Books by Pam Muñoz Ryan

Esperanza Rising (Scholastic Gold)

by Pam Muñoz Ryan

Amazon Editors recommend this book for readers who have recently discovered middle grade novels with more intricate story lines. Pura Belpré Award Winner
IRA Notable Book for a Global Society
New York Public Library's 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing

Esperanza thought she'd always live with her family on their ranch in Mexico--she'd always have fancy dresses, a beautiful home, and servants. But a sudden tragedy forces Esperanza and Mama to flee to California during the Great Depression, and to settle in a camp for Mexican farm workers. Esperanza isn't ready for the hard labor, financial struggles, or lack of acceptance she now faces. When their new life is threatened, Esperanza must find a way to rise above her difficult circumstances--Mama's life, and her own, depend on it.

Esperanza Rising (Scholastic Gold)

by Pam Muñoz Ryan

A timeless immigration story and beloved, award-winning modern classic, perfect for fans of Kate DiCamillo and Rita Williams-Garcia.

* "Readers will be swept up." --Publishers Weekly, starred review
Esperanza thought she'd always live a privileged life on her family's ranch in Mexico. She'd always have fancy dresses, a beautiful home filled with servants, and Mama, Papa, and Abuelita to care for her. But a sudden tragedy forces Esperanza and Mama to flee to California and settle in a Mexican farm labor camp. Esperanza isn't ready for the hard work, financial struggles brought on by the Great Depression, or lack of acceptance she now faces. When Mama gets sick and a strike for better working conditions threatens to uproot their new life, Esperanza must find a way to rise above her difficult circumstances--because Mama's life, and her own, depend on it.

Riding Freedom

by Pam Muñoz Ryan

Children’s Literature Legacy Award Winner
This remarkable story was inspired by the true adventures of a little known, horse-loving heroine of the west. Perfect for fans of Pax, Wildoak, and A Horse Named Sky.

Charlotte Parkhurst was raised in an orphanage for boys, which suited her just fine. She didn’t like playing with dolls, she could hold her own in a fight, and she loved to work in the stable. Charlotte had a special way with horses and wanted to spend her life training and riding them on a ranch of her own.
The problem was, as a girl in the mid-1800s, Charlotte was expected to live a much different life―one without the freedoms she dreamed of. But Charlotte was smart and determined, and she figured out a way to live her life on her terms.

Mice And Beans

by Pam Muñoz Ryan

A delicious and funny Mexican feast!Let the Scholastic bookself be your guide through the whole range of your child's experiences--laugh with them, learn with them, read with
Category: FamilyRecipe for a Festive Story Time:Mix 1 birthday party, 1 delicious Mexican meal, and lots of children, grandchildren, aunts, uncles, cousins, and surprise guests into a fun romp. Add comic illustrations, jaunty rhythms, and playful refrains.Spice with mystery, and stir everything into a book.Serve aloud to large groups or small. Finally, store leftovers on a shelf in a child's bedroom, library, or classroom.Enjoy!

Becoming Naomi León (Scholastic Gold)

by Pam Muñoz Ryan

From Newbery Honoree and New York Times bestseller Pam Muñoz Ryan comes a gripping story about familial love, loyalty, and identity. Perfect for fans of Kate DiCamillo and Rita Williams-Garcia.

Schneider Family Book Award Winner
Pura Belpré Honor Book
Children’s Literature Legacy Award Winner
"Engrossing." -- New York Times
Naomi Soledad León Outlaw has had a lot to contend with in her young life, her name for one. Then there are her clothes (sewn in polyester by Gram), her difficulty speaking up, and her status at school as "nobody special." But according to Gram's self-prophecies, most problems can be overcome with positive thinking. Luckily, Naomi also has her carving to strengthen her spirit. And life with Gram and her little brother, Owen, is happy and peaceful. That is, until their mother reappears for the first time in seven years, stirring up all sorts of questions and challenging Naomi to discover who she really is.

