Comment

"Artistic 12-year-old Valentina and her younger brother Julian are on a trek in the Andes mountains with their Papi who is searching for a mythical creature when an earthquake hits, knocking their father unconscious, trapping him in a crevice, and sending the two children down a portal to an alternate Colombia where ALL their father’s fantastic legends are real. The writing is concise while still balancing the action and dramatic tension of a young person on a life-saving quest AND introducing a variety of mythical creatures based in traditional Colombian culture. The kids’ modern-day sensibilities give space for skepticism as well as big-perspective empathy with these legendary figures who might at first seem terrifying. Readers are introduced to helpful witch Grucinda, vicious Patasola, gentle, silly Albetroz a river dragon, three noble friends - an ocelot, armadillo, & capybara, and several more. " --Erica S., Rockridge Branch