The last cuentista
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?
Pura Belpré Honor-winning author Donna Barba Higuera presents us with a brilliant journey through the stars, to the very heart of what makes us human.
Type: Middle Grade Novel
Pages: 352
Format: Paperback
Publication: March 26, 2024
ISBN: 9781646144129
Type: Middle Grade Novel
Pages: 336
Format: Hardcover
Publication: October 12, 2021
ISBN: 9781646140893
PRAISE
Winner of the John Newbery MedaL
WINNER OF the Pura Belpré Award
TIME Best of the Year
Wall Street Journal Best of the Year
Minneapolis Star Tribune Best of the Year
Boston Globe Best of the Year
BookPage Best of the Year
Publishers Weekly Best of the Year
School Library Journal Best of the Year
Kirkus Reviews Best of the Year
Bank Street Best of the Year
Chicago Public Library’s Best of the Best
New York Public Library Best of the Year
Junior Library Guild gold standard
Cybils Award Finalist
“Clever and compelling … wonderfully subversive.” — The Wall Street Journal
“A beautifully told story of what makes us human.”—Star Tribune
“A thrilling and hopeful work of science fiction.”—Boston Globe
“The brilliance of Higuera’s narrative is that it shows rather than tells us the power of story. As Petra shares her tales and they guide her shipmates out of darkness, readers will find corners of their own hearts illuminated as well. This book is gripping in its twists and turns, and moving in its themes — truly a beautiful cuento.”
—New York Times
“This science-fiction story teaches young readers about the danger of dogma and the power of storytelling.”
—TIME
★ “Deftly blends Mexican folklore with science fiction in this thrilling and emotional post-apocalyptic novel.”
—Shelf-Awareness
★ “Higuera spins a tale that crosses the depths of space, interweaving Mexican folklore with a mystical strand of science fiction. It all works thanks to the author’s keen appreciation of storytelling’s role in shaping cultures, dreams, and lives. An overall slow burner, this tale packs a wallop. Exquisite.”
—Kirkus Reviews (starred)
★ “Suspenseful speculative novel. Through Petra’s gut-wrenching, tenderly crafted narrative arc, author Higuera (Lupe Wong Won’t Dance) explores how story can awaken empathy, hope, and even resistance in an audience. This is the work of a true cuentista: gripping, euphonious, and full of storytelling magic.”
—Publishers Weekly (starred)
★ "Life on the ship, made even more claustrophobic by Petra’s declining vision from retinitis pigmentosa, and filled with the translucent, drugged Collective, is particularly chilling. Mexican American Petra is a strong, heroic character, fighting incredible odds to survive and protect others. The ending leaves the door wide open for a sequel. A keep-you-up-all-night, compulsively readable science fiction novel that offers much food for thought."
—School Library Journal (starred)
“Readers will find in The Last Cuentista a promise that the past is not the enemy of the future, but a gift that grants the perspective to meet that future with compassion and bravery.”
—Bookpage
“This page-turning work of science fiction explores a classic idea in a compelling story featuring a courageous and quick-thinking young protagonist who embodies the challenge and pain and beauty of being human.”
—Cooperative Children’s Book Center
“Heartwarming and heartbreaking all at once, and centers family, community, and the oral histories that keep us together.”
—Tor.com
“Petra’s determination and courage are inspiring and the twists and turns in the plot will keep readers on the edge of their seat. Traditional stories from Petra's abuela are layered throughout the book like treasures, making this the perfect blend of old and new.”
—Ceclia Cackley, East City Books
“A breathtaking ode to the interplanetary power of story!”
—Meghan Goel, BookPeople
About donna barba higuera
Donna Barba Higuera grew up in Central California and now lives in the Pacific Northwest. She has spent her entire life blending folklore with her experiences into stories that fill her imagination. Now she weaves them to write picture books and novels. Donna’s first book, Lupe Wong Won’t Dance, won a Sid Fleischman Award for Humor and a Pura Belpré Honor. Her second novel, The Last Cuentista, received the John Newbery Medal and the Pura Belpré Award. It was named one of the Best Books of the Year by the Boston Globe, Minneapolis Star Tribune, Wall Street Journal, and TIME.
Follow Donna on Twitter at @dbhiguera.