Nacho And Lolita

by Pam Muñoz Ryan

In this tender friendship story that will melt your heart, acclaimed storyteller Pam Munoz Ryan and talented newcomer Claudia Rueda reveal that any difference can be overcome with love.

Once, when the two Californias ran alta y baja, high and low, along the Pacific, there lived a rare and majestic bird named Nacho, the only pitacoche for thousands of miles. He was proud of his brilliant feathers and haunting songs, but what good were they with no one to share them?
Then the swallows came to nest and Nacho met Lolita. His heart filled with affection. Was it possible for two such different birds to find happiness together? And what would happen to Nacho when Lolita and the other swallows migrated back to South America?

Becoming Naomi Leon

by Pam Muñoz Ryan

The highly anticipated new novel from the Pura Belpre and Jane Addams Peace Award-winning author of ESPERANZA RISING.

Naomi Soledad León Outlaw has had a lot to contend with in her young life, her name for one. Then there are her clothes (sewn in polyester by Gram), her difficulty speaking up, & her status at school as "nobody special." But according to Gram's self-prophecies, most problems can be overcome with positive thinking. Luckily, Naomi also has her carving to strengthen her spirit. And life with Gram & her little brother, Owen, is happy & peaceful. That is, until their mother reappears after 7 years of being gone, stirring up all sorts of questions & challenging Naomi to discover who she really is.

Becoming Naomi Leon

by Pam Muñoz Ryan

Naomi Soledad Leon Outlaw has had a lot to contend with in her young life, her name for one. Then there are her clothes (sewn in polyester by Gram), her difficulty speaking up, and her status at school as "nobody special." But according to Gram, most problems can be overcome with positive thinking. And with Gram and her little brother, Owen, life at Avocado Acres Trailer Rancho in California is happy and peaceful...until their mother reappears after seven years of being gone, stirring up all sorts of questions and challenging Naomi to discover and proclaim who she really is.

Nacho y Lolita (Spanish Edition)

by Pam Muñoz Ryan

In this tender friendship story that will melt your heart, acclaimed storyteller Pam Munoz Ryan and talented newcomer Claudia Rueda reveal that any difference can be overcome with love.

Nacho era el único pájaro pitacoche en millas a la redonda. Estaba orgulloso de su plumaje brillante y sus canciones misteriosas, pero ¿de qué servían estas últimas si no tenía con quién compartirlas? Un día, llegaron las golondrinas a anidar, y Nacho conoció a Lolita. Su corazón se llenó de afecto. ¿Sería posible que dos pájaros tan diferentes encontraran la felicidad juntos? ¿Y qué le sucedería a Nacho cuando Lolita y las otras golondrinas migraran a Suramérica?

¡California, aquí vamos!/ California Here We Come! (Spanish Edition)

by Pam Muñoz Ryan

Product Description Takes the reader on an imaginary trip through California while offering information about the history and geography of this varied region with its numerous historic sites About the Author California native Pam MuozRyan grew up in an area with rich, thirsty farmland and earned her Bachelor's and Master's degrees in a coastal city with a world-famous zoo. Today Pam lives with her husband and four children, in Leucadia, California and has written many books for children.

California Here We Come!

by Pam Muñoz Ryan

Takes the reader on an imaginary trip through California while offering information about the history and geography of this varied region with its numerous historic sites

Guys Read: Heroes & Villains (Guys Read, 7)

by Deborah Hopkinson, Laurie Halse Anderson, Lemony Snicket, Sharon Creech, Jack Gantos, Jon Scieszka, Pam Muñoz Ryan, Eugene Yelchin, Christopher Healy, Cathy Camper, Ingrid Law

Heroes and Villains, the seventh volume in Jon Scieszka’s Guys Read Library of Great Reading, is chock-full of adventure featuring an array of characters—with and without capes.
Featuring ten all-new, original stories that run the gamut from fantasy to comics to contemporary adventure to nonfiction, and featuring eleven of the most acclaimed, exciting writers for kids working today, this collection is the perfect book for you, whether you use your powers for good—or evil.
Authors include Laurie Halse Anderson, Cathy Camper and Raúl Gonzalez, Sharon Creech, Jack Gantos, Christopher Healy, Deborah Hopkinson, Ingrid Law, Pam Muñoz Ryan, Lemony Snicket, and Eugene Yelchin, with illustrations by Jeff Stokely.

