Into the Tall, Tall Grass

Set in a small New Mexico town, Ryon's debut explores the innate tensions of close relationships, the mysteries of family history, and the intricate processes of grief. Two weeks ago, 12-year-old scientist Yolanda Rodríguez-O’Connell’s grandmother, Wela, fell into a mysterious slumber. Yo’s beloved grandfather, Welo, died of cancer less than a year earlier, her widowed father is on another tour in Afghanistan, and her best friend, Ghita Patel, has chosen Yo’s fraternal twin, Sonja, over her-just like everyone else. Worse, Yo hasn’t inherited the maternal magical gift, which, though it subjects the family to suspicion, Yo can’t help but want. Wela is much like the pecan tree at the top of the hill, the last of the Rodríguez’s ancestral orchard to survive the drought; she wakes up long enough to ask Yolanda to take her there, where "everything will be set right." Facing the imminent threat of removal by social worker, Yo agrees, bundling the dying Wela into the suddenly tall grass with Sonja, Ghita, and Ghita’s kind brother Hasik in tow. Though the cast and subplots feel a bit bloated, Yolanda’s struggles are complex, and the narrative of family legacies and intergenerational trauma is ultimately compelling-uplifting without being schmaltzy. Ages 10-up.

Copyright 2020 Publisher's Weekly, LLC Used with permission. 

Gr 5-8-Yolanda Rodríguez-O'Connell has waited years to develop her forbearers' secret gift-when people in her family turn 12, they gain a magical skill. But since her grandfather Welo passed away a year ago, everything's been going wrong. Her twin Sonja's gift surfaced, and Yolanda's didn't; her best friend Ghita ditched her for Sonja; and now, her grandmother Wela's failing health may force the girls into foster care. On top of everything else, magic seems to be going haywire on their desert property, sprouting tall grass and twisting the landscape. On Wela's instructions, Yolanda leads a ragtag group on an adventure to explore her family's past, hoping a mysterious box and the last pecan tree standing on their land can fix everything. Ryon delivers a touching peek into the daily struggles of a modern family. The tinge of whimsical magic permeating the Rodríguez line creates the perfect ambiance for stirring up, and resolving, conflict among Yolanda, those she cares for, and the town. With Yolanda and Sonja's father in the army and Wela terribly ill, the topic of death is examined in a deeply real and relatable fashion as characters work through grief and commemoration. Yolanda blossoms on the pages as her mission to help Wela has her confronting truths about her family's magic, her responsibility to loved ones, and her acceptance of herself. VERDICT A must-have tale, perfect for fans of emotionally resonant magical realism like Karen Strong's Just South of Home.

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.