Sueños salvajes (Wild Dreamers)

by Margarita Engle, Alexis Romay (Translator), Inma Serrano (Translator)

Now available in Spanish!

In this stirring young adult romance from award-winning author Margarita Engle, love and conservation intertwine as two teens fight to protect wildlife and heal from their troubled pasts.

Ana and her mother have been living out of their car ever since her militant father became one of the FBI’s most wanted. Leandro has struggled with debilitating anxiety since his family fled Cuba on a perilous raft.

One moonlit night, in a wilderness park in California, Ana and Leandro meet. Their connection is instant—a shared radiance that feels both scientific and magical. Then they discover they are not a huge mountain lion stalks through the trees, one of many wild animals whose habitat has been threatened by humans.

Determined to make a difference, Ana and Leandro start a rewilding club at their school, working with scientists to build wildlife crossings that can help mountain lions find one another. If pumas can find their way to a better tomorrow, surely Ana and Leandro can too.

Genres: Romance, Young Adult, Poetry, Novel In Verse, Realistic Fiction, Contemporary, Middle Grade

240 pages, Hardcover

First published April 23, 2024

About the author

Margarita Engle is a Cuban-American poet, novelist, and journalist whose work has been published in many countries. She lives with her husband in northern California.

Reviews

[Erin Cataldi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A young adult novel in verse that touches on so many important and heartfelt issues. Ana and Leandro are both immigrants to California. Ana has been unhoused for a while but she dreams of living in a home with her mother some day. Leandro and his therapy dog work at a bakery, but he dreams of overcoming his fears someday and being hopeful for the future. When the two teenagers meet is is electric and they find themselves filled with hope and joy. They work through fears, realize how much they care about their environment and work together to start a rewilding club at their high school. But will things from their past come back to haunt them and the future they have started to build together? Touching and well written. It's a quick read and pages alternate between the two lovebirds.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

This short novel in verse came onto my radar when it was long listed for the National Book Award in Young People’s Literature. Told from three different perspectives, this story has a lot to unpack. Ana is an unhoused teen living with her mother and apart from her fugitive conspiracy theorist dad. Leandro is a Cuban refugee who suffers from anxiety attacks and a PSTD-infused fear of water. Cielo the singing dog is Leandro’s service animal whose voice gives the book a feel of magical realism. I really enjoyed listening to this audiobook on Libby and probably would have gotten even more out of it by simultaneously reading along and appreciating the lyrical poetry of the book. This powerful, timely book felt like it was in the same universe as Raquel Vasquez Gilliland’s works.

[Josiah · Rating 1 out of 5]

"Fear
is a tyranny that rules
inside my heart."

—Wild Dreamers, P. 104

Core to Margarita Engle's identity is her immigrant experience from Cuba to the Unite States, and it takes center stage in Wild Dreamers. Seventeen-year-old Leandro's mental balance was severely upset by his family's raft escape from Cuba to America, in which his father drowned. On the journey he met Cielo, a blue merle puppy who calms Leandro's panic attacks. Seventeen-year-old Ana was born in the U.S., but she and her mother are homeless in California after an encounter with the law led to Ana's father becoming a fugitive. Leandro and Ana, both teens of Cuban descent, seem destined to meet, but are they the mutual comfort they need?

"Peace
is so luminous
and short-lived.
Sooner or later
we'll return
to reality."

—Wild Dreamers, P. 191

Ana deeply feels the plight of wildlife in California displaced by modern civilization. After she and her mother obtain housing, a wild puma shows up, a majestic cat Ana names Caona. Ana wants to find Caona a home, but where does a puma belong among humans? Leandro's anxieties quiet down as he and Ana grow close, but his terror of water remains. When a crisis with Ana's father forces Ana and her mother into protective custody, Leandro isn't sure he'll see her again. His family left Cuba to find peace in America, but is peace just a fantasy? Leandro and Ana wish for a stable transition to adulthood so they can focus on the future together, however long they are a pair.

Recipient of a 2009 Newbery Honor for The Surrender Tree: Poems of Cuba's Struggle for Freedom, Margarita Engle penned a number of beautiful novels in verse in the years after. Wild Dreamers is harder to embrace because it dwells on divisive politics. Social values can be advocated in story without creating strawmen representations of opposing viewpoints, but deft as Ms. Engle is with language, her politics are heavy-handed. I rate Wild Dreamers one and a half stars; it never transcends the debates of its day to celebrate the miracle of connection between people.

