Synopses & Reviews
When Tonys mother is sent to jail, he is sent to stay with a great uncle he has never met in Sierra Nevada. It is a daunting move—Tonys new world bears no semblance to his previous one. But slowly, against a remote and remarkable backdrop, the scars from Tonys troubled past begin to heal.
With his Tió and a search-and-rescue dog named Gabe by his side, he learns how to track wild animals, is welcomed to the Cowboy Church, and makes new friends at the Mountain School. Most importantly though, it is through Gabe that Tony discovers unconditional love for the first time, in Mountain Dog by Margarita Engle.
A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of 2013
Review
"Fascinating." -- BCCB
"A thoughtful and sensitive story that touches on immigration, family, and other serious issues." -- School Library Journal
Praise for Hurricane Dancers:
* “Once again, Engle fictionalizes historical fact in a powerful, original story.” —Booklist, starred review
“The unique juxtaposition of poetry and cruelty creates a peculiar literary tension.” —VOYA
“Unique and inventive, this is highly readable historical fiction that provides plenty of fodder for discussion.” —School Library Journal
“Like intersecting riptides, several first-person narratives converge in this verse novel of the sixteenth century.” —The Horn Book Magazine
“The subject matter is an excellent introduction to the age of exploration and its consequences, showing slavery sinking its insidious roots in the Americas and the price paid by those who were there first.” —Publishers Weekly
“Taken individually the stories are slight, but they work together elegantly; the notes and back matter make this a great choice for classroom use.” —Kirkus Reviews
About the Author
Margarita Engle is a poet and novelist whose work has been published in many countries. Her books include The Surrender Tree, a Newbery Honor book and winner of the Jane Addams Childrens Book Award, the Pura Belpré Award, the Américas Award, and the Claudia Lewis Poetry Award; The Poet Slave of Cuba, winner of the Pura Belpré Award and the Américas Award; and Hurricane Dancers, winner of the Pura Belpré Award.
Olga and Aleksey Ivanov immigrated to the United States from Russia in 2002. The husband and wife team received a classical art education in Moscow and have collaborated on over 80 childrens books, including The Tall Book of Mother Goose and Charlottes Web. They live and work together in an artist studio near Denver, Colorado.