5/5

Even though I read this book in a day, it is going to be one that will stick with me for a while.

I have to thank my coworker for turning me on to Pam Munoz Ryan in the first place. "Echo" is one of my all time favorite books and I constantly recommend it. I also put it on the Bookmobile every single time I need to shelve. But anyway, in the midst of this COVID19 physical distancing world, I forgot that Ms. Ryan had a new book coming out. So imagine my surprise when I was scrolling through my library's digital collection and found it without holds. Happy Sunday to me!!

It's the story of Max, living with his father and grandfather. Max longs to know who his mother is but that is a mystery. His father will not share the story. In fact, there are many things that his father will not share with him. In fact, Max and his father appear to live in a state of disconnect with each other.

Until one day, Max's father leaves on a trip. It is during this time that Max goes seeking answers. He longs to find his mother who, by all accounts and his snooping, appears to be in Mananaland.....tomorrow land. Where is this place? Is the village gossip true? Was his mother someone bad and evil? Does she live on and protect him in the spirit of the falcon as stories also say?

This book is absolutely magical realism but I think is important to note. I find many of my readers do not gravitate to realistic fiction. But fantasy and magic sell, sell, sell......so in typical Pam Munoz Ryan, she appeals to melding both worlds in harmony. This book is a quick read, even quicker than "Echo" which works quite well for a slightly younger middle grade audience. However, the themes and nuances are ones even adults can appreciate. We discover that Max's family has been "guardians", protecting those who have fled the neighboring country for one reason or another. Some people say those "refugees" are thieves and murderers. Others say they wanted a better life.

Sounds familiar doesn't it? It feels like a refugee story for these current times!

It's the story about making a difference. Of realizing that tomorrow is A.) not guaranteed and B.) not all it is cracked up to be. There is so much more to life than always holding onto the past. And yet it is what shapes and molds who we are. We have a role to play.

It is topics such as these that make Mananaland a wonderful book. I cannot wait to get it on the Bookmobile! ( )

Max is amazing! His journey is treacherous and important, but told so elegantly and simply that young readers will want to travel along with him. I just love the storytelling style, hinting at allegory but dealing with very gritty realities of immigrant families. ( )

An adventure where you have to find the missing puzzles pieces to make one huge solution to an event that has no answers or no solutions.

I loved reading this story because it was so strikingly similar to the current political climate in the United States, especially as it relates to undocumented people living here. Many people hate it, so this story would need an email sent home to parents before it is assigned, but the language is accessible, the themes are important to discuss, and children can see themselves in an incredibly brave character and know that they too can make a difference.