Mananaland

Mananaland
Pam Munoz Ryan
Scholastic, 2020 247 pages
Grades 4-7
Adventure

Max REALLY wants to make the town's soccer team now that he is finally old enough to try out. His friends are going to a summer clinic to sharpen their skills and invite Max to come along. Max lives with his single father and grandfather and when Papa not only won't allow Max to go to the clinic but cannot locate his birth certificate necessary to prove his age to the team, the boy is devastated. As he digs through Papa's secret stash for both the birth certificate and information about his disappeared mother, he unravels some family secrets. The members of his family are from a long line of Guardians, people who escort the Hidden Ones, who are escaping persecution, to safety. One day, while alone, a runaway arrives on his doorstep. He decides that it is up to him to take the Hidden One to the next stop and maybe find his lost mother in the process. The journey to the next safe spot is perilous and involves wits and stamina. Does Max have what it takes to get his charge to safety? Will he find out the truth about his mother? And what about the soccer team?

I am a very big fan of Pam Munoz Ryan, Echo being one of my favorite books EVER. I will admit I did not like this book as much as some of her other titles. It feels like a fairy tale in both mood and style and is elegantly written. The setting is both fully realized, yet unclear as to time and place. I think it is meant to be a fictional location in Central or South America in present day or very near future/past. The plot is magical without being true fantasy and there are mystery elements, yet I would not call it a mystery. The plot is linear but at times I found my mind drifting and I didn't quite catch exactly what Mananaland is all about. Certainly, relevant to the plight of fleeing refugees today, the book, though feeling timeless, is reflective of today's society. Max discovers secrets about his own life and his heritage and finds the inner courage to prove to himself and his family that he is responsible and mature enough to share the burden of his truth. I do not know that many young readers will have the patience to push through this book to the end, though the soccer element, though brief, may be a draw. There is much symbolism that though adding an extra rich layer to the book may muddy the waters for many young readers and sail over their heads. Regardless of its readability, this book is beautifully written and timely, and will surely win awards.