Review: The Way to Rio Luna

The Way to Rio Luna by Zoraida Córdova
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Popular YA author Zoraida Cordova's ( Incendiary, Brooklyn Brujas ) first foray into juvenile fiction is a book with an affecting plot. Danny Monteverde and his sister Pili are orphaned and in foster care. Shuttled from foster home to foster home, around the time Danny turns nine years old, they are separated. Pili, his older sister, goes to a group home. Danny is placed with a family that just doesn't care about much of anything. When Pili disappears from the group home, Danny is told by their social worker Mrs. Contreras that Pili must have run away. Danny's sole connection to his sister and their life together is his treasured fairy tale book, "The Way to Rio Luna" by Ella St. Clair. It's actually a rare book, as only a thousand copies were printed and the publishing house burned down, so no more could be printed. Danny takes comfort in reading the fairy tales, imagining a life in which he can slip away to Rio Luna and be magically reunited with Pili. He takes comfort that is until his odious foster father Mr. Finnegan tosses the book in the trash and informs him that it's "for his own good," which it's so obviously not. After several further foster family sorrows and a few years without Pili, Danny goes on a magical school field trip to the New York Public Library where, lo and behold, he finds an original copy (with her handwriting!) of Ella St. Clair's beloved "The Way to Rio Luna" with the help of magical golden arrows that direct him to it. When the book appears in his backpack, he doesn't know what to think. He also doesn't know what to think about the girl who knows all about the book, Glory Papillon, who can see the magical fairy dust that shines for him from it. Can the book help Danny find the way to Pili? Of course, you know it will.

This was a lovely read, though I felt on the one hand that it read as a tale too young for middle graders but some of the foster family aspects might be worrisome to younger children. I'd suggest it as a good fit for grades 4-5, ages 9-10. I've seen various statements that this is first in a series (Kirkus Reviews) but haven't seen much indication that it is. These characters have a lot of charm and would likely be enjoyed by young readers in a series. The diversity expressed in the characters is a welcome aspect for parents looking for BIPOC representation independent reading books for young children. I wish Scholastic would think about an audiobook edition of the book. It would improve the accessibility for children with reading and vision challenges.

I received a paper review copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

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