A poignant intergenerational story about finding and honoring your roots.

Serge and Carolina's story is a touching reminder to 'squeeze the juice out of every day' and remember where (and who) you call home. Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (starred review) Offering a compelling introduction to Latin American magic realism, this will have appeal for middle-school lovers of literary fiction. Her sulks, fears, and desires render her credibly twelve, and the storytelling ably prepares readers for her less predictable decisions. The delicate magic of Serge's story ties present and past together in a beautifully written, affecting story of forgiveness and understanding that enables Carol to move forward in her own life, resetting her values and claiming her own place in her grandfather's story. Both Carol's journey and Serge's stories seem inherently true, and the juxtaposition of the two results in a moving, atmospheric novel of family, heritage, and fairy tales that are more real than not.

Tightly plotted and elegantly characterized, this is a striking debut. Through this atmospheric setting, Eagar sustains a sense of wonder and longing for small things (bees, seeds, stories) to respond to big human needs. Eagar seamlessly blends a 12-year-old girl's summer of change with a hefty dose of magical realism in this accomplished debut.Fairytale motifs ('No rain for a hundred years') emphasize the stark physicality of the New Mexican mesa, with its oppressive heat, spindly sheep, and numerous dangers.

Hour of the Bees by Lindsay Eagar