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Uchenna and Elliot join Professor
Fauna on a trip to the southern border to rescue the mythical chupacabras.
In this borderland adventure of the
Unicorn Rescue Society, Peruvian Professor Fauna whisks Uchenna and the ever reluctant
Elliot out of class and flies them down on a dilapidated plane to Laredo, Texas.
The trio’s mission is to rescue a baby chupacabra, whose pack’s feeding pattern
has been disrupted by a border wall. In this fourth installment of the series,
Gidwitz seeks to provide credibility and authority on border topics by bringing
on Mexican-American author Bowles as a co-writer. However, their effort to
incorporate complex topics—such as environmental and immigration issues—into an
otherwise formulaic and predictable plot falls short, as the complexities of
border life are constantly pointed out and explained by adults. As in previous
installments, one of Professor Fauna’s ex-colleagues makes an appearance to aid
the group in thwarting whatever species-endangering scheme the Schmoke
brothers may have concocted. The encounter between Dr. Cervantes, a Mexican-American
professor teaching at Texas A&M, and her former mentor creates tension
between the adult characters, forcing the children to become spectators who
simply learn and imitate the correct behaviors from adults. Uchenna presents
black and Elliot, white.
An unsubtle and unengaging attempt
to educate children on border issues. (Fantasy.
7-12)
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