Summer of the Mariposas

By Guadalupe García McCall
Out of Stock

In this young adult retelling of The Odyssey, Odilia and her four sisters journey to Mexico to return a dead man to his family and encounter magical creatures along the way.

Front cover for El verano de las mariposas by Guadalupe García McCall; David Bowles
This book is also available in Spanish
El verano de las mariposas
By Guadalupe García McCall, David Bowles

Description

When Odilia and her four sisters find a dead body in the swimming hole, they embark on a hero’s journey to return the dead man to his family in Mexico. But returning home to Texas turns into an odyssey that would rival Homer’s original tale.

With the supernatural aid of ghostly La Llorona via a magical earring, Odilia and her little sisters travel a road of tribulation to their long-lost grandmother’s house. Along the way, they must outsmart a witch and her Evil Trinity: a wily warlock, a coven of vicious half-human barn owls, and a bloodthirsty livestock-hunting chupacabras. Can these fantastic trials prepare Odilia and her sisters for what happens when they face their final test, returning home to the real world, where goddesses and ghosts can no longer help them?

Summer of the Mariposas is not just a magical Mexican American retelling of The Odyssey, it is a celebration of sisterhood and maternal love.

About the Creators

Guadalupe García McCall
Guadalupe García McCall

Guadalupe García McCall is the best-selling author of Summer of the Mariposas and won the Pura Belpré Award for her first novel, Under the Mesquite. She was born in Mexico and moved to Texas as a young girl, keeping close ties with family on both sides of the border. She is a full-time author and abuelita and lives with her husband in South Texas. Find her online at ggmccall.com.

Awards

  • Best Children's Books of the Year

    Bank Street College of Education

  • Best Books of the Year

    School Library Journal

  • Amelia Bloomer Book List

    American Library Association (ALA)

  • Andre Norton Award for Young Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy Finalist

    Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America

  • Westchester Fiction Award

    Westchester Fiction Award Committee

  • Lone Star Reading List

    Texas Library Association (TLA)

  • Spirit of Texas Reading List

    Texas Library Association (TLA)

Reviews

  • * "Written in the style of magic realism, this is an enchanting look at Mexican mysticism, coupled with the realistic celebration of the true meaning of family."

    - School Library Journal
  • "Just as compelling as the vivid fantasy is the realism, especially the standoffs and reconciliations among the caring sisters, and the final shocking truth about their father and themselves is far from a sweet resolution. Readers will be drawn by the contemporary family drama and the magic, and they'll appreciate the author's note that discusses the story's roots in Mexican folklore and The Odyssey."

    - Booklist
  • "Loosely based on The Odyssey, the journey adds interest by moving the girls through elements of Mexican folklore, and McCall's revision of both la Llorona and the chupacabras as victims in need of sympathy and compassion is particularly compelling. . . The story remains powerful to the end."

    - Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
  • "In a witty voice, fifteen-year-old Odilia Garza recounts how she and her four younger sisters discover a corpse in a river near their Texas home and return him to his Mexican family across the border. Magical realism is introduced through several Mexican mythological characters who both challenge and help the girls on their Odyssey-like journey in this story of sisterly love."

    - The Horn Book
  • "A series of adventures that hover somewhere on the border between fantasy and magical realism as the sisters are helped and hindered by supernatural forces including Latin American legends La Llorona, lechuzas and chupacabras. . . Originality and vibrancy shine through to make it a worthwhile read."

    - Kirkus Reviews

Paperback

  • ISBN 9781620140109
  • Publication Date Sep 25, 2012
  • Trim Size 8.25 × 5.5 in
  • Weight 0.9375 lbs
  • Page Count 384
  • Word Count 82283
  • Hardcover

  • ISBN 9781600609008
  • Publication Date Oct 20, 2012
  • Trim Size 8.25 × 5.5 in
  • Weight 0.4375 lbs
  • Page Count 352
  • Word Count 82283
  • Interests

  • Audience Young Adult
  • BISAC Category 1 YAF / Magical Realism
  • BISAC Category 2 YAF / Fantasy / General
  • BISAC Category 3 YAF / Family / Siblings
  • Themes Bilingual, Breaking Gender Barriers, Childhood Experiences and Memories, Conflict resolution, Coping with Death, Cultural Diversity, Dreams & Aspirations, Empathy / Compassion, Families, Fantasy, Fiction, Forgiveness, Friendship, Gratitude, Identity / Self Esteem / Confidence, Imagination, Immigration, Integrity / Honesty, Latinx / Latino / Hispanic, Leadership, Middle Grade, Mothers, Optimism / Enthusiasm, Overcoming Obstacles, People In Motion, Persistence / Grit, Realistic Fiction, Responsibility, Self Control / Self Regulation, Sharing & Giving, Siblings, Social & Emotional Learning, YA interest
  • Reading Levels

  • Age Range Ages 11 - 18
  • Grade Range Grades 6 - College
  • Guided Reading Z
  • ATOS Book Level 5.4
  • DRA 80
  • Interest Level Grades 6 - College
  • Lexile Level 840
  • Reading Level Grades 5 - 6
  • SRC 5.5
  • Bebop Reading Fluent
  • This Book is Included in These Collections:

    • 28
      Latin American English Collection Grades 3-6
      Collection of 28 books: $392.60

      943 in stock

    • 107
      High-Low Books for Teens: Middle and High School
      Collection of 107 books: $1,639.70