Elizabeth's son Luis is also a bit uncertain about his mom dating Martin. But their first big dinner date does mean he gets to go on his first ever sleepover. Luis, who lost his dad to cancer when he was two, has serious, very serious food allergies and ends up in the hospital in the middle of his sleepover, ending his mom's date thanks to some guinea pig food. Luis is a regular at the hospital, and everyone knows him. Back home, his mom suggests a visit to the Museum of Pop Culture, one of Luis' favorite places. And Luis suggests they invite Martin and Sutton. But as much as Luis enjoys the MoPOP, Sutton is totally disinterested, after all, Luis' favorite Star Wars exhibit is science fiction, not real science.
Clearly, Sutton and Luis have nothing in common, but Martin, who was very unhappy with Sutton's behavior at the museum, and Elizabeth decide to try getting the kids together again, and take them on an outing hiking in the woods at Discovery Park. Not really wanting to go, both kids nevertheless try a little harder to make the outing less disastrous than the first one. Then Luis spots a "narrow opening in a dense thicket of bushes," and imagines it's a secret passageway to another world. The opening is too small for adults, but the parents encourage the kids to explore it, and head to what they think will be the other side to meet them.
But when Luis and Sutton take a wrong turn at a dead end and get lost, will they be able to join forces to find their way out and back to their parents?
A Field Guide to Getting Lost is narrated by both Sutton and Luis in alternating chapters, so that readers know each child's thoughts and reactions to their parents increasingly serious relationship, and to each other. And they couldn't be more different. Sutton is logical, all science and robotics, and a Ravenclaw. Luis has a great imagination which he turns into stories, and, like Martin, is a Hufflepuff. Despite also being a Ravenclaw, I didn't really like Sutton at first, but as she grew, she also grew on me and I began to see that change is hard for her, and she retreats into science as a way of dealing with disappointment. Sutton is apparently white, but lives in a diverse neighborhood, including Muslim, Chinese, and Indian neighbors. And I would love to try some of Mrs. Banerjee's golden milk when things get rough.
I did like Luis right off the bat. Despite his life-threatening allergies that really limit what he can do, Luis is not homeschooled as you might expect for a person with his health problems, but he does carry an epipen. Luis also has a great attitude and I liked how he used his imagination to take him to places he couldn't otherwise visit through his character Penelope Bell. Luis is part Guatemalan on his dad's side, and part white on his mom's side. And even though he doesn't speak Spanish anymore, he keeps in touch with his abuelos who live there.
On the whole, I thought Sutton and Luis' story was delightful to read, and even when they were lost, they weren't in real danger, just enough to let them get to know each other better and learn to appreciate and respect their differences. This very relatable book will definitely appeal to the younger age middle graders.
This book is recommended for readers age 8+
This book was gratefully received from the publisher Simon & Schuster
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I've been hearing about this book, and your review makes it sound like an appealing read for kids and adults alike. I love reading stories with diverse characters/neighborhoods. Thanks for sharing this story with us for MMGM! :0}
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like an excellent book! Sutton and Luis sound like excellent characters. Also, as someone with food allergies myself (although not nearly as severe as Luis's), it's always nice to see them being written about! Thanks for the great review!
ReplyDeleteI've wondered about this book since I first heard about it. Glad you enjoyed it. I'm hoping I can get it at my library. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed this story and also liked Luis's character. It would be a good read-aloud in the classroom or at home. Thanks for featuring on MMGM.
ReplyDeleteLove the title of the book. I don't know why, but I love survival books and kids have to find their way using their skills. And, what an interesting way to become friends -- when you have to work together. Sounds like a great read. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI had not heard of this one before. It does sound like a book that a lot of kids will be able to relate to and I like that it has the two different POVs. My students tend to ask for survival stories- so I will definitely have to check this one out so I can recommend it. :) Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI really liked this book as well for all the reasons you mentioned. Thanks for your thoughts.
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