[Ava Koch · Rating 1 out of 5]

BOTB - I would not have read this on my own…

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love a novel written in verse and I've loved many of Engle's novels but this one just didn't and at all. I couldn't get a sense of the romantic relationship and it felt disjointed. Many times, a novel in verse is supported by the poetry, this book just felt like the poetry weighed it down.
Not to say this wasn't a good book! I enjoyed elements of it:
- exploring indigenous language and ways of being
- learning about re-wilding
- exploring homelessness and mental health
- learning how teenagers can impact their communities, both natural and human

Overall, I think this would be an accessible book for kids who struggle with reading long-form books and it would help them to learn about Cuban immigration and different ways of caring for the world; I just wish it had been written as a novel and not a novel-in-verse as elements were lost due to its form.
contains teen romance, teens kissing, abusive father

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

A moving YA dual POV novel in verse that follows a young teen boy with extreme anxiety with a service dog who falls for a homeless Cuban American girl. This book tackles some heavy issues including mental health, the death of a parent in the past, eco-activism and the life of being unhoused. Great on audio and perfect for fans of books like Wings in the wild (another great title by this author)!

[Hoover Public Library Kids and Teens · Rating 4 out of 5]

Longlisted for 2024 National Book Award for Young People's Literature!
"Verse in various forms, including beautiful concrete poems, effectively conveys this story’s themes of sustainability, resilience, and activism. A transformative journey celebrating the power of overcoming personal struggles to make a lasting impact." [Kirkus Reviews]

[The Page Ladies Book Club · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wild Dreamers is a beautifully written ya love story! The story is a dual pov & worked well for this book! My favorite part was the novel-in-verse format. It really added to the depth of the story & helped enhance emotions! It's a powerful book that will be hard to forget! Thank you Margarita Engle for sharing your book with me!

[emma perron · Rating 4 out of 5]

very cute! i think this was my first novel in verse, too, but i enjoyed it! read for MS book club.

[TheNextGenLibrarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

“If we don’t rewild half of the Earth, we’ll lose biodiversity, millions of species gone forever.”
🐆
Ana’s mother was able to come to the United States while her Cuban-born father became an extremist and has gone into hiding. Ana and her mother are currently unhoused, living in the park. When Ana meets Leandro it’s in the path of a puma. Thanks to Cielo, Leandro’s therapy dog, the two are able to connect and it ultimately leads to Ana’s mother getting a job with Leandro’s uncle at a nursery.
🌎
This was a timeless YA love story that also deals heavily with eco-activism. I loved the dual POV novel-in-verse with concrete poetry throughout. This book is out now.

CW: climate change (theme), immigration issues, death of a parent, attempted kidnapping, extremism, animal death (referenced to), homelessness

[Danielle · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked this up because it made the longlist for the National Book Award for Young People's Literature, and while I appreciate what the book is trying to do, I really wish this story had been developed beyond the characters' basic identities (Cuban, homeless, mentally ill). I also really hate unnecessary POVs and feel like the dog's narration could have been removed completely.

[Kylee Cox · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is trying to push multiple agendas and because it can’t pick one topic it really just does a poor job with all of them. Would not recommend and the story is not well done. Also I don’t understand why there is a POV for the dog… all in all just poorly written and terrible story development. I mostly read it because it was short and I’m trying to hit my book goal in a time crunch.

[Nicole Austin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley and Atheneum Books for Young Readers for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Margarita Engle's "Wild Dreamers" is a beautifully written YA love story that combines themes of love, trauma, and eco-activism in a wonderfully crafted novel-in-verse format. Set against the backdrop of contemporary America, the story follows Ana and Leandro, two teenagers grappling with their own personal struggles and the complexities of their developing relationship.

Ana's Cuban-born father has become an extremist, forcing her and her mother into homelessness. When Ana crosses paths with Leandro in the park, their encounter, facilitated by Leandro's therapy dog, Cielo, sets off a chain of events that leads to unexpected connections and opportunities. As Ana's mother finds employment with Leandro's uncle at a nursery, Ana and Leandro's relationship deepens, intertwined with their shared passion for nature and eco-activism.

Engle's use of dual perspectives allows you to delve into the inner worlds of Ana, Leandro, and even Cielo, providing insight into their backgrounds and motivations. I really loved learning more about the characters and their inner thoughts through the multiple perspectives. I think it really added to their development and made the characters feel more realistic. All three characters share a profound connection to nature, which becomes a central theme throughout the novel, and you can see the characters come together due to this. The discussions on conservation and the relationship between humanity and the natural world add depth and relevance to the story, elevating it beyond a simple romance. The romance itself felt well-developed; it didn’t feel rushed at all and it felt real. Plus, it didn’t overwhelm the focus on conservation, which is a real strength and something a lot of YA romance authors struggle with when making sure the romance doesn’t take over the book.

