Once again, kudos to Rick Riordan Presents for putting out a book that middle grade kids will love! Many of my students here in southeast Texas will devour this one.

Combine the legend of La Llorona with a modern female character who takes on a seemingly impossible quest to find her missing friend, and you've got this book. Paola grew up hearing the stories from her mother. As a scientist, Paola is very skeptical. She's believes there's a logical explanation for phenomena. When her best friend goes missing, Paola is determined to use her expertise as a scientist to work out what happened to her friend.

Fans of Rick Riordan will find some common themes in this story.

I've enjoyed everything from the Rick Riordan Presents imprint and this was no exception. I was excited for this #ownvoices look into Latinx folklore and I look forward to the next book in the series!

Paola Santiago and the River of Tears is the story of a scientifically minded 12 year old girl named Paola. Paola has two best friends that she likes to hang out with. When one of her friends go missing she goes on a journey to save her. While on this journey she has to face the fact that science isn't the only important thing in life.
This book is very well written and will put you in the mind of a young Latinx girl who struggles with her cultural identity. Great job Tehlor!

I wanted to like this book so much more than I actually did. And I've had a difficult time pinpointing exactly what it was that kept me from sinking into the story. In the end, I think it's a combination of not enough time developing characters, resulting in somewhat flat cliches that I don't care about as much as I should if I'm going to be willing to follow them through some story choices that feel disjointed and lacking. At times I felt like I was being swept along by the river but not in a satisfyingly adventurous way; more like the confusing, hard-to-get-your-bearings or put your feet under you in a solid connection kind of way.
Because of the beautifully diverse context of the River of Tears, I'm hopeful that Mejia's future novels will benefit from time and feedback to provide a truly immersive and satisfying experience for the reader!

This book is another wonderful addition to the Rick Riordan Presents imprint. Paola Santiago is a scientist-in-training, skeptical of her mother’s superstitious stories of La Llorona and other ghosts that haunt the Gila River. When her best friend Emma disappears and Paola has strange dreams of a spirit taking her, she and her other best friend Dante set out to find their friend. Before long, Paola is lured into the netherworld of lost kids (presumed drowned) fighting the creatures from the Rift, a portal to the Underworld. Paola has to set aside her skepticism and call upon all her inner strength to go into the Underworld to save her friends. The story has it all.. adventure, spooky ghosts, an adorable demon puppy, a thrilling finale, and an amazing, heart-felt friendship story.

Great beginning with likeable characters and strong friend dynamics. Love the inclusion of the La Llorona legend. Another stellar addition to the Rick Riordan Presents imprint.

I guess I should start out by saying that I have always been a pretty big fan of mythology of all kinds, so my opinion on this one might be a bit biased, but I loved this one. It's a fun new take on the legend of La Llorona, a legend which has always intrigued me. Super fun middle-grade read that I wish I could experience for the first time again. I hear that it's a series, and I really look forward to getting to read the next one.

Any book from Rick Riordan Presents probably needs no introduction or book-talking to make it appealing to readers. Here are my thoughts anyway. Paola's story deals with Mexican and Southwestern folklore such as chupacabras and the legend of La Llorona (the Crying Woman). But it also deals with racial prejudice, differences between economic classes, immigration services, and the difficulty of growing up.

Paola relies on science because she dislikes and distrusts her mother's Tarot cards, incense, candles, and other "superstitious garbage that didn't work." Focusing on hard facts and researching scientific phenomena help Pao to feel in control and as if she is standing on her own, separate from her mother's beliefs. But when her friend Emma disappears and Pao's off dreams seem to give her clues to what happened, she might have to be more open-minded about spiritual things.

With some help from her friend Dante (despite their recently weird boy/girl awareness messing up their comfrotable friendship), Pao decides she will have to rescue Emma. After all, the police are notorious for not taking Latinx kids seriously, so they are on their own. Well, except there may be other forces trying to put an end to the creepy happenings along the Gila River. Can Pao and Dante trust these strangers with their friend's safety?

The story perfectly captures the way teens (and even preteens) try to distance themselves from their parents by embracing different values. With Pao it is science versus spiritualism, but it can take many forms. It also shows the awkwardness that can slip into boy-girl friendships as the friends realize they may also have romantic feelings. And there is the pain and resentment of friends that are growing up and beginning to find interests and new friends outside that tight bond that has always been there.

