Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this free eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I was attracted by the dystopian element of the book (well, the cover got my attention first). The story intrigued me right away, and I quickly found myself rooting for the brother and sister. The portrayal of poverty and suppression is vivid and detailed, creating a setting that really pulls you in.
The book intertwines themes of identity, heritage, and environmental challenges, offering us readers a lot to think about. However, I found myself wanting a bit more depth on some of these topics—especially the history behind the oppression faced by the Cascabeles. While pieces of the backstory were scattered here and there, they didn’t always give enough context to fully grasp what happened. Additionally, some characters showed intriguing complexity but felt absent from the story until specific plot points required them.

Overall, I’d definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys thought-provoking dystopian stories with relevant and important themes.

This novel is set in the same world as Newbery Winner, The Last Cuentista. I think it helps to have read it, but this one could be a stand alone. A very interesting work of speculative fiction.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Levine Querido for granting me access to an early copy of this book*

Why I Requested It: Primarily I requested this because I found the cover intriguing, with the impression that this would be a more lighthearted, serene read that would reinvest my interest in books aimed at younger readers (boy was I wrong about all of that). Also, some reviewers I follow said good things about Higuera's previous book, The Last Cuentista, so I planned on reading the two of them in order to compare and contrast them, which I have now done.

What It's About: In the future, there are few viable places on Earth to live. One of these places is Pocatel, a city divided by the privileged and the Cascabel that are forced to toil. Leandro is a young Cascabel boy who tries to escape town with his younger sister but he takes the fall for her getting caught stealing, he is subject to an unusual form of banishment, discovers the truths about his city, and eventually comes back to try and save his sister.

Finishing Thoughts: This book really failed for me because not only were there things I personally disliked very present in the narrative but there were also things I don't think made this a successful story. The thing I personally disliked was how mean spirited all the adults were in the story. The world is dystopian, but it felt like many characters were going out of their way to be cruel, to children no less. I never like the "bully" archetype because I find most of the time its just not necessary but I just wasn't expecting it to get that dark in a story aimed at children. The Last Cuentista is also a dystopian, but in a different way that doesn't rely on this bullying form of oppression which actually makes it feel more sinister (though it does have its own weaknesses in execution). Both Alebrijes and The Last Cuentista both struggle with pacing, but in the latter things don't start feeling slow until roughly half way through but in the former it felt like was treading through molasses the whole time and that's probably because the narrative relied on plot and action to move things forward, but there was almost no action. Part of what also made the story really slow is the fact that its the most generic storyline I've read in years so I was very interested in what happened. Contrast that with The Last Cuentista which at least had a minor science component to it and moments that surprised me. In Alebrijes, nothing surprised me, especially during the "last stand." The last aspect of the narrative that irritated me was the protagonist himself. At some point before the halfway point it hit me how incredibly passive this boy was and how little he actually contributed to the story, which is something that does not change. The few active scenes he manage to be even more frustrating because it proves how incompetent he is and that no one should take him seriously. Why this is frustrating is because the beginning sets up his personal story of wanting to a hero and wanting to be taken seriously but he just can't seem to manage to do anything right without some assistance, which is the opposite of the protagonist in The Last Cuentista. To end on a positive note, while this didn't connect with me I can appreciate the inclusion of Latin culture and language in the story, which is also seen in The Last Cuentista. In conclusion, I personally would not recommend this book (I have a hard time even seeing my child self enjoying this), but it is worth giving The Last Cuentista a try.

As Cascabeles, Leandro and his sister Gabi are forced to work and live in poor conditions for the Pocatelans. They dream of escape, though they know there is danger beyond the city. Their plans are cut short when Gabi steals a strawberry and Leandro takes the blame. A surprising punishment gives Leandro the opportunity to explore the world, uncovering secrets and lies the Pocatelans don't want anyone to know.

Original storyline with compelling characters. Leandro's love for his sister and determination are engaging, and their persistence in recovering their history is beautiful.

Thirteen-year-old pickpocket Leandro takes the fall when his sister Gabi steals a piece of fruit and, in punishment, Leandro’s consciousness is placed inside a small drone, an alebrije, and he is banished from the city of Pocatel. But beyond the walls of Pocatel lie other alebrijes, like Leandro, who seek for a better world. Out there too, lie mutant monsters, wasteland pirates, a hidden oasis, and the truth. Most of Alebrijes can function as a stand-alone story, sure to appeal to readers who enjoy tales of survival combined with aspects of magic, but having read The Last Cuentista will give you a richer understanding of the story in Alebrijes. I recommend both books to young readers as a fantastic and compelling read.