I think my favorite aspect of the book was the novel-in-verse format. The concrete poetry adds a lyrical quality to the book, enhancing the emotional impact of the story. Engle masterfully blends culture, nature, and deep introspection, creating a vivid and immersive reading experience. I absolutely love novels-in-verse, and Engle’s writing definitely brought this format to life throughout the book. I was loved by the poetry the entire time I was reading.

The ending did feel a bit rushed, making me wish for more development. Overall though, "Wild Dreamers" is a powerful and timely read that offers a refreshing take on love, resilience, and the importance of preserving the natural world.

[Patricia Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Margarita Engle’s stunning novel-in-verse, “Wild Dreamers” (Atheneum 2024), Leandro speaks first: “My family fled Cuba/on a lashed-together jumble/of inner tubes, balsa wood, and fear/exactly ten years ago, when I had just learned/ how to read, and all I craved were tales/ of adventure.” But his father drowns on their way to Florida. Now Leandro is frightened of water and struggles with panic attacks.

The other main voice, Ana, also seventeen, is unhoused, living with her mother out of their car, and hiding from her father who is wanted by the FBI. The two teens meet at a California wilderness park, not far from where they live, and spot a pregnant puma. The teens share an immediate magical connection in part because they’re both drawn to both animals and science.

The third voice is Cielo, a blue merle puppy who was a stowaway on Leandro’s raft ten years prior. Cielo says: “I hum a song/ into his hand/ until he understands…” Cielo is telling Leandro to be still before he faints and avoid the worst of a panic attack. Cielo knows that Leandro and Ana are “scent mates,” and the “singing” dog acts as their matchmaker, delivering a thread of wisdom to the new lovers and to the reader, throughout the book.

Leandro’s uncle is a champion athlete who surfed from Cuba to Florida and who now owns Dulce’s Cuban Bakery, where Leandro works, as well as a plant nursery. Ana’s mother gets a job at the plant nursery which includes quarters for Mother and daughter.

The pregnant puma shows up one night at the plant nursery, which is both frightening and invigorating. Should Ana feed the hungry puma or alert the scientists? She knows she’s not supposed to feed wild animals. It’s ultimately dangerous for the puma, but she’s emaciated. And still pregnant.

The two teens start a rewilding club at their school, working with scientists. They pledge to build wildlife crossings so wild pumas and other animals will be able to cross the highway more safely, increase their areas of habitat, and be able to search for each other. Both teens become immersed in wildlife biology and work.

This National Book Award long listed offers wisdom about immigration, wildlife, homelessness, and romance. If you know a reader who is interested in even one of these topics, get this book into their hands.


Patricia Hruby Powell is the author of the award-winning books: Lift As You Climb; Josephine; Loving vs Virginia; and Struttin’ With Some Barbecue all signed and for sale at Jane Addams bookstore. Her forthcoming books are about women’s suffrage, Martha Graham, and Ella Fitzgerald, as well as waterfowl. talesforallages.com

[Lesley · Rating 4 out of 5]

“…if we don’t rewild half of the Earth,
we’ll lose biodiversity, millions of species
gone forever…” (ARC 56)

They first stopped at a cavern where Amado and Liana (YOUR HEART-MY SKY) gave them food, life jackets, a compass and a singing dog, Cielo, who became Leandro’s therapy dog after his father drowned trying to rescue him when he fell from the raft. After that Leandro fainted especially at water.

Ana’s mother won a US Immigration lottery and a pathway to the United States. Her American-born Cuban father has become a extremist and is in hiding. Ana and her mother are living “unhoused” in a feral park in the Golden Gate Recreation Area even though her mother works as a government botanist at the airport,

Two 17-year-olds meet in the path of a puma where Cielo makes the match between humans
“matchmaking is every singing dog’s
greatest challenge
and most satisfying task” (ARC 15)

After Ana meets Leandro, she and her mother work for Leandro’s uncle who is a friend from Cuba and buys a nursery so her mother has a new job and, finally, a home.