The Dreamer

by Will Eisner, Pam Muñoz Ryan

An extraordinary autobiography story from a legend in American comics. A roman a clef about Eisner's early years in the thriving comics industry prior to World War II―featuring new annotations that reveal comics pioneers such as Bob Kane and Jack Kirby who appear under pseudonyms.

The Dreamer

by Will Eisner, Pam Muñoz Ryan

Pura Belpré Award Winner

A tender, transcendent, and meticulously crafted novel from Newbery Honoree, Pam Muñoz Ryan, and three-time Caldecott Honoree, Peter Sís!

From the time he is a young boy, Neftalí hears the call of a mysterious voice. Even when the neighborhood children taunt him, and when his harsh, authoritarian father ridicules him, and when he doubts himself, Neftalí knows he cannot ignore the call. He listens and follows as it leads him under the canopy of the lush rain forest, into the fearsome sea, and through the persistent Chilean rain on an inspiring voyage of self-discovery that will transform his life and, ultimately, the world.

Combining elements of magical realism with biography, poetry, literary fiction, and transporting illustrations, Pam Muñoz Ryan and Peter Sís take readers on a rare journey of the heart and imagination as they explore the inspiring early life of the poet who became Pablo Neruda.

When Marian Sang: The True Recital of Marian Anderson: True Recital of Marian Anderson, the

by Pam Muñoz Ryan

Children’s Literature Legacy Award Winner
A harmonious introduction to one of our country's most important singers and role models--as envisioned by Newbery Honoree Pam Muñoz Ryan and Caldecott Medalist Brian Selznick.
Marian Anderson is best known for her historic concert at the Lincoln Memorial in 1939, which drew an integrated crowd of 75,000 people in pre-Civil Rights America. While this momentous event showcased the uniqueness of her voice, the strength of her character, and the struggles of the times in which she lived, it is only part of her story. Like the operatic arias Marian would come to sing, Ryan's text is as moving as a libretto, and Selznick's pictures as exquisitely detailed and elaborately designed as a stage set. What emerges most profoundly from their shared vision is a role model of courage.

Esperanza Renace (Esperanza Rising) (Scholastic Gold) (Spanish Edition)

by Pam Muñoz Ryan

A Mexican "Grapes of Wrath," based on a family story, from the award-winning author of Riding Freedom.
Esperanza Ortega tiene todos los tesoros que una chica pueda desear: hermosos vestidos, una linda casa llena de sirvientes en México, y la promesa de que un día llegará a presidir el Rancho como su mamá. Pero una tragedia inesperada destruye ese sueño, obligando a Esperanza y a su madre a escapar a California dónde tendrán que trabajar en una finca junto a otros mexicanos. Allí tendrá que olvidar su pasado y enfrentarse a las nuevas realidades de su vida: trabajo duro, aceptación y dificultades económicas. Esperanza descubrirá que la verdadera riqueza está en la familia y la comunidad.

Friends: Stories About New Friends, Old Friends, And Unexpectedly True Friends

by Meg Cabot, Jennifer L. Holm, Pam Muñoz Ryan, Ann M. Martin

Stories of friendship from some of the most acclaimed and dynamic writers in children's books today, edited by Ann M. Martin and David Levithan, with all proceeds going to The Lisa Libraries.

The friend can be the girl next door . . . or a faithful dog . . . or a teacher . . . or just plain invisible. But in every life, there's at least one friend who changes your life. In this collection, writers including Virginia Euwer Wolff, Ann M. Martin, Pam Munoz Ryan, Tanuja Desai Hidier, Walter Dean Myers, Rachel Cohn, Meg Cabot, Jennifer L. Holm, Patty McCormick, David Levithan, and Patrick Jennings present stories about friendship and all of its reverberations. All proceeds go to The Lisa Libraries, which provides small libraries for children in need.