This is a really interesting follow-up to The Last Cuentista - another dystopian tale, but this one takes on caste systems, power, and the stories that connect us.
Leandro and his sister Gabi barely exist on the margins of the post-apocalyptic community of Pocatel. When Gabi steals a forbidden piece of fruit, Leandro covers for her and is exiled. To his horror, he learns that only his mind will be exiled, his consciousness placed into a tiny hummingbird drone and given a dangerous mission that could lead to his destruction or expose the town's horrific secrets.
A story about social injustice, identity, unlikely heroes, and found families, this is a powerful and intense story that I would recommend for upper middle grade through adult readers who love dystopian adventures.

Thank you to Netgalley and to the publisher for this free eARC in exchange for my honest review. This book was amazing. I was hooked from the very beginning! Reading the right middle-grade novel as an adult is a magical experience in the way it sucks you in with constant action and the passionate emotions of preteens/young teens. I haven’t had this nostalgic feeling of “just one more chapter!” since I was that age, even with adult books I’ve given 5 stars. Alebrijes has probably been my favorite Netgalley ARC so far. I'd give it between a 4.5-5 stars.

If you want to read this book I would definitely recommend going in blind, without reading the summary on the back of the book. I usually just skim summaries to get a general vibe without being spoiled on details, and that really worked here because I was very pleasantly surprised in the direction this went in.

Just as Higuera’s last book, The Last Cuentista, did, Alebrijes gave me strong vibes of “The Giver” by Lois Lowry. Both (all) books sensitively deal with very mature themes (racism, xeniphobia, corrupt government) through the eyes of a preteen/young teen, and I appreciate that a lot in a MG book.

One small hangup with the book was that Leandro’s deep friendship with Selah (shown by her action at the end) formed so quickly after they were distrustful of each other. I would have liked at least one scene that shows a conversation between these two that starts to show their understanding of each other.

Additionally, I wish it was clearer WHY the Cascabeles were being enslaved and segregated by the Pocatelans. Some more direct implication of xenophobia would have made it easier for kids to have real-life discussions about this theme.


And, if you know, you know- that epilogue had me SHOOK!!!! I audibly gasped multiple times reading that. Can’t wait for a sequel, hopefully.

This is a very dark middle grade fantasy, maybe even too dark for this age group.

It was also a bit slow at first.

This was too dark for me to really enjoy.

Alebrijes is a book that doesn’t quite fit my normal reading choices. It is geared towards a middle grade audience and the genre falls under post apocalyptic/ science fiction. BUT I LOVED IT. The premise is so incredibly unique and Donna Barbara Higuera wrote an amazing story.

A book like this, mixed with Mexican and Mexican-American influences is what initially drew me in. While this book takes a more fictional approach, there are many elements similar to our own world and history that the reader can see. This broadens the appeal to a wider age range of readers. I was reminded of the history and treatment of migrant workers in the United States, segregation, forced assimilation, and racial injustice.

The group of characters in Alebrijes were wonderful to follow throughout the book. I felt a connection to a majority of them. The underdog story of the oppressed trying to survive and escape the oppressors. There were a couple of plot twists and reveals that surprised me (in a good way). The story’s pacing was steady with a good momentum. Oh..and I cried twice. I don’t cry often with books. That’s should tell you how much I cared about the characters in the story.

Once again, I am absolutely wowed by Donna Barba Higuera's rich world-building and beautiful yet accessible prose. The concept of this story is so original that I understand why it took a minute to set up the stakes of the plot. The payoff is worth the wait if readers are willing to wait for it. I don't think I'll ever get over how beautifully Higuera blends folklore with dystopian technology in a way that feels so compelling and real. Leandro has *officially* joined the ranks alongside Petra as one of my favorite book characters. I'm reading this book as an adult now, but I know I would have loved it as a child and I'm excited to share this book with my future children. Anyway, I could go on and on about the heartbreaking and heartwarming life of this story, but if you want a tale as mind-bending as A Wrinkle in Time, then this is the story for you.

Slight spoiler: The Epilogue filled me with so much joy!!!

