By Melissa Cristina Marquez, Illustrated by Maria Gabriela Gama
Publication Date: 2026
Joy for Books Review Score: 98%
Description from Bookshop.org:
Leo is thrilled when he and his family enter a shelter so he can adopt a new pet, but after searching for a while, Leo doesn’t feel the connection he had hoped for and leaves feeling disappointed. On the way home, he and his family see a busy marketplace and find another shelter hidden inside: one for magical creatures! There Leo connects with an alebrije, their bond forming before they can even leave the shelter. But he quickly learns just how much responsibility comes with raising a pet.
Joy for Books reviewer comments: "This is a good read with fun illustrations, and I thought the cultural context was effectively woven in."
By Melissa Cristina Marquez, Illustrated by Maria Gabriela Gama
Publication Date: 2026
Joy for Books Review Score: 98%
Description from Bookshop.org:
Leo is thrilled when he and his family enter a shelter so he can adopt a new pet, but after searching for a while, Leo doesn’t feel the connection he had hoped for and leaves feeling disappointed. On the way home, he and his family see a busy marketplace and find another shelter hidden inside: one for magical creatures! There Leo connects with an alebrije, their bond forming before they can even leave the shelter. But he quickly learns just how much responsibility comes with raising a pet.
Joy for Books reviewer comments: "This is a good read with fun illustrations, and I thought the cultural context was effectively woven in."