Yo, Naomi Leon (Spanish Edition)

by Pam Muñoz Ryan

The highly anticipated new novel from the Pura Belpre and Jane Addams Peace Award-winning author of ESPERANZA RISING now in Spanish.
Naomi Soledad León Outlaw ha tenido que enfrentarse a mucho en su corta vida, empezando por su nombre. También está el problema de su ropa (hechas por su abuela en tela de poliéster), su timidez y la fama que tiene en la escuela de no ser nadie especial. Pero según su abuela, la mayoría de los problemas se solucionan con mentalidad positiva. Y su vida, junto a su abuela y su pequeño hermano, Owen, en el parque de casas móviles Avocado Acres, es tranquila y feliz... hasta que su mamá aparece luego de siete años, creando confusión y retando a Naomi a que averigüe quién es.

Esperanza Rising

by Pam Muñoz Ryan

Used book in good condition, due to its age it could contain normal signs of use

Esperanza Rising

by Pam Muñoz Ryan

Pura Belpré Award Winner

IRA Notable Book for a Global Society

New York Public Library's 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing

Esperanza thought she'd always live with her family on their ranch in Mexico--she'd always have fancy dresses, a beautiful home, and servants. But a sudden tragedy forces Esperanza and Mama to flee to California during the Great Depression, and to settle in a camp for Mexican farm workers. Esperanza isn't ready for the hard labor, financial struggles, or lack of acceptance she now faces. When their new life is threatened, Esperanza must find a way to rise above her difficult circumstances--Mama's life, and her own, depend on it.

Paint The Wind

by Pam Muñoz Ryan

This epic horse story, in the tradition of BLACK STALLION, marks exciting new territory for one of our most treasured and celebrated novelists.

A puzzling photograph, a box filled with faded toy horses, and a single fractured memory are all that Maya has left of her mother. In Grandmother house, she lives like a captive, tethered by rules... until a shocking event changes everything. A world away, in the rugged Wyoming wilderness, a wild mustang called Artemisia runs free, belonging only to the stars. In a land where mountain lions pose an ever-present threat, she must vigilantly defend her foal... until a devastating act separates them from their band. Like a braided rein, Maya's and Artemisia's lives will ultimately intertwine.

Echo

by Pam Muñoz Ryan, Adam Rex

Newbery Honor Book
New York Times Bestseller
Children’s Literature Legacy Award Winner
This impassioned, uplifting, and virtuosic tour de force from a treasured storyteller follows three children, in three different times and places, whose lives mysteriously intersect.

Lost and alone in a forbidden forest, Otto meets three mysterious sisters and suddenly finds himself entwined in a puzzling quest involving a prophecy, a promise, and a harmonica.
Decades later, Friedrich in Germany, Mike in Pennsylvania, and Ivy in California each, in turn, become interwoven when the very same harmonica lands in their lives. All the children face daunting challenges: rescuing a father, protecting a brother, holding a family together. And ultimately, pulled by the invisible thread of destiny, their suspenseful solo stories converge in an orchestral crescendo.
Richly imagined and masterfully crafted, Echo pushes the boundaries of genre, form, and storytelling innovation to create a wholly original novel that will resound in your heart long after the last note has been struck.

Echo

by Pam Muñoz Ryan, Adam Rex

New York Times bestselling author and illustrator Adam Rex has created a funny and timely conversation starter about how dull life might be if everyone always agreed

Everyone always agrees with Junior, including the mysterious voice from across the valley.

“Junior Junior is the greatest in the world!” he shouts.
“Junior Junior is the greatest in the world!” the echo shouts back.

Until one day, a new girl moves in next door. A disagreeable, rude girl who doesn’t think Junior is right all the time. Unable to stand living next door to someone like that, Junior runs to the valley to meet his echo. But when being around someone who agrees with him all the time is less fun than he imagines, Junior must decide if a new friend is worth admitting he was wrong.