I read The Last Cuentista last year, and if you loved that book as much as I did, you will LOVE this book! It masterfully uses Mexican folklore to build its incredibly rich story and world and I was drawn in from just the beginning descriptions of Pocatel.

Leandro and his sister Gabi live in the slum huts outside the city limits of Pocatel; they eek out a living digging up potatoes to trade for rations. Those who live in the city live much richer lives but all live in fear of the man-eating worms surrounding their town fence which protects them in this apocalyptic world. When Leandro's consciousness is placed inside a drone made to look like a hummingbird alebrijes, he discovered the reality of the world around him and needs to find a way to free himself and his sister from the hands of the corrupt officials of Pocatel.

Honestly, do yourself a favor and read this book as soon as you can; it is perfect in time for Halloween.

I absolutely loved Alebrijes. The beginning of the book is paced a little slower than I typically like, but I did not mind in this case. A lot of the book is setting up the world, which was done extremely well. The protagonist, Leandro, has so much heart that one can’t help but root for him. Higuera’s creativity in bringing the mystical and fantastical alebrijes to life is beautiful, and it’s exciting to see more Latinx representation in middle grade science fiction/fantasy.

Alebrijes highlights community, empathy, love, and resilience, and I think this would be a great addition to any middle grade library.

Potential Triggers: collective oppression, death of parent/relatives, some violence (not detailed).

I was approved for both the ebook and audiobook. Cisco Fernandez and Frankie Corzo were the audiobook narrators. I enjoyed their narrations.

Thank you to Netgalley, RB Media, Recorded Books, and Levine Querido for these ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Dnf at 20%

I loved The Last Cuentista, so I was excited to read this one. But I found the story a little too slow for me, and I think I wasn't in the right headspace at the time of reading it. It will probably work for other readers, I just couldn't get into it.

Higuera has a knack for creating a dismal setting and then turning into this exciting, colorful, hopeful world. Alebrijes stars a little slow but we end up in such an imaginative world that it is worth the wait.

I'm pretty happy with this book and where it took me. There were some elements that were a little slow in getting to where I wanted to be in the novel, and some pacing issues, but for the most part it was a really solid read and a lot of fun to follow the journey of Leandro. The ending was a nice piece of resistance lit and I do appreciate the surprise bit. I think my students will enjoy this book. There are some cool images throughout, I would say the one thing I wish there was more of was the Alebrijes. I think that would have been a bit more enjoyable if we were able to spend more time with them as a whole. The whole concept is pretty unique and I wholeheartedly think that Higuera is onto something here.

I adored the concept for this book - its excellence rides on the 'Alebrijes'. The time the story spends in La Cuna is the best portion of the book. With the thematic explorations, imagery, and wryms - I found a lot of parallels to Dune. The book also made me appreciate the fruit in my kitchen an extra bit more.

Alebrijes provides great content for discussions. The strong themes would make excellent for book reports or book clubs for this genre.

Unfortunately, the book didn't really start for me until 40% in. That felt way too long for the real inciting event to occur. There was a lot of scenes in the first half that provided backstory only. These scenes hardly added to the plot or character building, and not even significantly on world building. This is the main draw back for me. The overall story arc lacked a bit of punch.

Themes include: identity, consciousness, body and mind in relation to the role of self, found family, leadership and corruption, suppression, poverty, slavery, captivity cultural rituals, fear, environmentalism.

Discussion question suggestions:
- Can the 'self' be preserved outside of the body
- What qualities differentiate Leonardo and the Imperator's leadership styles?
- Who's decisions did you find it most difficult to relate to?

3.5 stars!
This is the first time I've read a story by Donna Barba Higuera.
Thank you for the ARC!

As soon as I saw this book was coming, I requested an early copy on Netgalley and was thrilled to receive it. The author of The Last Cuentista, 2022's Newbery Award and Pure Belpre Author's Award winner, was coming out with another middle grade dystopia, and you better believe I was gonna read it.

In Alebrijes, we get a much different reality than Petra's space odyssey, as Leandro and his sister Gabi are trying to survive as refugees in Pocatel, a community subsisting on rotting potatoes and not much else in the middle of a vast wasteland 400 years after earth went through a cataclysmic change. They are forced into back-breaking work after their people, the Cascabeles, are taken in by the Pocatelans in exchange for the "safety" their city provides against the vicious "wyrms" and barren conditions of the surrounding area. But when Gabi steals a precious strawberry, and Leandro takes the fall (not the only thing about this story giving me Hunger Games vibes), he is exposed to what is really beyond the walls of the city -- things that the Pocatelans have been keeping secret.

