(2) 4-6 Gracie Kim loves snorkeling and hopes to persuade her parents to spend spring break in the coastal community of Roatan, Honduras. Her younger brother Ben's unsolicited help keeps introducing wrinkles into her trip-planning. "It would be completely unfair to say that Ben always ruined Gracie's plans. It would, however, be both fair and realistic to say that Ben always had the potential to ruin her plans." The family does make the trip, and Gracie is delighted to be snorkeling on a real reef. She makes friends with local conservationists and learns about how climate change is affecting reefs; when an infection incurred from the reef puts her perfect vacation in jeopardy, she finds a way to cope. But Ben's constant over-enthusiasm and interference get under Gracie's skin until her emotions get the better of her. The conflict is resolved authentically, with both Gracie and her parents learning new ways to manage Ben's behavior (which hints at a neurodivergence such as ADHD), and the book's climax delivers, with genuine but age-appropriate danger and heroism. The environmental and social-justice messages never take the reader out of the story, and Park nails the balance between Gracie's tween self-centeredness and her caring relationships with friends and family.

Reviewer: Sarah Rettger | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2024

(1) YA High school senior Libertad lives in Tegucigalpa, the capital of Honduras, in the lead-up to the country's fraught 2017 presidential election. Libertad's attempts to understand her blossoming feelings for her best friend, Camila, and her own family history become intertwined with her growing understanding of the tensions between student protest movements and the government. Her close bond with her older brother helps navigate challenges in her friend group and as she considers leaving Honduras to attend college in the United States. She turns to poetry and to new friendships to try to make sense of the difficult events in her present and in her family's past. The novel provides an invaluable lens to help readers understand the human toll exacted when democratic governments seek to quash the voices of their citizens. It amplifies complicated and underrepresented recent Honduran history, whose themes resonate on a broader scale, and it increases representation for Honduran narratives, which remain relatively scarce in mainstream U.S. publishing. Debut author and Tegucigalpa native Zaldívar's deeply personal storytelling centers Libertad's humanity, as well as that of her family members. Readers experience Libertad's own journey through her first-person narration and creative expression, and in her relationships with her blood relatives and chosen family. An author's note establishes personal connections and fills in history since 2017.

Reviewer: Nicholas A. Brown | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2024

(1) 4-6 Illustrated by Kat Fajardo & Azzi Mariana. All Sue (Suyapa Yisel to her family) Gutiérrez wants to do this summer is hang out with her Comics Club buddies at Camp Willow. But her overprotective mom has planned a family trip to Honduras to see Abuelita Rita and celebrate Sue's quinceañera--a party she never asked for and would rather skip. Feeling doomed to a boring and uninspiring summer, Sue finds that spending time with her abuelita, an artist herself, is anything but dull. Rita's consejos--advice, wisdom, and family stories--help Sue gain a new closeness to her family and learn to cherish cultural traditions. With the coming-of-age ceremony, she resolves to "be braver and embrace [her] true colors," adapting the longstanding tradition in a way that lets it remain relevant to her own life. Fajardo's deft graphic-novel paneling and expressive use of line and Azzi's color palette of cool blues and pinks convey the complexity and full range of Sue's feelings, both in important moments and in more mundane ones. An author's note, additional information about quinceañeras, and photographs are appended.

Reviewer: Lettycia Terrones | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2022

(4) YA As Middie begins her senior year, her older boyfriend, Nate, leaves for a gap year volunteering in Honduras; the two plan to be together again for freshman year of college. But when Nate goes missing, Middie turns to his best friend, Lee, for support. The plot drags, but fans of contemporary realism with happily-ever-after conclusions should be pleased with this tale of grief and moving on.

Reviewer: Sian Gaetano

(3) 4-6 When her mom is deported, Gaby must learn to adjust to life with her estranged father while also enduring the taunting of school bullies. However, she finds solace in her work with the local animal shelter where she writes advertisement profiles of the abandoned pets. This bighearted book tackles the controversial topic of illegal immigration in a light but thoughtful and personalized way.

Reviewer: Aimee Chevrette Bear

(4) YA This is a harrowing story of the dangers faced by one teenager when he traveled illegally from Honduras to the U.S. to be with his immigrant mother. Enrique's story mirrors that of many young undocumented Latinos; the narrative graphically depicts violence and brutality. Originally a Pulitzer Prize–winning series of newspaper articles, this adaptation of Nazario's adult book is sometimes repetitious but always heartbreaking.

Reviewer: Cyrisse Jaffee

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Sylvie Daigneault. In Honduras, when María Luz's father goes in search of work, he leaves her in charge of the floundering family farm. A new teacher gets María Luz to try some techniques that revive the garden, which in turn inspires other villagers. The well-meaning text is wordy. Each spread contains a full-page colored-pencil illustration, sometimes with surreal elements. Glos.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) YA Central America Today series. Useful for reports but less than scintillating in writing style, these books provide lots of information about Central America. Main texts focusing on history, geography, and people are supplemented with maps, sidebars, photos, recipes (geared toward experienced cooks), events listings, report ideas, and organizations to contact. There are four other spring 2009 books in this series. Reading list, timeline, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Central America Today titles: Belize, Central America, Guatemala, and Honduras.

Reviewer: Barbara Barstow

(4) YA Modern World Nations series. These books discuss each country's geography, history, politics, government, and culture, in addition to examining its challenges and possible solutions. The volumes are aimed at report writers and, though the texts aren't particularly engaging, they will assist students in completing their assignments. Photographs help break up the pages. Reading list, timeline, websites. Bib., ind. Review covers these Modern World Nations titles: Honduras and Colombia.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(4) 4-6 In the aftermath of Hurricane Mitch, thirteen-year-old José must quell his fears as he leads his family and small Honduran village in rescue and recovery. Trueman realistically presents his protagonist's anxieties and concerns in the face of disaster. A happy ending for José and his family is never in doubt, though, which dilutes the story's impact.

Reviewer: David Elzey

(3) 4-6 Cultures of the World series. In accessible texts and clear color photographs, these overviews explore each country's history, geography, culture, inhabitants, food, and festivals. Uruguay emphasizes the ways the smallest South American country differs from its neighbors. Honduras addresses issues such as the extreme poverty of the Central American country. Maps and a page of basic facts round out these useful volumes. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta