Cuban-born eleven-year-old Oriol lives in Santa Barbara, California, where she struggles to belong. But most of the time that's okay, because she enjoys helping her parents care for the many injured animals at their veterinary clinic.
Then Gabriela Mistral, the first Latin American winner of a Nobel Prize in Literature, moves to town, and aspiring writer Oriol finds herself opening up. As she begins to create a world of words for herself, Oriol learns it will take courage to stay true to herself and do what she thinks is right — attempting to rescue a baby elephant in need — even if it means keeping secrets from those she loves.
This powerful novel in verse from Newbery and Pura Belpré Award-winning author Margarita Engle explores the power of friendship — between generations, between humans and animals — and the potential of poetry to inspire action and acceptance.
"Oriol struggles to express her feelings in both Spanish and English, until she befriends a neighbor — Engle’s imagined version of poet Gabriela Mistral, the first Latin American winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature — who teaches Oriol how to express herself through poetry.... Employing immersive free verse that conveys themes of compassion, friendship, justice, and vulnerability, Engle (Rima’s Rebellion) captures how inexplicable Oriol’s grief feels, encasing it in a powerful, charitable, and brave young voice." — Publishers Weekly
Recommended Age | 9 - 12 |
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Author | Margarita Engle |
ISBN | 059320669X |
Publication Date | May 31, 2022 |
Publisher | Viking Books for Young Readers |
Language | English |