Alebrijes: Cuentista Book II - (The Last Cuentista) by Donna Barba Higuera (Hardcover)

About the Book

For 400 years, Earth has been a barren wasteland. The few humans that survive scrape together an existence in the cruel city of Pocatel - or go it alone in the wilderness beyond, filled with wandering spirits and wyrms. They don't last long. 13 year-old pickpocket Leandro and his sister Gabi do what they can to forge a life in Pocatel. The city does not take kindly to Cascabel like them - the descendants of those who worked the San Joaquin Valley for generations. When Gabi is caught stealing precious fruit from the Pocatelan elite, Leando takes the fall. But his exile proves more than he ever could have imagined -- far from a simple banishment, his consciousness is placed inside an ancient drone and left to fend on its own. But beyond the walls of Pocatel lie other alebrijes like Leandro who seek for a better world -- as well as mutant monsters, wasteland pirates, a hidden oasis, and the truth.

Book Synopsis

The sequel to the New York Times bestselling The LastCuentista series from Newbery medalist Donna Barba Higuera!

For 400 years, Earth has been a barren wasteland. The few humans that survive scrape together an existence in the cruel city of Pocatel - or go it alone in the wilderness beyond, filled with wandering spirits and wyrms. They don't last long.

13 year-old pickpocket Leandro and his sister Gabi do what they can to forge a life in Pocatel. The city does not take kindly to Cascabel like them - the descendants of those who worked the San Joaquin Valley for generations.

When Gabi is caught stealing precious fruit from the Pocatelan elite, Leando takes the fall. But his exile proves more than he ever could have imagined -- far from a simple banishent, his consciousness is placed inside an ancient drone and left to fend on its own. But beyond the walls of Pocatel lie other alebrijes like Leandro who seek for a better world -- as well as mutant monsters, wasteland pirates, a hidden oasis, and the truth.

From Newbery and Pura Belpré medalist Donna Barba Higuera comes the second book in the Cuentista series, featuring her signature blend of dystopian scifi and Mexican folklore in a funhouse mirror of our own civilization.

W I N N E R

PURA BELPRÉ HONOR

P R A I S E

"Engrossing." -- The Guardian

★ "An instant classic."
--School Library Journal (starred)

★ "Breathtaking... A ferociously epic and beautiful middle-grade dystopian novel."
--Shelf Awareness (starred)

★ "Combines humanity and technology with imaginative splendor."
--Foreword (starred)

★ "This heartfelt adventure signals hope for humanity, even in the aftermath of darkness."
--Kirkus (starred)

★ "High-stakes adventure... Beautiful, imaginative writing fills this dystopian sf novel. Though it exposes cruelty and corruption, it raises up storytelling, culture, and kindness as stronger yet... A wondrous addition to any collection."
--Booklist (starred)

★ "This stellar speculative narrative explores themes of identity across circumstance, centering an adolescent without structural power working to protect family and community."
--Publishers Weekly (starred)

★ "Higuera brilliantly balances the heaviness of a dystopian future of a ruined Earth with her own blend of science fiction and Mexican folkloric elements once Leandro leaves his human body... Leandro and his unflinching dedication to an uplifting view of humanity that will spark engagement from the first page and linger in the minds of readers well after they finish the novel."
--Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (starred)

"With its social and environmental commentary, this fast-paced and imaginative novel tackles issues of deception and control and leaves one with a sense of wonder that a single flap of a wing or a solitary voice can bring about unimaginable change."
--Horn Book

BEST OF THE YEAR

New York Times - Kirkus - Booklist - Chicago Public Library

Review Quotes

"Engrossing." -- The Guardian

"With its social and environmental commentary, this fast-paced and imaginative novel tackles issues of deception and control and leaves one with a sense of wonder that a single flap of a wing or a solitary voice can bring about unimaginable change." -- Horn Book

[STAR] "Alebrijes is breathtaking... A ferociously epic and beautiful middle-grade dystopian novel." -- Shelf Awareness (starred)

[STAR] "Higuera brilliantly balances the heaviness of a dystopian future of a ruined Earth with her own blend of science fiction and Mexican folkloric elements once Leandro leaves his human body... Leandro and his unflinching dedication to an uplifting view of humanity that will spark engagement from the first page and linger in the minds of readers well after they finish the novel." -- Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (starred)

[STAR] "The captivating novel Alebrijes combines humanity and technology with imaginative splendor." -- Foreword (starred)

[STAR] "An instant classic."-- School Library Journal (starred)

[STAR] "High-stakes adventure... Beautiful, imaginative writing fills this dystopian SF novel. Though it exposes cruelty and corruption, it raises up storytelling, culture, and kindness as stronger yet... A wondrous addition to any collection." -- Booklist (starred)

[STAR] "This heartfelt adventure signals hope for humanity, even in the aftermath of darkness."-- Kirkus (starred)

[STAR] "This stellar speculative narrative explores themes of identity across circumstance, centering an adolescent without structural power working to protect family and community."-- Publishers Weekly (starred)

About the Author

Donna Barba Higuera is an award-winning author who masterfully blends folklore with her lived experiences to create captivating stories for young readers. Growing up in the dust-filled oil fields of Central California, she spent her life weaving tales that sparked her imagination.

Now residing in the Pacific Northwest with her family and a lively menagerie of pets, Donna is the acclaimed author of picture books like El Cucuy Is Scared, Too! and The Yellow Handkerchief. Her middle-grade novels have garnered significant recognition: Lupe Wong Won't Dance received the Sid Fleischman Award for Humor and a Pura Belpré Honor, while her second novel, The Last Cuentista, was awarded both the John Newbery Medal and the Pura Belpré Award. The Last Cuentista was also named a Best Book of the Year by the Boston Globe, Minneapolis Star Tribune, The Wall Street Journal, and TIME. Her newest book Xolo reimagines the Aztec myth of the origin of man-and man's best friend.

The highly anticipated third and final book in The Cuentista series, Firesnake, is slated for release in Spring 2026.