
Reach for this book when your child is starting to ask deeper questions about their family heritage or feels like they don't quite fit into the 'box' their relatives have built for them. It is a vibrant bridge for children navigating the tension between traditional family expectations and their own emerging spiritual or personal interests. Through the eyes of thirteen-year-old Maya, the story explores how a family can be both a source of immense love and a source of restrictive secrets. The book beautifully handles themes of cultural identity, the complexity of faith, and the importance of healing generational rifts. It is a perfect choice for middle-grade readers who enjoy stories where everyday life in a bustling city is touched by a hint of the divine and the ancestral.
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Sign in to write a reviewExploration of family estrangement and long-held secrets.
It addresses family estrangement and 'generational curses' or trauma as real but healable through honesty and forgiveness. The resolution is hopeful and empowering.
A middle-schooler who feels like the 'odd one out' in a loud, loving family, or a child interested in how ancient traditions and modern city life can coexist.
Parents may want to familiarize themselves with Santería to help their child understand the tradition and address any misconceptions they may have encountered. The book is very accessible and can be read cold. A parent might notice their child becoming secretive about their interests or expressing frustration that the family 'only sees them' in one way (e.g., just as an athlete or just as a helper).
Younger readers (8-10) will focus on the magic, the cousins, and the soccer rivalry. Older readers (11-13) will resonate more with the themes of autonomy, first crushes, and the courage required to challenge a parent's worldview.
Unlike many urban fantasy books, the 'magic' here is deeply rooted in actual Afro-Latine spiritual traditions, treating them with the weight of religion rather than just a plot device. """
Maya is a thirteen-year-old growing up in a tight-knit Afro-Latine family in Brooklyn, working at her family's restaurant and playing soccer. Her life is upended by the arrival of Titi Yaya, an estranged relative who practices Santería. Maya must reconcile her family's fears of 'Los Locos' with her own vivid dreams and a growing connection to the Orisha Yemaya.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.