El soñador (The Dreamer) (Spanish Edition)

by Pam Muñoz Ryan

A breathtaking illustrated novel from Pura Belpre Award winner, Pam Ryan, and MacArthur fellow and three-time Caldecott Honoree, Peter Sis!
Neftalí siente admiración y curiosidad por todo: los colores del aceite en un charco, un guante perdido, el viento al navegar, el canto de los pájaros. A Neftalí le encanta coleccionar tesoros, soñar despierto y escribir -pasatiempos que su padre piensa que le hacen perder el tiempo. Sin embargo, a pesar de todas las adversidades, el espíritu de Neftali prevalece a pesar de su timidez y la crueldad de su padre hasta llegar a convertirse en uno de los poetas más leídos en todo el mundo, Pablo Neruda. Este libro inspirara' a jóvenes escritores y artistas.

Paint the Wind (Scholastic Gold)

by Pam Muñoz Ryan

Children’s Literature Legacy Award Winner
A sheltered girl. A wild horse. An unforgettable journey. This riveting story from Newbery honoree and New York Times bestseller Pam Muñoz Ryan is perfect for fans of Marguerite Henry, Sara Pennypacker, and Rosanne Parry.

Maya lives like a captive.
At Grandmother's house in California, everything is forbidden: friends, fun, even memories. And her life is built on lies―lies Grandmother tells about her dead mother, and lies Maya tells to impress or manipulate. But then she moves to the vast Wyoming wilderness where her mother's family awaits -- kind, rugged people who have no tolerance for lies. They challenge Maya to confront the truth about who she is. And a mysterious mustang called Artemisia waits, too. She holds the key to Maya's freedom. But to find it, Maya will have to risk everything. . . including her life.

Tony Baloney School Rules

by Pam Muñoz Ryan

Readers everywhere will adore Tony Baloney--the loveable, highly relatable hero of this bravura new Beginning Reader series!

Tony Baloney is excited!
Today he won't have to obey
Bossy Big Sister Baloney.
He won't have to play with
the Bothersome Babies Baloney.
Today he is going to school!

Tony Baloney is finally free from the tyranny of his many sisters only to face a new challenge--SCHOOL RULES! How will Tony ever follow them all? True to his resilient spirit, he discovers a first day of school filled with new friends, good fun, a few foibles, and some fantastic surprises!

Award-winners Pam Munoz Ryan and Edwin Fotheringham reinvigorate the reader format with their fresh approach to the form. Crafted with all the care and detail of a picture book, and bursting with lyrical, laugh-out-loud text and clever, eye-popping artwork, TONY BALONEY SCHOOL RULES is a fun read aloud and the perfect book to ignite budding readers. The irresistible characters spring off the page and will leap into your heart--especially Tony, who children are sure to embrace like a new best friend.

Amelia and Eleanor Go for a Ride

by Pam Muñoz Ryan

Children’s Literature Legacy Award Winner
An extraordinary picture book from Newbery Honoree Pam Muñoz Ryan and Caldecott Medalist Brian Selznick about two heroines, national treasures, and close friends, Amelia Earhart and Eleanor Roosevelt!
Amelia Earhart and Eleanor Roosevelt were birds of a feather. Not only were they two of the most admired and respected women of all time, they were also good friends. Illuminated here for the first time in picture book form is the true story of a thrilling night when they made history together!On a brisk and cloudless evening in April 1933, Amelia and Eleanor did the unprecedented: They stole away from a White House dinner, commandeered an Eastern Air Transport jet, and took off on a glorious adventure--while still dressed in their glamorous evening gowns!This picture book tour de force celebrates the pioneering spirit of two friends whose passion for life gave them the courage to defy convention in the name of fulfillment, conviction, and fun. Soaring text, inspired by the known facts of this event, and breathtaking drawings ask readers to dream dreams as big as Amelia and Eleanor's.

Mud Is Cake

by Pam Muñoz Ryan

Pam Munoz Ryan and David McPhail open the door to the imagination in this lyrical, rhyming picture book. Two young children act, pretend, sing, invent their way into wondrous realms with creativity, charm, and a little does of magic.

