A complex and compelling story that packs a lot of punch in 250 pages. Aimed at a middle grade audience, the book centers around three generations of a family living in a small village in what could be a Mexican or South American country. The men in the family are bridgebuilders and keepers of the stories of the guardians who help those seeking out a better life. Max dreams of being a fútbol star and playing on the national team like his Buelo, but when the matter of a missing birth certificate threatens his dream, his Papa sets out to the big city to see if he can find the important document. Max ends up caught up in the family legacy of moving “Hidden Ones” to safety and learns that his own mother, who left when he was a toddler, was once fleeing a dangerous life. She made the decision to leave Max in the hands of his father and grandfather and went off to seek Mañanaland, in the hope of securing the promise of a better, safer tomorrow for all of them. The growth and awareness that Max experiences is beautiful in Ryan’s capable hands and readers may not even realize the universality and timeliness of the story as our current news stories are still filled with people seeking their own Mañanaland where they can be safe from political persecution or terror from an aggressor. The adoration felt between the males in the Córdoba family and the loving way that they protect and then support Max is fantastic. Highly recommend.

Reviewed by Jill O’Connor, Merrill Memorial Library, Yarmouth