By Colorado Kids Advisory Board member Jennifer Palkowitsh

Title: The Maldonado Miracle
Author: Theodore Taylor
Publisher: Harcourt
Number of pages:176

What would you do if you were forced to leave your home where you grew up to go to a strange place where you knew no one? Jose Maldonado was forced to leave Mexico and go to America as a "wet back".

In search for his father who came before him to find a job and make a home for the two. Jose runs into a life threatening adventure in a place he knows nothing of. Mistakes can lead to tragedies and then miracles. Thodore Taylor did an excellent job describing Jose's new life, friends and adventures in this book. I would recommend The Maldonado Miracle for fourth through seventh grade, not because it is hard but because some things might be hard for younger kids to understand. You need to be older to understand why certain things happen. This book isn't one that I love, but is good enough for a place on my shelf. The Cay, Air Raid, and The Weirdo are other enjoyable books by Theodore Taylor. Enjoy! (March, 2004)