Into the Tall, Tall Grass

February 15, 2020
A grieving New Mexico preteen learns to trust those around her. Yolanda's grandmother, called Wela, is dying, which will leave Yolanda and her twin sister, Sonja, without a guardian, as their widower father is deployed in Afghanistan. Between those losses, the death of her beloved grandfather, and the betrayal of her best friend, Ghita, who replaced Yolanda with Sonja, Yolanda feels utterly alone. It doesn't help that Wela and Sonja both have the family "gift" of a supernatural connection with nature and Yolanda has none. The biracial girl's bond with her Latinx maternal grandparents (her father is white) comes from their shared love of science--Welo was a geneticist determined to find out the source of the family trait--but since his death, Wela has wanted nothing to do with it. But Wela knows she's dying, and she chooses Yolanda for one last, odd favor. To her chagrin, Yolanda is followed on this quest by her sister, Ghita, and Ghita's brother, Hasik. (Ghita and Hasik are South Asian.) As Wela uses her remaining strength to tell the children the story of her family and their strange gifts, Yolanda finds her own confidence. This heartfelt family saga weaves together science and magic believably and sensitively. The cast of characters is, refreshingly, almost entirely devoid of white people. This is how it feels to find out you may be the villain and the hero of your own story. (Magical realism. 8-12)

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Starred review from March 1, 2020

Gr 5-8-Yolanda Rodr�guez-O'Connell has waited years to develop her forbearers' secret gift-when people in her family turn 12, they gain a magical skill. But since her grandfather Welo passed away a year ago, everything's been going wrong. Her twin Sonja's gift surfaced, and Yolanda's didn't; her best friend Ghita ditched her for Sonja; and now, her grandmother Wela's failing health may force the girls into foster care. On top of everything else, magic seems to be going haywire on their desert property, sprouting tall grass and twisting the landscape. On Wela's instructions, Yolanda leads a ragtag group on an adventure to explore her family's past, hoping a mysterious box and the last pecan tree standing on their land can fix everything. Ryon delivers a touching peek into the daily struggles of a modern family. The tinge of whimsical magic permeating the Rodr�guez line creates the perfect ambiance for stirring up, and resolving, conflict among Yolanda, those she cares for, and the town. With Yolanda and Sonja's father in the army and Wela terribly ill, the topic of death is examined in a deeply real and relatable fashion as characters work through grief and commemoration. Yolanda blossoms on the pages as her mission to help Wela has her confronting truths about her family's magic, her responsibility to loved ones, and her acceptance of herself. VERDICT A must-have tale, perfect for fans of emotionally resonant magical realism like Karen Strong's Just South of Home.-Emily Walker, Lisle Library District, IL

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March 1, 2020
Grades 5-7 In the last year, Yolanda has lost her grandfather and become distanced from best friend Ghita and twin Sonja, who both acquired a gift of affinity with insects when they turned 12, while Yolanda showed no signs of giftedness. Now Wela, her grandmother and caretaker, is dying. After weeks of nonresponsive deep sleep, Wela calls to Yolanda in the night and tells her that all will be set right if Yolanda takes her to the lone pecan tree on their family property. Then, mysterious tall grass grows overnight. What does it all mean? Yolanda sets out for the pecan tree, unwittingly taking on this mission with Sonja, Ghita, and Ghita's brother. The story emphasizes grief, sisterhood, and empathy. Author Ryon keeps the magical elements mostly in the background, favoring character development instead, as she untangles threads between the three girls. The story also explores themes of identity and family history, finding meaning in a magical history that the townspeople reduce to one accusatory word: bruja, witch. This engaging read pulls on the heartstrings, but gently.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)

May 18, 2020
Set in a small New Mexico town, Ryon’s debut explores the innate tensions of close relationships, the mysteries of family history, and the intricate processes of grief. Two weeks ago, 12-year-old scientist Yolanda Rodríguez-O’Connell’s grandmother, Wela, fell into a mysterious slumber. Yo’s beloved grandfather, Welo, died of cancer less than a year earlier, her widowed father is on another tour in Afghanistan, and her best friend, Ghita Patel, has chosen Yo’s fraternal twin, Sonja, over her—just like everyone else. Worse, Yo hasn’t inherited the maternal magical gift, which, though it subjects the family to suspicion, Yo can’t help but want. Wela is much like the pecan tree at the top of the hill, the last of the Rodríguez’s ancestral orchard to survive the drought; she wakes up long enough to ask Yolanda to take her there, where “everything will be set right.” Facing the imminent threat of removal by social worker, Yo agrees, bundling the dying Wela into the suddenly tall grass with Sonja, Ghita, and Ghita’s kind brother Hasik in tow. Though the cast and subplots feel a bit bloated, Yolanda’s struggles are complex, and the narrative of family legacies and intergenerational trauma is ultimately compelling—uplifting without being schmaltzy. Ages 10–up. Agent: Kristy Hunter, Knight Agency.