Higuera has given us another excellent piece of middle grade dystopian fiction, rivaling the classics in the genre. While fans of the genre will see familiar tropes throughout, Higuera elevates it with Spanish conversation and songs, cultural details of her Mexican heritage, as well as very cool technology. Leandro is a character you will root for and feel for, and although he goes through and witnesses some truly harrowing moments, Higuera ends this on a hopeful note, and with an epilogue that had me gasping in excitement.

World / Setting
Alebrijes is set in a post-apocalyptic world in a dystopian little outpost of a city called Pocatel, perhaps the last community of surviving humans as far as anyone knows. The world is fascinating and well-built in the text and had me very intrigued to learn what secrets might be revealed about the state of things and how it came to be. The sci-fi tech and elements were nicely woven in, even if they aren’t really delved into in much detail.

Leandro’s people, the Cascabeles, came to Pocatel by accident 3 years ago while journeying to try to find the legendary valley La Cuna where they thought they could start fresh as a community. Instead they found Pocatel and were “taken in” by the people there, relegated to tent-like dwellings and forced to work the fields to earn measly rations. The timeline presented wasn’t entirely clear and convincing to me in certain aspects, but it was easy enough to set aside. The society is framed with a ruling elite who clearly know more than they make public knowledge, the middle-class Pocatelans who have been taught to distrust and look down on the Cascabeles, and effects of such treatment and situation on the Cascabel community. I found it very well-realized.

Characters
The story is told technically within a framing narrative, though only the first sentence—”This is the story as it was told to me by Leandro the Mighty.”—and an epilogue at the end give the reader a glimpse of the framing narrative. The bulk of the story is told in the first-person from Leandro’s perspective.

Leandro is young and small for his age, and struggles with feeling too small and weak to effectively care for his younger sister Gabi. After their father’s death when they were very young followed by their mother’s death on the journey, they were taken in by Tía Lula—an abusive and abrasive old Cascabel woman who uses them for their work rations—and Leandro feels wholly responsible for keeping Gabi safe and fed. Despite his best efforts, the effects of malnutrition and hard work are becoming more visible in Gabi and he is increasingly desperate to better their lot. He is a determined and strong-willed character who is compassionate and deeply cares for his sister and his community. He sees the way their situation is damaging their identity as a community but does not let himself give in to despair or give up on his people. Overall he was a very engaging character to read from and I enjoyed his character arc.

Plot
Our narrative spends time in both Pocatel setting up the state of things and planting questions for the reader about the true state of things behind the scenes there, and out in the wastes outside of Pocatel after Leandro’s banishment as a drone. Outside the city walls, we get even more questions about how things came to be, and how many of the legends about the dangers in the wastes are not quite what they’re made out to be. After his banishment with his consciousness placed in a drone, Leandro stumbles across other kids banished in the same manner from Pocatel. With them, he begins to uncover truths and make plans to take action. The plot does get a little chaotic in places, and sometimes next steps sort of appear from nowhere, but overall I found the mystery and resolution interesting and satisfyingly hopeful.

Recommended Audience
Readers looking for a middle grade or early young adult book that doesn’t shy away from dealing with some grim realities.
Readers who enjoy endearing young characters who take it upon themselves to incite change for the better.
Readers interested in sci-fi worlds with some cultural diversity and elements of folklore.

This was another thought-provoking science fiction story from Higuera. Although this book very much stands alone, for those who have read "The Last Cuentista", there are some fun Easter eggs included.

When society collapses, who is worth saving? In this middle-grade dystopian sci-fi, it falls to thirteen-year-old Leandro Rivera to find his own answer to this question. The adults around him are no help—they’re the ones that have made such a mess of things. When one of them puts Leandro’s consciousness into a hummingbird drone, Leandro discovers not only what it means to be himself, but also what it means to be truly small, and the transformative power small things can wield. With her signature humor, big-hearted characters, and appreciation for the power of story, Higuera has crafted a bleak, post-apocalyptic world that is also colorful and teeming with life, full of man-made monsters (and monstrous men) but also with hope. A world not unlike our own, where “the smallest flap of wings” really can create great change.

Thanks to the author and publisher for the ARC I received through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.