Mañanaland

If you have ever read Pam Muñoz Ryan’s work, it will come as no surprise that I highly recommend this book.

With everything that is happening in the world right now, reading this novel with your child will give you the perfect opportunity to have some great conversations about family relationships, love, refugee life, immigrants, and separated families.

Eleven year-old Max lives in Santa Maria, a sleepy village watched over by the stone tower La Reina Gigante, with his Papá, his grandfather Buelo, and his beloved dog Lola.

He has always wondered what happened to his mother, but no one in the family will talk about it. He hears the derogatory whisperings about his family in town, and pushes to know the  truth.

Papá is too protective for Max’s taste, but Max has a good life, surrounded by his Buelo’s siblings, learning the family trade of building stone bridges, and sharing stories with Buelo each night. His favorite is the one he has heard so often that he has it memorized - The Secret Bridge and the Guardabarrera - a story Max believes to be a product of Buelo’s imagination.

Max is also practicing for fútbol tryouts, wondering if he will ever be as good as Papá and Buelo, who were both members of the national team.

When Papá leaves the village to get a copy of Max’s birth certificate, a requirement for fútbol tryouts, Max has the opportunity to learn the truth about his family and live the story of The Secret Bridge and the Guardabarrera.

Ryan’s rich, descriptive language helps readers visualize Max’s village, family, friends, and invites us into his head and heart. She is a gifted writer and this book is a must-read!

Thanks to Scholastic Inc and Pam Muñoz Ryan for providing this advance copy to Kid Lit Exchange.

Here’s a link to Pam Muñoz Ryan's website (be sure to look at her Reader's Theatre Scripts)