Lola
by Karla Arenas Valenti; illus. by Islenia Mil
Intermediate    Knopf    256 pp.
9/24    9780593177006    $17.99
Library ed.  9780593177013    $20.99
e-book ed.  9780593177020    $10.99

Lola, ten, lives in Mexico City in a house built around the Tree. The Tree is full of life, and spirit-like beings called chaneques protect it. One day, Lola notices gray splotches on the Tree and in the garden. The spots spread to Lola’s brother Alex, covering him in gray patches and making him ill. With the help of the chaneques, Lola sets out to save the Tree and Alex. Through a panel in her closet, she enters the kingdom of Floresta, now afflicted with the Stillness, where “the cycle of life and death simply stops.” Lola needs to find the newly appointed young queen, who is grieving the recent death of her mother, and persuade her to reverse the Stillness—to convince her that “change is everything.” In the process, Lola discovers something unexpected about herself. Valenti (Lotería, rev. 11/21) skillfully incorporates magical realism into this captivating tale, taking the reader on a memorable journey through a different world. She addresses the weighty topic of death in a hopeful manner, encouraging readers to view death as a new phase, a transformation, rather than an end. The strong bonds between siblings are central to this heartwarming story, and love perseveres. Occasional black-and-white illustrations contribute to the mystical atmosphere (some final art unseen). An appended author’s note and a glossary enrich the material.

From the ">January/February 2025 issue of The Horn Book Magazine.