Mejia has perfectly captured that rocky area of middle school when kids are stuck between the childhood years and the teen years, still trying to hang onto what is comfortable but also wanting to strike out on their own. Trying to deal with all of that would be hard enough, but then there are the recent kidnappings in the area, Emma's disappearance, La Llorona and the other supernatural creatures, money problems, ICE raids on their neighbors, and it seems too much even for someone of Pao's determination.

Those who are new to the imprint will want to try out the other authors in Rick Riordan Presents. Those who are already fans will welcome this new addition and eagerly await the next book in the series.

Tehlor Kay’s writing didn’t seem very conducive to middle graders. There were so many words and ideas that I think would go over a middle grader’s head (she used the word “magnanimous” in the beginning of the book, which is one I barely use as a grown woman). And the times when the author was clearly trying to write to that age group felt a bit forced and corny. For example, the way she was describing Paola’s budding crush feelings was really stiff… it seemed like she didn’t quite know how to describe the butterflies for a 12-year-old, and so she just called those feelings silly or annoying.

I was confused about the mythology itself. I still don’t quite understand how all of the kids at camp got to be there, and how Paola and Dante went from their world to the mythological one in a cactus field, and so many other things. I’m hoping that this world and underworld will make more sense in forthcoming books in the series. Because at this point I’m just confused. To me, the wrong parts were overexplained, and other aspects I had questions on were not explained enough.

Paola was an excellent main character. An incredibly science-driven and mature girl who isn’t about nonsense and knows what the dangers and prejudices she will have to face because she is Latina.

I’m definitely looking forward to the next book in this series, and to see where the author takes Paola next. Paola and her story have a lot of potential.

This book deeply hit home to me.
I loved that I was able to discuss this book with my mother because we have a HUGE Mexican american family. I loved the out of this world yet so close to home adventure that Pao goes on with her best friend Dante to find and save their friend Emma ( my name is Emily by the way and I go by Emma....was a very scary story for me)

My mother knew of the stories of La Llorona and the Gila River. As a lite girl she was told of the Cuco.
Knowing all this made the story more relatable and enjoyable. The funny little add ins of how kids get hit with chanclas...I LOVED IT!
I'm so excited and can't wait for the next book and hope to get a chance to review it.

4/5
Thank you to NetGalley and Rick Riordan Presents for sending me a free early copy to review!
I love the intros Rick Riordan writes for the books under his imprint, they're so wholesome and lovely and they just get me so excited to read the book.  This one was spooky which I'm not normally a fan of because I'm a scaredy-cat but this one was ok and definitely appropriate for middle grade readers.  There was a little bit of confusion for me throughout the book about what the goal was but as it went on I had a better understanding though it wasn't a clear laid out plan like most quest based books.  I liked the idea of a possible crush between long time friends because I feel like that's a really relatable thing for readers especially in this age group and trying to navigate that is really difficult and I haven't really seen it done like this before.  Overall it was a really fun read with just the right amount of spookiness, especially for the age group.  The ending was really well done, it wrapped things up while also leaving some unanswered questions to build on in the future and I'm excited to see where the sequel goes. I will definitely be picking up future installments and keeping an eye out for other books by the author.  This is a really great book about friendship, and forgiveness and I'm really curious to see the future of the potential crushes between the main characters and how they will navigate that.
TW/CW kidnapping, violence, death, murder, injury/bodily harm

As a fan of the Rick Riordan Presents series, I was a bit disappointed with this book. The author characterized Pao as a scientist, but she didn't really act like one. I also found the treatment of Marissa, the lost girl in the desert, problematic. When she is first mentioned, she is just the lost girl. When she pops up later, suddenly she has a whole back story with Pao. It felt like the author was just throwing things in as convenient rather than crafting a well-plotted story.

That said, the book has a lot of great action sections that I think kids will enjoy.

Anytime I see a book that is coming out from the Rick Riordan Presents, I immediately add it to my TBR. And anytime I see a book from that publisher, along with being an author I’ve already loved and adored, I know that I am going to like it! And though this one had it’s faults, I still really liked it and can’t wait to read the next one!


Paola is all about science. She’s completely different from her mom who embarrasses her with all her superstitions. But when her friend goes missing after another girl has already been gone a year, her and her friend Dante do their best to try to save Emma. Along the way they run into so many things she thought were made up…..


Ok so I liked this because I like Mejia’s writing. I loved her world-building and writing style. But for some reason I wasn’t as into it as with her other books? Maybe because this was a MG? Whatever it is I just didn’t fall for it like her others.


