The Madre de Aguas of Cuba (The Unicorn Rescue Society #5)

by Adam Gidwitz (Author) Hatem Aly (Illustrator)

Reading Level: 4th − 5th Grade

Critically acclaimed author Emma Otheguy joins Newbery Honor-winning Adam Gidwitz as co-author of the newest adventure in the NYT bestselling Unicorn Rescue Society series as the kids travel to Cuba to help the legendary Madre de aguas.

In Cuba, it is believed that a mysterious water serpent--the Madre de aguas--is responsible for providing and protecting the fresh water of the island. But the serpent is missing, and a drought has gripped the island. Uchenna, Elliot, and Professor Fauna fly to Cuba and endeavor to rescue the Madre de aguas.

Unfortunately, it tries to kill them. Meanwhile, the Schmoke Brothers' goons are driving around Havana, dumping pink sludge into the sewers. What is going on? Can Elliot and Uchenna end the drought? Stop the Schmokes? Or will the creature they are trying to save just eat them instead?

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School Library Journal

Gr 2-5—A sensitive and informative story wrapped up in a magical mystery adventure. Gidwitz has teamed up with Emma Otheguy to write this new installment of "The Unicorn Rescue Society" series. Uchenna, Elliot, and Professor Fauna are members of a secret group that protects mythical creatures, and this time they travel to Cuba to find the Madre de Aguas, a sea serpent that protects the water supply of the island and surrounding area. She may even control the weather, and there has been an ongoing drought in Cuba. Rounded out with an evil corporation polluting the water for their own gain, this story feels like an old Scooby-Doo mystery in the best way. The details of the scenes set in Cuba are written sensitively while not glossing over the fraught history of the country. The scenes with Yoenis' mother are especially well drawn. However, readers would benefit from familiarity with previous installments; the characters' personalities do not shine through enough for a casual reader to feel invested in the story without the background knowledge of the other books. VERDICT Short, simple, magical fun that has something to say about the contemporary world. Highly recommended where the earlier books are popular.—Jeri Murphy, C.F. Simmons Middle School, Aurora, IL

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
Adam Gidwitz
Adam Gidwitz taught in Brooklyn for eight years. Now, he writes full time--which means he writes a couple of hours a day, and lies on his couch staring at the ceiling the rest of the time. As is the case with all of his books, everything in them not only happened in the real fairy tales...it all also happened to him. Really. Learn more at www.adamgidwitz.com, on Facebook, and follow him on Twitter: @AdamGidwitz
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9780735231429
Lexile Measure
620
Guided Reading Level
N
Publisher
Dutton Books for Young Readers
Publication date
May 12, 2020
Series
The Unicorn Rescue Society
BISAC categories
JUV037000 - Juvenile Fiction | Fantasy & Magic
JUV002270 - Juvenile Fiction | Animals | Dragons, Unicorns & Mythical
JUV012070 - Juvenile Fiction | Legends, Myths, Fables | Caribbean & Latin American
JUV074000 - Juvenile Fiction | Diversity & Multicultural
Library of Congress categories
Friendship
Animal rescue
Animals, Mythical
Sea monsters

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