Alebrijes

 Alebrijes

Donna Barba Higuera

Levine Querido, 2023

399 pages

Grades 5-8

Dystopian/Science Fiction

Leandro and his sister Gabi are trying to survive as Cascabeles (second class citizens) in the pocket of civilization known as Pocatel. Life is hard. They must forge in the fields for scraps and work for the ruling class, much like slaves. To make a little money to escape, Leandro turns to pickpocketing, which is a risk. If caught, he could be turned out of the safety of the city and into the wilderness with no food or water and where the dreaded and deadly wyrms hunt for prey. One fateful day Gabi steals a precious strawberry and Leandro must take the fall. He is exiled, which means certain death. A kindly scientist offers him a deal. If Leandro agrees to have his essence put inside an ancient drone, she will help him to live. In exchange, Leandro must try to find the scientist's daughter, who was previously exiled and is currently also existing inside a drone. Leandro takes the deal and for the first time sees what life is really like outside the city walls in the body of a zippy hummingbird. He finds an unexpected haven for drone refugees and learns that maybe there really is hope to be found on this barren planet. If only he can get back into his body, rescue his sister, and lead others to the new paradise without getting caught by the evil rulers of Pocatel.

In Mexico Alebrijes are brightly colored animal statues often representing people's unique spirit animals. This is a fitting title for a story about young people finding hope and independence while taking refuge in the body of animal drones. Higuera, Newbery winner for The Last Cuentista revisits the last days of an environmentally ravaged earth, offering a cautionary tale for what is to come if we don't act now. Other themes include loyalty, greed, the importance of community, and little guys can do big things. For a dystopian novel, which is a saturated field, this one felt fresh and original. I liked the concept and thought that the young people escaping and exploring the world through drones was a great idea. I also liked the wyrm (giant worm-like monsters) and the secret behind them. Set up as if this is a true account, readers will fall right into the story--and especially pour over the included map. Leonardo is a great character. Though often referred to as "he", he felt very gender neutral and everyone will relate to this character and tap into their better selves through him. Spanish words are sprinkled throughout and context clues will help readers decipher the meaning. Though loosely connected to the previous Newbery winner, I didn't quite enjoy this book as much. I felt that it went on for too long and became a bit of a slug at points. I would recommend this book to smart kids who want something that will challenge them and fans of the author's first.