Published by Candlewick

Summary:  Juana and her dog Lucas are back for another adventure.  Coming to you from Bogotá, Colombia, Juana does a quick review of all the good things in her life for those who may have missed them the first time in Juana and Lucas.  But then she launches into her big problema:  her beloved Mami has a new friend Luis, and it looks like things are starting to get serious.  Much to Juana’s chagrin, the two get engaged and start planning a wedding. Juana is not excited, and is adamant that she won’t be a flower girl.  She wishes she could meet her father, who, we learn, died in a fire when she was a baby. But Luis is pretty nice, and gradually Juana gets used to the idea of him joining the family and moving to a new casa.  By the last few pages, she is planning where to hang the wedding photos of her new extended family in her new bedroom.  96 pages; grades K-3.

Pros:  Fans of the first book (which won a Belpré Award in 2017) will enjoy the new one just as much.  The large, colorful illustrations are adorable, and fans of Junie B. Jones and Judy Moody will recognize a kindred spirit in Juana.  The Spanish words are given context clues for non-Spanish speakers, and the glimpses of Bogotá make it look like a fun place to visit or live.  Thank you to Candlewick for sending me an advance reading copy of this book.

Cons:  Just like with the first book, I found myself wishing for a list of Spanish words with English translations at the end.

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