Fourth Grade Journey

A Fourth Grade Teacher's Journey Through the World of Books

Saturday, January 25, 2020

Mananaland by Pam Munoz Ryan

How I Heard About It:
*I was able to pick up an ARC of this middle-grade novel while at #NCTE19 in Baltimore this past November.  The book will be released on March 3, 2020.  


What It Is About - FIVE Things You Need to Know:
1.  *Maximiliano Córdoba (Max) is a young boy who lives for futbol with his buddies.  

2.  *Max lives with his father and grandfather and tries to get information from the two of them about the whereabouts of his mother.  

3.  *After his group of friends all join a prestigious futbol club, Max is left behind with time on his hands.  

4.  *He begins to "investigate" a family secret that involves both his father, grandfather, and maybe even his missing mother.

5.  *The answers may be found in a mysterious tower which Max isn't sure he should explore, but can't seem to help himself.  


What I Thought Of It - Five Observations/Reflections:
1.  *I enjoyed the story of Max, his father, and grandfather.

2.  *I also enjoyed the mystery of his missing mother.

3.  *The writing was thoughtful, intentional, and created beautiful visuals in my mind.

4.  *For me personally, the plot moved a bit slow and at times lost my attention.

5.  *As a reader, I was also a bit confused on what was actually "reality" and what may have been "magical"?


Who Should Read It:
*I'm not sure who the intended audience of this story would be.  Because of the pace of the story and the complex story line, I'm not sure young readers would find it interesting and/or a page-turner.  In my own opinion, I would guess that readers in grade six and above would be most appropriate for the novel.  I know several adult readers who have already commented on how much they enjoyed this newest work of fiction by Ryan.  Happy Reading!


Rating:   3 STARS out of 5 Stars



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