Lola

Gr 4-7–In this wonderfully woven tale, a sister’s love is all that stands between the “Stillness” and her brother. Lola and Alex have grown up in a house with a magical tree at its center. With the magical tree comes things that cannot be explained, like flowers that bloom only at certain times of the year and Lola’s ability to see the creatures who tend to the tree. One day, Lola and Alex notice a gray patch spreading on the tree and the plants around it. Then the worst happens when Lola sees the same gray patch on Alex. Lola and Cualli, one of the magical creatures called the chaneques, are told they must travel to Floresta, where the magical tree came from, and heal it from there. But with a queen who cannot let go, this is not as easy as it seems. Will Lola be able to save the tree and her brother? With the story set in Mexico City, readers can feel the vibrance of Mexican culture coming off the pages. Between the descriptions of the magical world, as well as the artwork throughout, readers will be taken on the adventure right alongside Lola. Each character is complex and adds their own light to the story. Readers will be lining up to get this book.