A novel told in free, verse, two-voice poetry, and concrete poetry, follows the relationship between the two as they fight to rewild animals, elude Ana’s father who tries to kidnap her, help Leandro lose his fear of water, run a nursery and a Cubano bakery (Leandro and his family), and help the puma keep her cubs and be rewilded to a place where there will be no more inbreeding.

“imagine a time when there are wildlife crossings
over or under every highway on Earth.” (ARC 215)

Beautifully lyrical, this is a romance and eco-fiction that reflects important connections, dependencies, and interactions between people and their natural environments, a novel about “teenagers who are rediscovering the natural world and their place in it.” (Author’s Note).

Readers learns about rewilding along with Ana and Leandro.
“The Trans-Canada Highway has forty bridges
and tunnels to help animals migrate
and find mates.

In Kenya there are underpasses for elephants,
in Singapore, bridges for pangolins, in Australia,
tunnels for penguins, and in Costa Rica, ropes
between trees so sloths and monkeys can travel
high above roads, even in places where the forest
has been logged.” (ARC 181)

Ten years before, Leandro’s family escaped Cuba
“on a lashed-together jumble
of inner tubes, balsa wood, and fear” (ARC 1)

Wild Dreamers can be read in Book Clubs with YOUR HEART- YOUR SKY and WINGS IN THE WILD in high school Language Arts or Science classes.

[Melanie Dulaney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Margarita Engle’s picture book DREAM DRUM GIRL and middle grade novel-in-verse MOUNTAIN DOG (NIV) are particular favorites for me so I looked forward to this Young Adult (YA) NIV very much. Told from the perspectives of Ana (17 year old America-born Cuban), Leandro (17 year old Cuban immigrant to America) and his therapy/companion dog, Cielo, this romance is intwined with the survival story of California pumas in general as well as one specific cat. Readers will likely come away with new knowledge on the subject of rewilding and the plight of animals whose habitats are being reduced and bisected by highways and development raising the need for tunnels and bridges that will allow them to safely search for food, mates and homes to raise their young. The targeted teen readers will also get the love story so many ask for at their libraries and with the physical expressions of that affection being limited to hugs, hand-holding and kisses, even those purchasing books for the youngest in that group will not need to fear any raised eyebrows or protests. Profanity is absent and the violence is limited to that of oceans and storms as well as man against nature. The main characters’ personalities and feelings are conveyed vividly with Engle’s brief but descriptive poetry and the changes in the fear that consume both of them at the start of the book is easily felt and the catalysts for those changes easily determined. With all this positive, my 3 star rating is probably a puzzle and is due in its entirety to the frequent references to the spark, bioluminescent and near other-worldly quality of the love between Ana and Leandro. Librarians may find that this glowing intensity is just what their patrons want and should consider their audience and not this reviewer when making purchases.

Thank you for the print arc, Simon & Schuster/Atheneum.

[Paula Phillips · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some books arrive in your life like a whisper on the wind—and Wild Dreamers was one of those for me. I received this beautiful hardback as a birthday Bookstagram gift (thank you to my lovely bookish friends—you know who you are!), and while it wasn’t the easiest read, it left me with a quiet sense of wonder.

Written in verse by the ever-poetic Margarita Engle, Wild Dreamers tells the story of Ana and Leandro—two teens with heavy pasts and hopeful hearts. Ana lives out of a car with her mother after her father’s militant actions land him on the FBI’s most wanted list. Leandro battles anxiety after fleeing Cuba on a raft. Their paths cross one moonlit night in a California wilderness park, and from that moment, their connection blooms—both scientific and magical.

I’ll admit, the verse format took me a while to settle into. It’s not my usual cup of tea, and I found myself rereading lines to catch the rhythm and meaning. But once I let go and allowed the words to flow like poetry, I began to appreciate the gentle cadence and emotional depth that Margarita Engle brings to each page.

One of the most fascinating elements of the story was rewilding—a concept I hadn’t encountered before. Through Ana and Leandro’s efforts to protect mountain lions and build wildlife crossings, I learned about the importance of restoring natural habitats and helping animals reconnect with their environment.

The romance is tender, the activism inspiring, and the setting—wild and moonlit—feels like a character in its own right.

While Wild Dreamers didn’t sweep me off my feet, it nudged me gently toward a new way of seeing the world. And sometimes, that’s the kind of magic we need most. If you’re in the mood for something lyrical, introspective, and quietly powerful, this hardback gem might just be your next thoughtful read.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Engle’s beautiful novel-in-verse tells the story of Leandro, Ana, and Cielo the singing dog. Leandro, now 17, came to America from Cuba on a raft when he was seven, and he has struggled with anxiety ever since, believing it is his fault that his family had to leave Cuba and that his father died, rescuing Leandro when he fell off the raft. Cielo is his constant companion, soothing the fears that plague him.

