Mananaland by Pam Munoz Ryan. Scholastic, 2020. Children's chapter book. Reviewed from galley provided by publisher.
This is such an important book! While Ryan told a girl's story of an immigrant family in Esperanza Rising, this is a boy's story on the other side of the Rio Grande. While the country is not defined, it could be anywhere south of the United States. In both books, Ryan draws readers into the lives and dreams of characters who long for more for themselves and their families. With so many of our students in similarly uncertain situations, this book will resonate with many who often do not see themselves in books.
Max's mother disappeared when he was a baby. He wants to know more about her, but his father and grandfather have not shared much with him. Now, almost twelve, he longs to play futbol (soccer), but he does not have a birth certificate. He has grown up with the legends and stories of a seemingly magical bridge and a stone tower that has its own mysteries. A strange gatekeeper has led brave travelers into new futures. Will Max be brave enough to discover more? His own journey leads him into the future. Yet, Max is firmly grounded in the present of friends, soccer, and chores. Definitely a book about discovering, being brave, loving your own family (whatever shape that family takes), helping others, and building on your own past, the path to tomorrow is a compelling one.
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