Description:
Now in Spanish, this award-winning title from Pura Belpré Award-winning author Guadalupe Garcia McCall's magical retelling of The Odyssey stars fifteen-year-old Odilia, the reluctant leader of her four younger sisters as they set off on a fantastical road trip.
Brief description:
David Bowles is a Mexican American author and translator from South Texas, where he teaches literature and Nahuatl at the University of Texas Río Grande Valley. Among his forty published books are the multiple-award-winning They Call Me Güero, Feathered Serpent, Dark Heart of Sky: Myths of Mexico, and The Prince & the Coyote, as well as the series Garza Twins, 13th Street, and Clockwork Curandera. He is the current president of the Texas Institute of Letters.
Review Quotes:
* "Written in the style of magic realism, this is an enchanting look at Mexican mysticism, coupled with the realistic celebration of the true meaning of family." -- School Library Journal, starred review
"The mix of fantasy, folklore, and cultural markers like La Llorona and la Loteria reveal Garcia McCall's talent for words, and Bowles' Spanish translation of Summer of the Mariposas (2012) truly captures Garcia McCall's voice and lyrical storytelling." -- Booklist
"Loosely based on The Odyssey, the journey adds interest by moving the girls through elements of Mexican folklore, and McCall's revision of both la Llorona and the chupacabras as victims in need of sympathy and compassion is particularly compelling... The story remains powerful to the end." -- Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"In a witty voice, fifteen-year-old Odilia Garza recounts how she and her four younger sisters discover a corpse in a river near their Texas home and return him to his Mexican family across the border. Magical realism is introduced through several Mexican mythological characters who both challenge and help the girls on their Odyssey-like journey in this story of sisterly love." -- The Horn Book
"A series of adventures that hover somewhere on the border between fantasy and magical realism as the sisters are helped and hindered by supernatural forces including Latin American legends La Llorona, lechuzas and chupacabras... Originality and vibrancy shine through to make it a worthwhile read." -- Kirkus Reviews
Amelia Bloomer Book List - American Library Association (ALA)
Andre Norton Award for Young Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy Finalist - Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America
Best Books of the Year - School Library Journal
Best Children's Books of the Year - Bank Street College of Education
Lone Star Reading List - Texas Library Association (TLA)
Spirit of Texas Reading List - Texas Library Association (TLA)
Westchester Fiction Award - Westchester Fiction Award Committee