Ana and her mother are struggling to make ends meet: at the beginning of the story, they are unhoused, living in a car. Ana’s father abandoned them years ago and is now wanted by the FBI for his terrorist actions.

Leandro and Ana both love the beauty of northern California that surrounds them, and they become increasingly interested in rewilding efforts, especially when they become aware of a puma roaming far too close to their neighborhood. As they start a rewilding club at their school, they are drawn closer and closer to one another, falling in love as they research wildlife crossings to reconnect the pumas native to their area that have been separated by freeways.

Engle’s poetry is gorgeous, and her work is infused with her own life experiences as a Cuban-American (as was the case with her memoir-in-verse Enchanted Air). She was inspired by the Wallis Annenberg Crossing near Los Angeles, which broke ground on Earth Day 2022 and will be the world’s largest wildlife crossing. Her novel-in-verse depicts young love, the immigrant experience, the blessings and challenges of family, and a deep concern for the natural world we live in.

Thank you NetGalley, Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing, and Atheneum Books for Young Readers for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are our own.

[Sacha · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

Margarita Engle knows how to blend culture, nature, and deep thinkers in verse, and this most recent effort is a particularly vivid example of Engle's skills in all of these areas (and more).

Ana, Leandro, and Cielo the dog provide perspectives on the burgeoning love story between the two human characters. Each has a complicated backstory that haunts them in extremely distinct ways in the present, and this makes their love for each other even stronger. While their experiences are not identical, they're all familiar with trauma, struggle, and fear. They also share a love for nature which comes through in their intentional and organic pastimes. I really enjoyed the discussions about conservation, protection, and generally what is considered the right way to approach nature. Yes, this is a romance between two characters, but in many ways, it's a love story between all three characters and nature, and this adds so much to the overall power of the book.

The ending wraps quickly, and I'd have loved to get a bit more development throughout, but is there a more complimentary critique available than "I wish I had more of this?" Exactly. It's a powerful and timely book, and many readers will find it a refreshing take. I know I did.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Atheneum Books for Young Readers for this arc, which I received in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

[Terry Jennings · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ana is houseless, not homeless. Her mother works, but just can't make ends meet. And then there's the father, who is not there. Ana sings and dances, no matter whether she lives in the back of a car at a public park, or in the home that Mami finally finds with a job. Leandro has a dark back story which causes him anxiety. Cielo the singing dog brings them together. As in Your Heart, My Sky, and Wings in the Wild, Margarita Engle weaves the beautiful love story of two teens who help each other grow into their own with lessons in conservation and the natural world. In this book Margarita reminds us of the need for rewilding and for providing not just habitats for wild creatures, but wilded pathways for the wild species to be able to be able to take advantage of the wider gene pool that a more expansive territory can provide. Engle lovingly portrays a Florida panther, a puma who approaches Ana's cottage without fear. She is a pregnant puma and her plight punctuates the need for rewilding. As always, Engle teaches while providing an unforgettable story. And then there's her poetry!

[KATHRYNE STEVENS · Rating 3 out of 5]

Literary Merit: 2/5 I wanted more from the characters. Both MCs had clear traumas, but I struggled to understand their character outside of that. The plot felt more like a slice-of-life, which is fine, but with the weak characters it made it difficult for the novel to truly grip me. Themes were mostly focused on human impact on the environment. Overall I think this novel would have been more successful for me if it hadn't have been written in verse. Engle has done amazing things with her verse in other novels, but here it did not really enhance the characters, plot, or setting.

Originality: 3/5 Honestly this novel felt a lot like "Wings in the Wild", but was not executed as well.

Accuracy: 5/5 Human impact and descriptions of rewilding projects were accurate and discussed in back matter.

Clarity: 4/5 The dogs perspective and the light from their hands confused me. I wasn't sure what was a metaphor and what was actual.
Total: 14/20

Age Range: PW 12+ age, KR 12-18 age, BL grades 7-10

[Ali · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gorgeous YA romance novel-in-verse between Ana, a girl who loves to dance and cares deeply for the environment, and Leandro who is living with PTSD and severe anxiety in the wake of losing his father during their escape from Cuba. His therapy dog is actually a singing dog whose destiny is to bring the two souls together. Ana and Leandro's connection is so strong that they glow when they touch. My heart! Literally put my hand over my heart so many times while listening to the extraordinary audiobook. It feels lyrical, magical, and true to teen emotions. Just when it seems like Ana has finally settled in a home and the couple has a chance to pursue both their love and their interest in re-wilding their negiborhoods, Ana's conspiracy theorist father puts everything into jeopardy. Highly recommend!

