sweet coming-of-age novel about a boy trying to overcome his fear and pain with the help of a loving, supportive family. Newt's conviction that things will be better somewhere, anywhere, else is a typical response to trauma, but he eventually learns to face the pain. It's unfortunate that the titular water bears, though a minor theme in the book, don't have much to do with Newt's path to healing. VERDICT Recommended, although this may require hand-selling to more thoughtful readers.-Elizabeth Friend, Wester Middle School, TX

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from March 9, 2020
Ever since surviving a bear attack that scarred his leg, Mexican-American Newt Gomez, 13, has considered leaving tiny Murphy Island, a resort turned artist community, in hopes that moving to the mainland to stay with his extended family will alleviate his nightmares and give him a fresh start. A carved wooden bear that seems to grant wishes poses an opportunity to change his life, yet Newt is reluctant to believe in magic, despite his best friend’s urgings. Instead, Newt gets wrapped up in other matters—preparing for the upcoming talent show; exploring the island with his new friend, Izzy; and driving the decommissioned taco truck his well-meaning parents gave him instead of a bike. But when the bear vanishes, Newt wonders if he’s lost his chance at happiness. In a deliberately paced novel with a meandering story line, Baker (Pickle) contrasts Newt’s everyday life and quiet desperation with his unusual surroundings and quirky neighbors. The ambiguity of the magical elements—such as the island’s resident lake monster, Marvelo, and the wish-granting bear—reflect Newt’s emotional uncertainty as he faces his traumas in this subtle, satisfying read. Ages 8–12. Agent: Sara Crowe, Pippin Properties.

March 1, 2020
Grades 5-8 Baker's thrilling caper introduces readers to 13-year-old Newt, who feels out of place as the only Latinx kid on Murphy Island. Despite having good grades and friends, he wants to transfer to the mainland high school and live with his extended family. Newt suffers from PTSD after surviving a bear attack, so when a mysterious bear statue, purported to grant wishes, surfaces in the lake, it turns his world upside down. Baker's feel-good novel explores trauma, identity, survival, belonging, and friendship in a world that may or may not harbor actual magic. The characters and setting are infused with the author's personal Latinx experiences, resulting in a whimsical island neighborhood that Newt is tempted to leave in order to let go of his past. Fans of The Goonies and treasure-hunt adventures will revel in Baker's vivid and diverse characters, snappy dialogue, and mystical clues that arise as Newt decides what things in life are worth holding on to and what need to be let go.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)