The Last Cuentista
Books | JUVENILE FICTION / General
4.3
(152)
Donna Barba Higuera
Winner of the John Newbery Medal Winner of the Pura Belpré Award From Pura Belpré Award winner and Newbery Medalist, Donna Barba Higuera--a brilliant journey through the stars, to the very heart of what makes us human. Había una vez . . . There lived a girl named Petra Peña, who wanted nothing more than to be a storyteller, like her abuelita. But Petra's world is ending. Earth has been destroyed by a comet, and only a few hundred scientists and their children - among them Petra and her family - have been chosen to journey to a new planet. They are the ones who must carry on the human race. Hundreds of years later, Petra wakes to this new planet - and the discovery that she is the only person who remembers Earth. A sinister Collective has taken over the ship during its journey, bent on erasing the sins of humanity's past. They have systematically purged the memories of all aboard - or purged them altogether. Petra alone now carries the stories of our past, and with them, any hope for our future. Can she make them live again? TIME's Best Books of the Year Wall Street Journal's Best of the Year Minneapolis Star Tribune's Best of the Year Boston Globe's Best of the Year BookPage's Best of the Year Publishers Weekly's Best of the Year School Library Journal's Best of the Year Kirkus Reviews' Best of the Year Bank Street's Best of the Year Chicago Public Library's Best of the Best New York Public Library Best of the Year A Junior Library Guild Selection Cybils Award Finalist "Gripping in its twists and turns, and moving in its themes - truly a beautiful cuento."--New York Times "Clever and compelling ... wonderfully subversive."--The Wall Street Journal ★ "This tale packs a wallop. Exquisite."--Kirkus Reviews (starred) ★ "Gripping, euphonious, and full of storytelling magic."--Publishers Weekly (starred) ★ "A strong, heroic character, fighting incredible odds to survive and protect others."--School Library Journal (starred)
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More Details:
Author
Donna Barba Higuera
Pages
320
Publisher
Levine Querido
Published Date
2021
ISBN
1646140893 9781646140893
Community ReviewsSee all
"This was great! I didn’t realize it would be science fiction. Great story of human failure and perseverance. "
Sarah Joubert
"This book was so much better than I thought it would be and I wish I would’ve read it sooner! The basis of the book is that Petra and her parents are put on this ship with hundreds of other scientists, and put to sleep. They are to be woken up when they reach the new planet, Sagan, so that they can make the planet livable and sustainable and restart humanity. However when Petra is woken up, everyone around her doesn’t remember anything from home and she remembers everything. She finds that “The Collective” is wiping memories and brainwashing them to do their work. They have cleared them of their cultures and individualism. They are to be a tool used by the Collective for their “usefulness” to the cause.
So much took place in this book! It is very much a dystopian type society and a sci-fi theme with additions of Mexican folklore and stories. It was very interesting to see how Petra dealt with all of the loss she experiences, while she tries to navigate what she needs to do. Should she comply and serve the collective? Or should she continue to try and tell her stories and bring back her history, her ancestors, and all the things that made them human. All of the characters that we are introduced to, the story allows me to feel the characters as they interact with the next experiences. I feel like the book could’ve been longer so that we would get more of a backstory of the Collective and to understand Sagan more. For it being a quick book or just about over 300 pages, it was written beautifully. As Petra starts to uncover everything, the book feels like it’s constantly putting out new information, character development, world building, and progressing the story. None of it felt slow or lagging. I do wish that Petra thought more about the plans she made and how it would affect everyone. In a way she was both selfish and caring of other people.
If you enjoy light sci-fi, a dystopian world, post-apocalyptic themes, a strong female lead, light folklore then you will love"
Leeann Smith
"I cannot believe this book doesn’t have a wider audience bc I could not put it down! YA, heavy themes (but hope!) no love interest, f protagonist is 13 and she masterfully weaves folk stories her Latina grandmother told her thruout the book to calm herself/others. Picture a badass maternal Ripley from Aliens but w/knowledge of botany/geology from her mom/dad x w/ the conflict of worlds presented on Battlestar Galactica (2004TV)x w/ poignant meaning of family/how memories define us. Masterful!"
M C
Melissa Craver
"I loved this book!! Got me out of a two month reading slump!! "
Alise Brenae
"What a beautiful story! I loved how the writer brings together the traditional cultural tales with this sci-fi distopian setting. Earth is headed into a collision with Harleys comit and a select few humans are sent out into space on shuttles. <br/>We follow Petras journey as she leaves Earth with her family to a new planet Sagan.<br/>Heartfelt moments, laughter, and rooting for Petra to make it through her mission.<br/>What a strong, independent and courageous character. Petra holds onto her memories of home and family traditions which anchors her through till the end.<br/>I wanted more, I need more. Looking forward to continued adventures."
Chrissyg
"Got me sobbing. Resonated with the protagonist a lot "
Ayuuh ?
"DNF 42%<br/><br/>Not a bad book. Just wasn’t feeling it. May come back to it later."
Niffty
"It would be a good book for new readers, just not my cup of tea"
S C
Samantha Cohen
"That was heartbreaking and beautiful. A little taste of my old home New Mexico and a whole lot of sci-fi. LOVED the character development and while some of the plot I could guess at, the story felt wholly original and just, so well done. It was horrifying, thrilling, moving, gripping, and even a little hopeful. I look forward to this author's next project, whatever it is."
Katherine R