October 2022 The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera
The Last Cuestista is the 2021 Newbery Award Winner. This book is set in the year 2061. Petra Pena and her family are chosen to leave earth to keep the human race alive. The earth was in the path of a meteor that would destroy the planet. Petra has a deep bond with her abuelita and wants to be a storyteller just like her. The trip takes 384 years. When she arrives on the new planet things are not as she was led to believe. Her first order of business is to reconnect with her family. She must navigate her new surroundings with caution and tenacity. Petra carries the stories of the past with her and must hide this fact from the Collective. The Collective are in charge of the planet and are not truthful. They erase memories (or make memories disappear) when they do not follow the orders of the Collective. Petra is the only connection to the past and life on earth. You’ll have to read the book to see if she is able to survive and keep the memories of the past alive.
Reviewed by Robin R., Children’s Department
