Nestor Lopez is Cuban and for the first time in a long time not living on base while his father is deployed. He’s living with his mom and abuela, his dad’s mom, who the town thinks is killing missing pets. Among the missing is an entire herd of pigs.
Nestor’s disturbed when he finds several of the pigs’ tags in his abuela’s kitchen and even sees her entering the woods with a knife. He starts to wonder if the townspeople are right, she’s a witch.
But the forest animals tell him a different story. Because Nestor, like his abuela, can talk to animals. Now, their stories aren’t exactly coherent – something about a witch that’s also a wolverine. Nestor can’t make sense of it, not until near the end.
In any case, there are traps set up all over the woods, but not by Nestor or his two best buds from school. Two friends he’s been very careful to not make in other towns, because he’s afraid his mom and dad will need to move again in a matter of weeks or months.
If he reveals he can talk to animals, will he lose their friendship? When he needs it most to save the missing animals and his abuela?
This was a fun fantasy, sure to touch on every kids’ desire to talk to their pet or their favorite animal.