[Jamie Henry · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novel in verse is told from three different perspecives - Ana (17) who is unhomed because she and her mother are having to hide from her father who is wanted by the FBI for domestic terrorism; Leandro (17) who fled Cuba for America and witnessed his father drown; and Cileo, Leandro's emotional support dog, who offers insight into animals, human emotion, and how she supports Lendro when he has a panic attack. Ana and Leandro meet by chance in a park, spark an instant connection, then reconvene at high school. Their shared love for climate change and animals leads them to start a Re-wilding club at school. In their work, they see a pregnant puma who is suffering and do everything they can to try to save her and her kits. For me, there was too much packed into a small book - two romances, climate change, wild animals, domestic terrorism, death - for any of those themes to really fully unfulr the way they needed, too. The prose and imagery are fantastic; the alternating perspectices clear to understand; the cultural and passions are clear and make sense. But, again, just too much to hold the power it needed.

[Glenna Coleman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Leandro is a Cuban-American whose childhood experience has given him a debilitating fear of water. His therapy dog, Cielo, helps him remember to breathe when his anxiety becomes overwhelming. Ana is a Cuban-American who strives to navigate the world while she and her mother are on the run from her extremist father. They meet in California and bond over their mutual love of wild places. Only Cielo is aware that her role is more than calming anxiety--her role is really to help love overcome. Together, the teens fall in love and work together to create ways for pumas to overcome their isolation, so that the rewilding of their location can help sustain diversity of life.

[Laura Slabach · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a super fun and fast read. It was not what I was expecting it to be but I think that made it even better. Its written in verse which I think helps in the "quick read" department, there also weren't a lot of pages. Even though it was short I felt like we got a good glimpse of the characters and what they were going and growing through. I loved the cultural similarities of the main characters that brought them together but other than that the things they were dealing with were very, very different. I appreciated that and thought it gave the story a more realistic depth.

[karenbee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Caveat: novels told in verse aren't usually my thing, and I think reading Wild Dreamers as an ebook was a mistake, because I'm pretty sure it screwed up the formatting of a few of the poems.

I'm not going to try to review the poems, because they weren't my style, so I feel like I can't judge them fairly. I will say that Engle tried to tackle a LOT of issues in a very short book and it felt like none of them were explored deeper than surface level. But I thought the overall story was sweet and I liked the dog (although I wasn't a fan of the dog's poems, sorry dog).

[Brian Alan S · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book, by Cuban American Author Margarita Engle, was longlisted for the 2024 National Book Award for Young People’s Literature and is also a Pura Belpré Honor Book. It’s a novel-in-verse told in three points of view: two characters in love and the service dog for the male protagonist who suffers from panic attacks. I can say this novel is a ballad to the wild pumas of California and to wildlife in general - a gentle and relaxing read. Good thing the romance wasn’t icky. If you love nature and poetry, this book is for you.

[Jill Young · Rating 3 out of 5]

Young Adult Novel in Verse. Northern California. Contemporary. Leandro and Ana are both 17 and of Cuban heritage. Their life experiences and challenges are different. They meet in a park and are attracted to one another. Leandro has a service dog, Cielo, that also acts as a matchmaker drawing the teens together. Leandro and Ana seek a purpose and create a rewilding club @ school. I appreciate how an author condenses a story into verse. I enjoyed aspects of this book. I’d rate it a 3.5.

[Amanda Moore · Rating 2 out of 5]

Couldn’t get into this. Read it because it made the battle of the books list for high schoolers. There’s too much going on and none of the issues ecolored nor characters were developed enough for my liking. I maybe would have liked it more if it bore out in prose rather than verse? I appreciate the lyrical metaphor the author is trying to weave with a lack of care society holds for both endangered species and unhoused persons/immigrants… so I get why it’s written in verse, it just didn’t work for me.

[Johnathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

loved the poetry. It did a great job adding to the story and moving the plot along. I was so surprised when I got to the point where one character was talking about fleeing Cuba and the other is talking about their dad becoming a radicalized terrorist. It was crazy!

It was a read as the characters dealt with trauma from fleeing for their life and safety, or from being homeless. Such a great book!