Mañanaland

by Pam Muñoz Ryan

Children’s Literature Legacy Award Winner
This timeless tale of struggle, hope, and the search for tomorrow has much to offer today about compassion and our shared humanity. Perfect for fans of Amal Unbound, The Bridge Home, and Beyond the Bright Sea.

"Uniquely magical...Timely and timeless." -- New York Times
Maximiliano Córdoba loves stories, especially the legend Buelo tells him about a mythical gatekeeper who can guide brave travelers on a journey into tomorrow.
If Max could see tomorrow, he would know if he'd make Santa Maria's celebrated fútbol team and whether he'd ever meet his mother, who disappeared when he was a baby. He longs to know more about her, but Papá won't talk. So when Max uncovers a buried family secret--involving an underground network of guardians who lead people fleeing a neighboring country to safety--he decides to seek answers on his own.
With a treasured compass, a mysterious stone rubbing, and Buelo's legend as his only guides, he sets out on a perilous quest to discover if he is true of heart and what the future holds.

Solimar: The Sword of the Monarchs

by Pam Muñoz Ryan

"Award-winning author Ryan has masterfully crafted a story using cultural elements from Mexico with a generous sprinkling of magic. In this story of courage, determination, and ingenuity, readers will cheer on Solimar in her arduous journey to save what is near and dear to her heart." ―Booklist

"I advise you to tell no one about the gift unless you trust them implicitly."

Ever since Solimar was a little girl, she has gone to the ouamel forest bordering her kingdom to observe the monarch butterflies during their migration, but always from a safe distance. Now, on the brink of her quinceañera and her official coronation, Solimar crosses the dangerous creek to sit among the butterflies. There, a mysterious event gives her a gift and a burden--the responsibility to protect the young and weak butterflies with her magical rebozo, or silk shawl.

Solimar is committed to fulfilling her role, and has a plan that might have worked. But when her father, the king, and her brother, the prince, leave on an expedition, a neighboring king overthrows the kingdom and holds everyone left in the village hostage. It takes all of Solimar's courage to escape and then embark on a dangerous journey to save her kingdom, but she's not alone. Her pet bird, Lázaro, the butterflies she protects, and a magical rag doll, Zarita, are with her. Then, at a precarious moment, she meets a river boy who knows the rapids.

Even with help, can Solimar save her family, the kingdom, and the future of the monarchs from a greedy king?

Middle-grade fans of Pam Muñoz Ryan’s Esperanza Rising, will find a new Mexican heroine to love in Solimar and a fresh, magical story!

Our California

by Pam Muñoz Ryan

Re-illustrated and re-designed, OUR CALIFORNIA (previously CALIFORNIA, HERE WE COME!) is a lively tour of award-winning author Pam Muñoz Ryan's home state. Spirited poems celebrate California's major cities and regions. Backmatter includes state symbols and additional information about each place.

Bold paintings by illustrator Rafael López capture the spirit of the land.

A Little Bit Super: With Small Powers Come Big Problems

by Gary D. Schmidt, Nikki Grimes, Jarrett J. Krosoczka, Pam Muñoz Ryan, Linda Sue Park, Mitali Perkins, Ibi Zoboi, Leah Henderson, Kyle Lukoff, Daniel Nayeri, Pablo Cartaya, Meg Medina, Remy Lai, Brian Young

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Yo Ho Ho, Halloween!

by Pam Muñoz Ryan

The fourth Tony Baloney Beginning Reader is a treat, filled with all the humor and heart that have come to define this loveable character and series.

El Niño (Spanish Edition)

by Pam Muñoz Ryan

Una apasionante aventura acuática llena de misterio y realismo mágico de la querida autora de Esperanza renace y Eco, en la lista de libros más vendidos del New York Times. Perfecta para los fans de Kate DiCamillo, Tae Keller, Jacqueline Woodson y Meg Medina.

