Forest World by Margarita Engle

Guest Post by Padma Venkatraman

In Forest World, Young People’s Poet Laureate, Margarita Engle, once again demonstrates her mastery over the verse novel form, wielding it to speak eloquently of the need to protect our environment. Told through the eyes of its young protagonists, Edver and Luza, however, this underlying message is by no means conveyed in a preachy tone.

Edver and Luza are siblings, separated due to the political situation of the times. Luza lives in Cuba with her father, whom she considers a “wildlife superhero.” She has always known she had a younger brother, who left with their mother, a cryptozoologist who feels deeply about wildlife conservation. However, Edver, whom we meet first, has no idea he has a sister who is a few years older. When he visits Cuba, expecting to meet his father and runs into his sister as well, he is understandably shocked.

The sibling relationship gets off to a rocky start. At first, their differences surface. Edver is interested in science and videogames.  In Cuba, he complains, “How can such a loud island/ be as electronically silent/ as prehistory?” Luza is an artist who recycles trash to create works of art: “…tiny traces of hope/ emerging from mosaics of broken things, / ugly things, microscopic shards/ of possibility.” She loves spending time outdoors.

As the two are forced to be in one another’s company, they  start to form a bond. Edver is interested in the environment, and Luza, who enjoys creating works of art out of recycled materials, is as passionate about preserving and protecting the beautiful island that is her home.

They also miss their mother greatly. Although only Edver really knows her, Luza wishes to know her mother, too. Together, they set about scheming to bring her to Cuba to solidify and reconvene their nuclear family. They pretend a new species of butterfly has been discovered, and mention this on the internet, hoping her interest in insects will motivate her to come to Cuba even though her love of her family hasn’t.

When their plan goes awry and they unintentionally attract the attention of a wildlife poacher, brother and sister must come together to fight for the forest they’ve unintentionally endangered. As Edver and Luza battle against a common enemy and work toward a common goal, their sibling relationship solidifies and they discover the importance of family.

Engle has created yet another book with a powerful message that middle grade readers will devour with enjoyment. A message most necessary at this time, in our rapidly deteriorating world. A message about seeking to find similarities and create friendships even when there are outward differences between people or among cultures; a message of the power of hope and the ability of a few persevering individuals to fight against environmental destruction; a message about the strength that love has to overcome distance.

NOTE: This review was based on an ARC

BIO

Padma Venkatraman is the author of three critically acclaimed novels: A TIME TO DANCE, ISLAND’S END and CLIMBING THE STAIRS, each of which was released to multiple starred reviews. Cumulatively, her books have several awards and been honored with inclusion on over fifty best book lists. Her 4th novel, THE BRIDGE HOME, is about homeless children in India and is scheduled for 2019 Spring release by Nancy Paulsen Books. She enjoys teaching and mentoring and visiting schools and has presented keynote addresses at national and international conferences. Visit her atwww.padmavenkatraman.comand @padmatv.