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The Immortal Boy
There are two parallel narratives in this dual-language (Spanish/English) edition of a short but haunting novel first published in Colombia. In the first, five siblings ranging in age from five to 12 have been left to fend for themselves after their mother dies and their father leaves them, telling them to take care of each other and stay together while he supposedly searches for work. In the second, a young girl, Nina, has been left in an orphanage after her parents were imprisoned for their political activity. Both Nina and the siblings wait in desperation for parents to return and, in the meantime, try to manage without them. The siblings’ story weaves in and out of all five children’s minds, with the older children feeling the burden of responsibility. Desperate for work, Hector, the oldest, is promised a high-paying job by an enigmatic older boy named Julian and soon finds himself selling drugs. Meanwhile, Nina is learning how to survive the bullies at the orphanage, and when a boy she doesn't know steps in to defend her and then disappears, she searches for him. He’s called The Immortal Boy because, according to rumor, he can’t be killed. Nina becomes obsessed with finding and befriending him, and slowly, she forges a friendship of sorts. The rising tension in the story comes not just from how these children fare, but also in the relationship between the two storylines as it gradually becomes clear. ©2022 Cooperative Children’s Book Center
Translated by David Bowles. Translated from the Spanish. Originally published in Colombia.
CCBC Age Recommendation: Age 12 and older
Age Range:
Grades 6-8 (Ages 11-13)
Grades 9-12 (Age 14 and older)
Format:
Novel
Subjects:
Bilingual Books
Bullying and Teasing
Colombians and Colombian Americans
Drugs and Alcohol
Mysteries
Orphans
Siblings
Spanish Language
Survival
Translated Books
Violence
Diversity subject:
Latine
Publish Year: 2021
Pages: 147
ISBN: 9781646140442
CCBC Location: Fiction, Montana Ibanez