Donna Barba Higuera

The Last Cuentista: Newbery Medal Winner

$11.29
Last updated Nov 4, 2026 at 2:33am
Donna Barba Higuera

About this product

Winner of the Newbery Medal―a brilliant journey through the stars, to the very heart of what makes us human.
“Gripping in its twists and turns, and moving in its themes ― truly a beautiful cuento.”― New York Times Había una vez . . .
There lived a girl named Petra Peña, who wanted nothing more than to be a storyteller, like her abuelita.
But Petra’s world is ending. Earth has been destroyed by a comet, and only a few hundred scientists and their children ― among them Petra and her family ― have been chosen to journey to a new planet. They are the ones who must carry on the human race.
Hundreds of years later, Petra wakes to this new planet ― and the discovery that she is the only person who remembers Earth. A sinister Collective has taken over the ship during its journey, bent on erasing the sins of humanity’s past. They have systematically purged the memories of all aboard ― or purged them altogether.
Petra alone now carries the stories of our past, and with them, any hope for our future. Can she make them live again?
P R A I S E
“Clever and compelling … wonderfully subversive.”
―The Wall Street Journal
★ “This tale packs a wallop. Exquisite.”
―Kirkus Reviews (starred)
★ “Gripping, euphonious, and full of storytelling magic.”
―Publishers Weekly (starred)
★ “A strong, heroic character, fighting incredible odds to survive and protect others.”
―School Library Journal (starred) A W A R D S
Winner of the John Newbery Medal
Winner of the Pura Belpré Award
BEST OF THE YEAR
TIME - Wall Street Journal - Minneapolis Star Tribune’s - Boston Globe - BookPage - Publishers Weekly - School Library Journal - Kirkus - Bank Street - Chicago Public Library - New York Public Library Read more

Editor's Take

Amazon customer feedback for The Last Cuentista: Newbery Medal Winner is not directly visible in the gathered results, but broader review coverage is strongly positive. Goodreads shows thousands of reader reviews, with many calling it a favorite middle-grade novel and praising its emotional impact, storytelling, and science-fiction premise.

  • Reddit/forum-style discussion was not surfaced in the available results.
  • Review sites like BJU Press and Redeemed Reader describe it as thoughtful, compelling, and award-worthy, though Redeemed Reader notes some unresolved ideas.
  • Sonderbooks calls it lyrical, lush, and gorgeous, with especially high praise for its writing and theme of the power of story.
  • Overall, the available opinions suggest readers admire its originality, hopefulness, and cultural storytelling, with occasional criticism that parts of the story feel underexplored.

Price History

Specifications

Illustrated No

Product Details

Publisher Levine Querido
Publication date October 12, 2021
Language English
Print length 336 pages
ISBN-10 1646140893
ISBN-13 978-1646140893
Item Weight 1.22 pounds
Reading age 10+ years, from customers
Dimensions 5.95 x 1.1 x 8.55 inches
Book 1 of 3 The Last Storyteller
Grade level 5 - 9
Best Sellers Rank #27,969 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #5 in Children's Dystopian Science Fiction Books #32 in Children's Multicultural Tales & Myths #262 in Fantasy for Children
Customer Reviews 4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars (1,976)

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