El Niño

Description: Over the course of a California summer, Kai, a competitive swimmer in training, learns about a legendary Amazonian queen, about El Nino, and about letting go of grief.

Review Quotes:

Praise for El Niño:

"A brilliant amalgamation of myth, nature, sport, and loss. I've never read anything like it!" --JASON REYNOLDS, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Look Both Ways and the Track series

"A gem! I never would have predicted what happens." --JOHN SCHU, librarian and author of the New York Times bestseller Louder Than Hunger

"Another instant classic from Pam Muñoz Ryan. An epic tale of resilience and hope, a true masterpiece." --ERNESTO CISNEROS, award-winning author of Efrén Divided and Falling Short

"Will break your heart wide open and piece it back together, one stroke at a time. I couldn't put it down." --C.C. HARRINGTON, author of the Schneider Family Book award winner Wildoak

"A beautiful, graceful, and powerful tale for our times, from a master storyteller." --DEBORAH WILES, two-time National Book Award finalist and author of Kent State

★ "Ryan's latest is a whirlwind of emotions, a story that glistens like sunlight on waves and plunges deep into grief, identity, and destiny. . . Ryan weaves a narrative that moves like the tide, one that is at times calm and reflective, and at others wild and relentless. . . A breathtaking story infused with magical realism. With poetic and evocative prose, the book captures the ache of loss and the hope that lingers even in the most unpredictable currents. . . More than a novel, this is a journey into the heart of a boy searching for answers and a lost piece of himself, and a story that will linger with readers." --School Library Journal, starred review

★ "Ryan's skill as a writer shines in the small moments of gorgeous description . . . but also in building the larger ambience of a close family, a kind community . . . . a worthy addition to any shelf." --The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, starred review

★ "Children's Literature Legacy Award-winner Pam Muñoz Ryan (Mañanaland) delivers a sweeping, lyrical work . . . [Her] use of magical realism blends and enhances the story of grief, displaying the author's poetic finesse and skill at developing emotion. Delicate blue-scale illustrations by Joe Cepeda skillfully assist the text in separating Kai's world from Queen Califia's . . . lingers like the echo of thunder--powerful, haunting, and deeply core-shaking." --Shelf Awareness, starred review

"An inventive, absorbing novel that blends elements of magical realism, climate fiction and coming-of-age sports tales, 'El Niño' features drawings by the Pura Belpré honoree Joe Cepeda. . . It's a world that makes space for feelings -- especially sad, difficult ones -- and holds them in precious regard. . . Ryan has imagined into being such a vivid, intricate place." --New York Times Book Review

"Striking illustrations complement the uniquely beautiful story. A compelling tale of love, loss, and myth." --Kirkus Reviews

"Eighth grader Kai Sosa contends with grief following his older sister's death in this powerful tale by Newbery Honoree Muñoz Ryan. . . Delicate, blue-lined digital illustrations by Cepeda amp up the surreal atmosphere and magical realism elements of Kai's journey through loss." --Publishers Weekly

"Whimsical pencil-style digital drawings bring the elaborate Realm to life in a way that feels cathartic, and for anyone who has experienced the call of the water, this book is a thoughtful exploration of the wonders of the ocean--real, imagined, and unexplained." --The Horn Book