★ “Higuera’s debut is a home run, with a plot as multifaceted and compelling as her characters, whose nuanced voices and varied range of interests ring wholly true.”
—Publisher Weekly, starred review
From Newbery medalist Donna Barba Higuera
"Lupe had me laughing from the first line of this book, and I fell in love with her smart, no-nonsense style." Ciarra Chavarria, http://msnbc.com
Higuera has knocked it out of the park.Erin Entrada Kelly, New York Times Book Review
"Heartfelt, funny and smeared with just the right touch of middle-school snottiness, this novel is a delight!"Ron Charles, The Washington Post
Lupe Wong is going to be the first female pitcher in the Major Leagues.
Shes also championed causes her whole young life. Some worthy
like expanding the options for race on school tests beyond just a few bubbles. And some not so much
like complaining to the BBC about the length between Doctor Who seasons.
Lupe needs an A in all her classes in order to meet her favorite pitcher, Fu Li Hernandez, whos Chinacan/Mexinese just like her. So when the horror that is square dancing rears its head in gym? Obviously shes not gonna let that slide.
Not since Millicent Min, Girl Genius has a debut novel introduced a character so memorably, with such humor and emotional insight. Even square dancing fans will agree.
P R A I S E
Winner: Pura Belpré Honor Sid Fleischman Award for Humor Pacific Northwest Booksellers' Association Book Award
Best of the Year: Globe & Mail Booklist
? A home run. Publisher Weekly (starred)
? A laugh-out-loud story about family, friendship, and the beauty in being true to yourself.Booklist (starred)
Donna Barba Higuera is an award-winning author who masterfully blends folklore with her lived experiences to create captivating stories for young readers. Growing up in the dust-filled oil fields of Central California, she spent her life weaving tales that sparked her imagination.
Now residing in the Pacific Northwest with her family and a lively menagerie of pets, Donna is the acclaimed author of picture books like El Cucuy Is Scared, Too! and The Yellow Handkerchief. Her middle-grade novels have garnered significant recognition: Lupe Wong Won't Dance received the Sid Fleischman Award for Humor and a Pura Belpré Honor, while her second novel, The Last Cuentista, was awarded both the John Newbery Medal and the Pura Belpré Award. The Last Cuentista was also named a Best Book of the Year by the Boston Globe, Minneapolis Star Tribune, The Wall Street Journal, and TIME. Her newest book Xolo reimagines the Aztec myth of the origin of man-and man's best friend.
The highly anticipated third and final book in The Cuentista series, Firesnake, is slated for release in Spring 2026.
★ “Higuera’s debut is a home run, with a plot as multifaceted and compelling as her characters, whose nuanced voices and varied range of interests ring wholly true.”
—Publisher Weekly, starred review