Kai Sosa espera demostrar su destreza como nadador en su famoso equipo de natación durante un verano en el que se dan las condiciones climáticas del fenómeno El Niño. El que fuera un atleta prometedor, está decidido a mantener el legado familiar en una competencia contra los infames Lobos Marinos, a pesar de ser el eslabón más débil del equipo. Sin embargo, recientemente ha tenido sueños desconcertantes en los que ve a Cali, su hermana desaparecida, nadando en el océano Pacífico con delfines y, cuando despierta, le resulta difícil acallar la sensación que ha estado tratando de contener con tanto esfuerzo. Kai está convencido de que Cali le está enviando un mensaje sobre su último deseo: encontrar su apreciado brazalete de oro desaparecido.

An enthralling aquatic adventure rippling with mystery and magical realism from the beloved, New York Times bestselling author of Esperanza Rising and Echo. Perfect for fans of Kate DiCamillo, Tae Keller, Jacqueline Woodson, and Meg Medina.

During a summer of El Niño weather conditions, Kai Sosa hopes to prove his swimming prowess on an elite invitational team. Once an up-and-coming athlete, he is determined to live up to his family's swimming legacy in a competition against the infamous Sea Wolves, even if he is the team's weakest link. But recently, he's been haunted by puzzling dreams where he sees his dead sister, Cali, swimming in the Pacific Ocean with dolphins. When he wakes, it's hard to hold back the dam of feeling he's been working so hard to contain. He becomes convinced Cali's sending him a message about her last request--to find a beloved gold cuff that went missing.

El Niño

by Pam Muñoz Ryan

From the New York Times bestselling author of Esperanza Rising comes a riveting story that blends myth, fantasy, and reality into an entrancing adventure, perfect for fans of Meg Medina, Kate DiCamillo, and Rick Riordan.

"An inventive, absorbing novel." --New York Times Book Review

★ "Glistens like sunlight on waves." --School Library Journal, starred review

★ "Ryan's skill as a writer shines." --The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, starred review

★ "Lingers like the echo of thunder--powerful, haunting, and deeply core-shaking." --Shelf Awareness, starred review

Sometimes the only way to hold onto what we love is to let go.

Kai Sosa is so passionate about swimming he is practically a fish. This summer, he's determined to become the athlete he once was on an elite swim team.

But something invisible holds him back. His race times are off. Dreams of his sister Cali haunt him. And he hasn't found her missing gold cuff, her last request. Mom is still talking about grief, even though it's been two years since she disappeared. He's fine now, isn't he?

When Kai discovers a library book Cali had checked out multiple times--about an underwater realm and a mysterious place called the Library of Despair and Sorrow--details from the story begin to appear in his own life: dolphin pods, imposing rock towers, unusual sea creatures, and even Cali's beloved bracelet. As myth and reality collide, El Niño unleashes its fury, and Kai is swept up in a storm of events that will change his understanding of love, death, grief, and how best to honor those we've lost.

Exquisitely packaged with breathtaking illustrations by award-winning artist Joe Cepeda and printed in blue ink.

Mañanaland (Scholastic Gold)

by Pam Muñoz Ryan

This timeless tale of struggle, hope, and the search for tomorrow has much to offer today about compassion and our shared humanity. Perfect for fans of Amal Unbound, The Bridge Home, and Beyond the Bright Sea.

Mañanaland joins the Scholastic Gold line, which features award-winning and beloved novels. Includes exclusive bonus content!

Maximiliano Córdoba loves stories, especially the legend Buelo tells him about a mythical gatekeeper who can guide brave travelers on a journey into tomorrow.

If Max could see tomorrow, he would know if he'd make Santa Maria's celebrated fútbol team and whether he'd ever meet his mother, who disappeared when he was a baby. He longs to know more about her, but Papá won't talk. So when Max uncovers a buried family secret--involving an underground network of guardians who lead people fleeing a neighboring country to safety--he decides to seek answers on his own.

With a treasured compass, a mysterious stone rubbing, and Buelo's legend as his only guides, he sets out on a perilous quest to discover if he is true of heart and what the future holds.