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Twelve-year-old Barana lives in a coastal village in Honduras, where she spends every spare minute visiting the sea turtles that nest on the beach.
Abby is feeling adrift in sixth grade, trying to figure out who she is and where she belongs after her best friend moved away from New Jersey.
When Abby’s papi plans a work trip to Honduras, she is finally given the opportunity to see his homeland—with Barana as her tour guide. But Barana has other plans: someone has been poaching turtle eggs, and she’s determined to catch them! Before long, Abby and Barana are both consumed by the mystery, chasing down suspects, gathering clues, and staking out the beach in the dead of night. . . . Will they find a way to stop the poachers before it’s too late?
A heart-pounding mystery with a hint of magic, María José Fitzgerald’s debut novel explores the power of friendship, community, and compassion to unite all living creatures.
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Creators
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Publisher
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Release date
March 14, 2023 -
Formats
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OverDrive Listen audiobook
- ISBN: 9780593666777
- File size: 221721 KB
- Duration: 07:41:55
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Languages
- English
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Levels
- Lexile® Measure: 710
- Text Difficulty: 3
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Reviews
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January 30, 2023
Fitzgerald’s page-turning debut, a contemporary eco-mystery with a touch of magical realism, explores timely themes of friendship and identity while tracing two girls’ heartwarming bond. Though Mamá wishes that Barana would focus more on domestic cares, the 12-year-old volunteers to help the leatherback sea turtles nesting near the family’s coastal Honduran home, Pataya—including the turtle to which Barana is connected via a tingling, crescent-shaped scar. In northern New Jersey, aspiring photographer Aberdeen “Abby” Durón is closing out a sixth grade year that turned miserable after her only friend moved away. When Abby’s always-busy doctor Papi offers to take her with him on a summer assignment to his native Honduras, she jumps at the chance. The girls initially clash when Abby and her dad stay in Barana’s family’s casita, but they grow closer in facing a poaching plot that puts the entire nesting season at risk. As the two assemble clues and pin down suspects, Honduras is rendered in stunning natural detail that reminds readers just what the friends are fighting to protect. Ages 8–12. Agent: Sara Crowe, Pippin Properties. -
Author Maria Jos� Fitzgerald delivers an introductory poem, setting the tone for this endearing story. Elena Rey's and Frankie Corzo's narrations add to this thoughtful story with meaningful pacing and heartfelt emphasis when called for. Abby and Barana are two girls who are forced to spend a few weeks together one summer when Abby's father brings her on his work trip to Honduras. Abby, voiced by Rey, is an avid photographer who is excited to visit her father's homeland. Barana, narrated by Corzo, is passionate about working to save the leatherback turtles that visit her small village's beach each summer to lay their eggs. This summer, poaching threatens the community, causing Barana and Abby to step up and figure out who may be behind it. S.K.G. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine
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