The Last Cuentista

The Last Cuentista is a middle-grade dystopian novel by Donna Barba Higuera, published October 12, 2021 by Levine Querido. The story follows Petra Peña who, along with her family and a few hundred others, leave Earth to continue the human race after a comet strikes the planet. After awaking on a new planet, Petra is the only one who remembers Earth and must use storytelling to keep her people's history alive.

The Last Cuentista
AuthorDonna Barba Higuera
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
GenreMiddle-grade fiction, Dystopian fiction, Science fiction
PublisherAn Arthur A. Levine book published by Levine Querido
Publication date
October 12, 2021
Media typeHardcover
Pages336
AwardsNewbery Medal, Pura Belpre Award
ISBN9781646140893

In 2022, the book won the Newbery Medal and Pura Belpré Award.[1][2][3] The cover was illustrated by Raxenne Maniquiz.

Reception

The Last Cuentista generally received positive reviews, including starred reviews from Kirkus Reviews,[4] Publishers Weekly,[5] School Library Journal,[6] and Shelf Awareness.[7]

Kirkus called the book "[a]n exquisite tonic for storytellers far and wide, young and old."[4] School Library Journal's Mara Alpert called it "[a] keep-you-up-all-night, compulsively readable science fiction novel that offers much food for thought."[6] Writing for The Wall Street Journal, Megan Cox Gurden said it was "clever and compelling."[8]

Previous Newbery winner Tae Keller said The Last Cuentista

“certainly veers into the dark end of middle-grade fiction, with brainwashing, ‘purging’, and, yes, the destruction of our entire planet ... but it doesn’t dwell in the darkness, preferring to give its readers healthy doses of hope, wonder and page-turning action.”[9]

The Last Cuentista was named one of the best children's books of the year by BookPage,[10] The Boston Globe,[11] the Chicago Public Library,[12] Kirkus,[4] the New York Public Library,[13] Publishers Weekly,[14] School Library Journal,[15] TIME,[16] and The Wall Street Journal.[17]

Awards and honors for The Last Cuentista
Year Award/Honor Result Ref.
2021 Cybils Award Finalist [18]
2022 Newbery Medal Winner [1][2][3][4]
Pura Belpré Award for Author Winner [3][4]

References
  1. Schaub, Michael (2022-01-24). "ALA Announces Youth Media Award Winners for 2022". Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved 2022-01-31.
  2. Sullivan, Meghan Collins (2022-01-24). "'The Last Cuentista' and 'Watercress' win top children's book awards". NPR. Retrieved 2022-01-31.
  3. Morales, Macey (2022-01-24). "American Library Association announces 2022 Youth Media Award winners". American Library Association. Retrieved 2022-01-31.
  4. "The Last Cuentista". Kirkus Reviews. 2021-06-21. Retrieved 2022-01-31.
  5. "Children's Book Review: The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera. Levine Querido, $17.99 (336p) ISBN 978-1-64614-089-3". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved 2022-01-31.
  6. Alpert, Mara (2021-09-01). "The Last Cuentista". School Library Journal. Retrieved 2022-01-31.
  7. Barnes, Lana (2021-10-29). "The Last Cuentista". Shelf Awareness. Retrieved 2022-01-31.
  8. Cox Gurdon, Meghan (2021-08-27). "Children's Books: 'The Last Cuentista' Review". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 2022-01-31.
  9. Harris, Elizabeth A. (24 January 2022). "Donna Barba Higuera Wins Newbery Medal for 'The Last Cuentista'". The New York Times. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  10. "Best Middle Grade & Chapter Books of 2021". BookPage. 2021-11-16. Retrieved 2022-01-31.
  11. Sancken, Renata. "The Best Books of 2021". Boston Globe. Retrieved 2022-01-31.
  12. "Best Fiction for Older Readers of 2021". Chicago Public Library. Retrieved 2022-01-31.
  13. "Best Books for Kids 2021". The New York Public Library. Retrieved 2022-01-31.
  14. "Best Books 2021: Publishers Weekly Publishers Weekly". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved 2022-01-31.
  15. Blair, Monisha; Speight, Myiesha; Williams, Ashleigh; Worley, Taylor (2021-11-22). "Best Middle Grade Books 2021 | SLJ Best Books". School Library Journal. Retrieved 2022-01-31.
  16. "The 10 Best YA and Children's Books of 2021". Time. Retrieved 2022-01-31.
  17. Gurdon, Meghan Cox (2021-12-10). "The Best Books of 2021: Children's Books". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 2022-01-31.
  18. "2021 Finalists: Elementary and Middle Grade Speculative Fiction". Retrieved 2022-01-31.


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