Los mil años de Pepe Corcueña

Gr 6 Up—Eight-year-old Noé lives in a wealthy neighborhood and loves to play tennis. On his way to practice, he disappears, only to awaken far from his family, his home, and the life he has known. He has been kidnapped and is being held for ransom. He is kept in a basement, chained to a bed, and suffers from beatings and abuse. In order to alleviate some of the pain, Noé becomes Noah, taking care of his ark and his animals. The stories he tells win the attention of his captor, Carlos, and the boy, Gorras, who visits him when the man is away. Noé's imagination is a refuge for his pain, but at the same time it is an attempt to reach the good side of his captor. Will his stories succeed in convincing Carlos to set him free? This is a powerful and poignant story about an all-too-common problem in Mexico and other parts of the world. Although the protagonist is a child, Malpica directs the story toward "my country and my people." Indeed, this is a book for readers of any age because of its message of hope and transformation. Unfortunately, the illustrations lack the color, exuberance, and imagination that readers would want for Noé.—Jessica McClinton López, King County Library System, Auburn, WA