Reviews

When I first saw the cover of Saving Chupie, I knew it would be special, but I didn't know precisely to what extent. I pre-ordered the book from Barnes & Noble, and my order was canceled. I tried to find the book in Puerto Rico in my local independent bookstores, but it was unavailable. I ordered it from Amazon, and my order was canceled again. This led to me reading the book later than I anticipated and very close to the sixth anniversary of Hurricane Maria. I am so glad that I kept trying until I got the book because it is a gem, and, probably, my favorite read of the year. <3

Saving Chupie, written by Amparo Ortiz and illustrated by Ronnie Garcia, is a middle-grade graphic novel set in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico. It follows Violeta, who is part of the Puerto Rican diaspora in Florida, during her first trip to Puerto Rico. She and her parents are accompanying her grandmother to help her settle back on the island and rebuild her restaurant La Casita, which was destroyed by the hurricane. Violeta has never had any friends and thinks of this visit as her opportunity to make friends and learn more about her culture. In Puerto Rico, she meets Diego and Lorena, who tell her about another threat to Puerto Rico's rebuilding efforts: a chupacabra.

I loved the main characters of the book so much. They felt like real kids that I might have known growing up. They were smart, funny, and kind. I loved the representation both in the writing and the artwork. I loved Lorena's character and how she represents girls in STEM. I loved how the characters all looked so different and so familiar, demonstrating that we Puerto Ricans all look different since we are a mix of races. Ronnie Garcia's artwork is beautiful and vivid. The coloring showcases Puerto Rico's natural beauty; it truly depicts los colores de mi tierra. I hadn't heard of them before, but I will definitely seek other works illustrated by them. The structures and houses depicted look like what I see around me. As an avid reader of comics and graphic novels, I haven't felt this connected to illustrations before.

And the story is lovely and cute. It interweaves themes related to the Puerto Rican diaspora, recovery, resilience, endangered species, friendship, loyalty, pride, and commitment. It highlights how resilient Puerto Ricans are in the face of extreme adversity. It also discussed the importance of accepting and asking for help, demonstrating the value of community. As a Puerto Rican professor who lived on the island and experienced Hurricane Maria, I identified so much with the context and setting of Saving Chupie. This book touched my heart, and I am keeping it to give it to any future kids I might have.

Given that we are in the middle of International Translation Week, I would like to add that this book should also be available in Spanish, but not just any Spanish, Puerto Rican Spanish. It would be a crime not to translate this book. As a professional translator, it would be my honor to translate this into Spanish. I could hear it in our Spanish in my head while reading.

Nada, I don't know how any other book will top this one this year. I don't usually gush about a book to this extent. Please read it.