Nestor has moved a lot. His dad is in the military and so he and his mom has spent their lives following him around from base to base. They have moved so often that Nester doesn't bother to unpack. He doesn't bother to get to know anyone. Why make friends with people if you are just going to move again in a few months. Nestor spends his time drawing and talking to the local animals. Yes, that's right. He can talk to animals. He discovered this skill when he was pretty young.

Now, Nester is in another new town and a new school and it looks like they might be hanging around for a little longer than usual. He's starting to make friends and together, they have a mystery to solve. Nester needs to enlist the help of his new friends and the local wildlife to help catch the thief who is kidnapping the other animals ini town.

This is a fun and suspenseful story that keeps you wondering who the culprit is and if they will be able to solve the mystery in time.

A really lovely middle grade book about the power of found family and embracing your powers, be they magical or just the wonder of friendships

The Total Eclipse of Nestor is a middle grade story has everything a kid could ask for: adventure, great friends, a heartfelt story and a kid who can TALK TO ANIMALS!

As a result of my various committee appointments and commitments I am unable to disclose my personal thoughts on this title at this time. Please see my star rating for a general overview of how I felt about this title. Additionally, you may check my GoodReads for additional information on what thoughts I’m able to share publicly. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read this and any other titles you are in charge of.

This is such a fun story, perfect for fans of Rick Riordan's books. Nestor is tired of moving. Because of his dad's deployments, he has been the new kid 6 times. When he and his mom move in with his Abuela, instead of being on a military base, Nestor soon finds himself in the middle of a dark mystery. Animals are disappearing, the children are warned to stay out of the woods, and Nestor suspects his Abuela is somehow involved. Nestor has his own secret: he can talk to animals. Can Nestor trust his new friends with his secret? Can they find out what is really happening, and stop it?
I love the characters in the story, both human and animal, and the twists and turns. While there are magical problems, there are also real-life problems for Nestor to deal with as he navigates school, friends, an adversary, and something much more frightening.
Kids will love this exciting story, the Cuban stories and language threaded through it, and Nestor's humorous personality. And of course, the animal characters provide plenty of comedy and drama. Overall, a really fun, enjoyable read!

Nestor Lopez isn't like most sixth graders. As an Army brat, he's lived in lots of places and attended many different schools, and is now starting school once again in New Haven, Texas, his dad's hometown. But now that's not the unusual part about Nestor: he can talk to animals. He's never told anyone, and it's just one more reason to keep his distance from people, to prevent himself from getting too attached. After all, it's only a matter of time until he moves again. But New Haven is different. Pets all over town have been disappearing, and there are rumors that a witch is responsible... and that Nestor's Abuela is the witch! In a race against time, Nestor and his friends--both human and fuzzy--must save the animals, clear Abuela's name, and stop the real witch.

This brilliant debut is funny and heartfelt, and Nestor is a brilliant character and narrator. Cuevas deftly navigates the motions and emotions that Nestor goes through as he not only seeks to solve the mystery of the Witch, but as he lives as a military kid and being the "man of the house" while his dad is overseas--and all the complicated feelings that come with that, especially as Nestor rotates between wanting his dad around to guide him and help him, to wanting to make his dad proud, to the anxieties and fears about your father being in an active warzone. Cuevas is definitely one to watch as she continues to write for middle-grade!

https://www.statesman.com/entertainmentlife/20200716/rsquocinderella-is-deadrsquo-total-eclipse-of-nestor-lopezrsquo-and-more-for-kids-to-read

As a kid, I always dreamed of being able to talk to animals, and for Nestor, this is reality. This debut Middle Grade really nails the voice and has everything readers of this age love; talking animals, a witch in the woods, and a plucky main character. The main character's father is off on military duty, which was an interesting perspective to read about how he and his father keep in touch. This book was fun to read and has wonderful ties to folklore and LatinX culture.

I didn't get to read the whole book. My download kept skipping pages. The pages I got to read were fun and I will be purchasing this title for my school library. I got to meet the author virtually and the story is an important one.

I enjoyed reading this wonderful middle grade book. The protagonist is a lovable preteen trying to find his way in the world. He has a huge secret and he is the new kid at school. This book was wonderfully written. I love the incorporation of full spanish phrases and how his culture seems to permeate through his life. I would recommend this book to any child between the ages 10 and 14. I think it would be a great way to also learn about different animals in a zoology unit. I will be purchasing this book for my classroom!

This book was a pleasant surprise. I tend to enjoy mostly realistic fiction because that is what I grew up with. There are many realistic parts in this one, but there is also enough fantasy to attract my students who really prefer to stay away from stories based in the real world. Nestor is an army kid who has been all over the country as his father was sent from base to base. His mother and he move to a small town in Texas to join his Abuela while his father is deployed to Afghanistan.

Nestor does not even bother to unpack because he figures their stay New Haven will be short. He is rather jaded about moving around and developing friendships, after all he has had ten first days of school and he is only in the sixth grade. Despite his apprehension of making friends, he ends up becoming close with some classmates. There also are some mysterious happenings in the woods behind Abuela’s house and many pets from the town have gone missing. Most of the town is suspicious about Abuela’s involvement in the animal disappearances. Nestor also has a unique ability that he hides from everyone--he can talk to animals and they talk back! Without giving too much away, the animals and humans take on an evil witch.