After writing it out there, I’m thinking it was the main character. Paola was just really mean. I’m thinking it’s going to be a reason she’s like that that hasn’t come up yet, but I just couldn’t take her throughout the book. She was mean and rude and I didn’t care for it.


As for the plot, I did think it was kind of slow. She didn’t run in to that many myths or ghosts, so it was basically just her going around being mean to every one? But the myths and hints of their culture (like the magical chancla? BRILLIANT) are definitely what made the rest of the book for me.


This had it’s flaws, but it was also really good. I can’t wait to read more Paola, as a new and improved character. Rick Riordan’s imprint is definitely a favorite and will ALWAYS be my first pick for all middle grades!

*Thank you NetGalley and publisher for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*

Another Rick Riordan Presents imprint does it again! Paola Santiago puts her faith in science and concrete facts rather than her mom’s tales and superstitions about chupaccabras and La Llorona. She is sucked into it (not by choice) when her friend, Emma, is kidnapped. Will Paola find her light as she is faces the very Mexican folklore and myths that she doesn't believe in?

With so many engaging characters, this was a fun action-packed read. Definitely recommend!

As always, the Rick Riordan Presents imprint does another heritage justice. This is a stunning tale of adventure where characters and setting are as strong as the story.

I don't read middle grade books that often, and the ones I do are usually ones I grew up with. I loved the sound of this book, and I'm so happy that I can honestly say it was a fantastic read! The pacing is just perfect, giving us a gradual buildup and then full steam ahead.

I appreciated the themes of friendship, not appreciating what you have and seeing people in a different light. The ending was a total surprise to me and I really enjoyed it. The book’s nuanced look at the nature of stories (and at the motives of storytellers) is a delight, asking the reader to simultaneously think more critically and be more open-minded about folktales. At first I was wondering how these kids would be able to do what many adults in the story couldn’t do. But Tehlor did an awesome job of bringing it all together. I’m hoping that this author has a sequel up their sleeve because I would love to find out what happens next!

Generally speaking, you know what you're in for with this book. As with any of the "Rick Riordan presents" books, we have a regular kid who is confronted with the reality of myth or folk lore. There's magic, spirits, and an over-arching villain who must be defeated within a specific time frame. This book shines in the details that have been fitted into that framework. It's more than just a different culture. Pao's life experiences are unique. She's facing borderline poverty, racism and classism. The world seems designed to prevent her from advancing. And with her interest in science, she's dismissive of folklore as nonsense. She sees her mother's interests as not only foolish, but potentially damaging. This adds to the conflict on multiple levels. And her interest in science informs her approach to the challenges she faces.

Paola Santiago has never believed in her mom’s tales and superstitions about chupaccabras and La Llorona. Instead, she puts more stock in science and things she can explain. When her friends, Emma gets kidnapped, however, Dante’s grandmother gives them an Arma de Alma and sends them to the River of Tears. When they cross over, the two soon discover that the tales are true. An unseen force is kidnapping children and draining them of their life force. With the help of Los Niños de Luz, the duo will have to face the force head on. Will they be able to save Emma? What force could be worse than La Llorona? Action-packed and full of mystery, this adventure is engaging and easy to read. The Spanish intermixed in the text meshes well into the story, is easy to figure out in context, and doesn’t overwhelm the story. The characters are likable, flawed, and easy to relate to. Fans of Rick Riordan, mythology, fantasy, and adventure will enjoy reading this book. The characters are of Latino descent.

I found this book to such a fun and diverse read. I really loved the mythology and story this book tackled. I think it had some of my fav middle grade elements, like exploring myths, friendship and story connections to modern day. I really liked how this book looked at how mexican children have realtionships with the police. I think the pacing at points was not the strongest and sometimes the pacing laged a bit and did not keep me as eagaged toward the second half of the book. But overall I really grew to the like the characters and the world overall. Will def read book 2 for sure.

Rick Riordan Presents has become my most read Middle Grade books. I love folklore and Tehlor Kay Mejia really delivered with an amazing novel that provides a whole new version of an old legend. I found Paola incredibly likable and I understood, as a daughter myself, how tense a mother/daughter relationship can be. I was delighted to be introduced to a new culture and couldn't not put this book down. The themes of family and friendship were both moving and very real. Overall this was fantastic and I cannot wait for more!