This novel was fast paced and heartfelt. I have students that move often and have military parents, so they will be able to relate to Nestor and his life. Many of my kids will love the fantasy aspects of the story and who doesn’t love a battle with good versus evil?

Such a great read! I can not wait to add this to my classroom library. The relationships between the friends was really refreshing to read about. I also really like the fantasy element to the story. Nestor being able to talk to animals and the mystery aspect of the witch.

I truly believe that representation in the classroom matters and I love the Hispanic characters in this story. Having taught Spanish-speaking students, they absolutely love when they read books that have Spanish incorporated in the book. They love to teach their peers what the words mean. This is a great book to add to a classroom library.

This book was everything I hoped it would be and more: creepy, magical, heartfelt and funny. The pacing was spot-on, and the adventure was perfectly balanced with the more emotional aspects of the story. I will definitely be purchasing for my 7th grade classroom.

This is a great story with full of fantasy and adventure with elements of culture tied in that will be perfect for my middle school classroom. My students are going to love this character and this plot line.

Something strange is happening in New Haven, Texas. Animals are disappearing and sightings of unusual animals have been reported. Nestor is new to town and has moved in with his abuela. He and his friends try to defeat a shape-shifting tule vieja. Nestor has a special gift that allows him to talk and understand animals. Will this be enough to beat the power-hungry witch?
This magical book was entertaining and easy to read. So many of my students will be able to relate to Nestor, because he is always moving to new schools. I loved the animal trivia that was meticulously placed throughout. This will be the perfect book to recommend to my students looking for witch books that are not too scary.

Nestor Lopez doesn’t expect to be in his new town long, despite the fact that him and his photo-taking addicted mom are currently living with his grandmother. After all, he’s already had 10 First Day of School’s, and even though he met Maria Carmen and Talib, he doesn’t expect to stay long enough for the three of them to become friends.Unfortunately, his new town isn’t just perfect Main St., USA. Shortly after arriving, he hears stories of animals and pets going missing into the nearby woods and never returning, and when he notices his grandmother disappearing into the trees with a kitchen knife, it doesn’t help to the local rumors that she’s a witch. Nestor himself has a secret that may come off a little witchy if he doesn’t keep it to himself: he can talk to animals.

The animals he does encounter are certain that his grandmother isn’t behind anything spooky, but something is definitely going on, and it involves a witch who can drain an animal’s energy during an eclipse. Funny enough, an eclipse is coming, and it’s up to Nestor and his new friends to figure out just the way to stop her.

One of the best aspects of this chapter book was the focus it had on friendship, military families, bullies, and handling fear. While Nestor does has a dad, we never see him due to his work as a soldier. This plays a lot into Nestor’s deep seated fears, how he handles them, and why he’s so averse to making friends when he feels like he’ll be moved at any moment. The most magical part of this novel is when Nestor realizes that making friends is worth it, and that a home is not just a place you grow up, but where you make it. With the animals provide a humorous relief from the suspense throughout the book, the powerful friendship displayed and the action of overcoming your fears to save your family and friends is what really binds this book together.

Thank you to NetGalley for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Nestor Lopez is not your typical sixth-grader. His dad is in the military so he and his mom move around a lot. He is a fantastic artist. Oh, and he can talk to animals. Nestor and his mother are now staying with his paternal abuela in New Haven, Texas, where nothing ever happens. Except recently, animals have gone missing – livestock, pets, and wild animals. Turns out there’s a witch hanging out in the woods around town. The neighbors think that Nestor’s abuela is somehow involved in the mysterious disappearances of the animals. Can Nestor clear his grandmother without the whole town finding out his secret?
This is a fantastic middle grade book – a great mix of folklore and contemporary realistic fiction. It is the type of book you don’t want to put down! I would definitely recommend for fifth grade and up.
#TheTotalEclipseOfNestorLopez #NetGalley

This is a fun read that incorporates fantasy, friendship and Latinx culture. Nestor's relationship with his military dad is also an interesting component that is not often found in middle grade novels. Nestor's friends are easily accepting of his unusual talent and each add their own contributions to solving the problem. I would recommend it to fans of magical realism.

I enjoyed this one; quick read and I wanted to keep reading to know what happened next. I liked Nestor and his friends a lot. I appreciated that they did an activity like trivia club and didn't think it was dorky or weird. I think most middle grade students would enjoy this one, but animal lovers will for sure.

An odd group of kids coming together to fight a witch is something you have probably read before. However, Nestor's story stands out because he is holding up a mirror for every child whose parent has been deployed and every child who is Lantix. Personally, this is the first story I have encountered with this specific perspective. Laden with Cuban culture that helps the reader feel enveloped by Nestor's family. The ability to speak to animals is the ideal plot twist for this spooky story and exactly what he needs to defeat a witch. Children ages 11 and up will look at animals in a different light after reading this.