Review copy provided by the publisher.

This is an unsubtly sweet book, an homage to Puerto Rico and its people and also a lovely depiction of being a second-culture kid. Nico is a budding filmmaker, desperate to win the approval of the most famous Puerto Rican in the world, filmmaker and musical writer Juan Miguel Baranda. (I said "unsubtly," didn't I?) He's spending a glorious summer with his abuela and his two primos, looking forward to lazy days at abuela's house, glorious snacks, and beach time.

But the three cousins have far more adventure than they bargained for when they encounter a chupacabra--and the rest of the legends of Puerto Rico are not far behind. Nico and his family have to figure out what the mysterious creatures and sublime beings are trying to tell them, before the island they love faces devastation again--this time possibly for good.

Sometimes Nico's angst about his movie career and his parents' relationship slows the pace of this middle grade fantasy, but cousins Nessi and Kira are always there to pick up the pace--and Pineiro succeeds in what Nico hopes to do, painting a portrait of the island he loves so that the rest of the world can see what he loves about it.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy

The Island of Forgotten Gods by Victor Piñeiro is a first person-POV Middle Grade paranormal fantasy set in Puerto Rico. After his latest short film doesn't have the same impact he hoped it would, Nico starts to think of new ideas as he also prepares to spend the summer with his cousins, Kira and Nessi, at their Abuela’s in Puerto Rico. But things take a turn when the three think they've found evidence of a chupacabra.

The island of Puerto Rico serves as a character itself in the story and it truly comes alive in the descriptions and in the citizens. We get side characters who share bits of knowledge, colorful neighborhoods, food, and important recent historical and political moments such as the impact of Hurricane Maria and wealthy Americans buying up property at a rate that is forcing Puerto Ricans to move to mainland USA.

I would say that this book is as much an educational tool and it is an entertaining story. A major theme includes the connection of folklore to history and culture and how it all has manifested in Puerto Rico. Readers will learn a bit about the colonization of the island, the Taíno Indigenous people, the place of Catholicism in modern Puerto Rican culture, the term ‘Buricua’ (which is how many Puerto Ricans refer to themselves), that many Puerto Ricans are descended from the colonizers, the Taíno Indigenous people of the island, and the enslaved people brought by the colonizers, and much more. It's an awesome tool to have in the classroom or library for lessons about the history of the Americas.

Nico’s journey is really his single-minded desire to produce a movie that will impress his dream high school so much that it will override his last attempt and get him a spot for freshman year. He treats Nessi and Kari like his assistants and bemoans when he doesn't get the footage he wants even though he does have some incredible interviews about the island on film. His inability to see the forest for the trees in the wake of his failure is something a lot of young readers will be able to relate to.

I would recommend this to educators looking for books discussing both modern and historical Puerto Rico, readers looking for a book that acknowledges that the Taíno people are still among us and are not relics of the past, and fans of Middle Grade that combine folklore with history and modernity

Nico is supposed to be spending his summer with his parents on a trip from New York to Puerto Rico, so that he can see where he was born. When his parents cancel the trip to “work things out” Nico goes solo. There, he reunites with his cousin and Abuela. Still upset that he was waitlisted by a prestigious art school, Nico hopes winning a prize at a local film festival will help redeem him and earn his admission. The project takes an unexpected turn when Nico’s cousins spot a shadowy creature on the island. As Nico and his cousins investigate the creature, they discover ties to Taino mythology. Soon, family secrets unearth themselves and a secret cult has it out for the group. Will Nico and his cousins be able to stop the creature and the cult? The plot is well written, full of mythology, and mystery.

The characters are likable, realistic, and humorous. The world building is unique and draws the readers into the story. For readers who like fantasy, mythology, and adventure this is a must read. Recommended for most library collections. 5 stars, Gr 3 to 7.

12-year-old Nico’s are trying to work things out again and are on trial separation number 2. A family trip, now turned solo, Nico heads to Puerto Rico to see where he was born. Staying with his Abuela, he reunites with his cousins. Still upset reeling from being waitlisted by a prestigious art school, Nico hopes winning a prize at a local film festival to earn his admission. Thing take an unexpected turn when Nico’s cousins spot a shadowy creature on the island. As Nico and his cousins look into the mysterious creature, they discover more than the bargained for. With ties to Taino mythology, the creature’s presence unearths family secrets and a secret cult has it out for the group. Will Nico and his cousins be able to save the island from the mysterious creature? Will they be able to thwart the cult?

The plot is fast paced, well written, and full of mystery. The characters are humorous, realistic, and engaging. The world building is well developed and draws the readers into the story. For readers who like fantasy, mythology, and adventure this is a must read. Recommended for most library collections.

My thanks for the ARC goes to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Kids. I'm voluntarily leaving a review.

Genre: Fantasy, Mythology
Audience: Upper middle grade, low ya
Content: Kidnapping, parents getting divorced (mention of a woman on the side), and the violence is more related to nature than blood and death

THE ISLAND OF FORGOTTEN GODS sweeps you into the beautiful culture of Puerto Rico.

What's not to love? Kids staying with their abuela on an island paradise, movie-making, and monsters!

This is a fantastic adventure that kids will eat up. It reminds me of Cece Rios and the Desert of Souls, but I think it's for a slightly older audience. Sometimes, I thought the kids used expressions that middle graders would not be familiar with.

My favorite part is the mythology and how the kids peel back the layers until they discover the problem with the island gods. It's an intriguing story.

Happy reading!

Pack your bags and get ready for a fantastic adventure in Victor Pineiro's THE ISLAND OF FORGOTTEN GODS! Pineiro's latest bursts with mythical creatures, humor, and love. The story offers up a tender look at love for Puerto Rico, its culture, the people, and its complicated history. There is Nico's love and dedication to his art (filmmaking) and his determination to make a place for himself in the world. And above all, there is love of family— the ones we're born into (even when they're breaking) and the ones that we find— in this case, in incredibly surprising places.

But above all, this Island is packed with adventure and wonder! Pre-order it, work it into your curriculum, and hand it to readers who love adventures with a twist of the unexpected and fantastical!

Thank you to Sourcebooks Young Readers and Netgalley for the eARC.

I couldn't put down Victor Pineiro's latest middle grade adventure, an absolute love poem to Puerto Rico. This book brims with the island's history, culture, and folklore without ever losing sight of young readers' need for humor and excitement. The characters are instantly relatable, the dialogue is witty and fresh, and the action is edge-of-your-seat. Above all, a deep, deep love for family just glows on every page. This was an unforgettable read. My thanks to Sourcebooks Young Readers for the eARC.

Adventure meets culture in this rollicking love letter to Puerto Rico. Nico, a big dreamer who suffers from anxiety and visions of the Wind Witch, visits his homeland one summer. Determined to capture the footage he needs to redeem himself and win his way into his dream high school, he teams up with his cousins for an adventure the three of them never imagined. Readers who love fast paced, fast talking characters who aren’t afraid to take on mythological creatures, will have a blast with this one.

Nico and his cousins are spending their summer together in Puerto Rico. Nico has the summer to come up with a awesome short film to get into the special film school he wants to get into. As they bike around Nico takes some awesome shots of the island, but he needs more a really new idea for his film, he starts a few times but quickly dismisses the ideas, until a relative tells them about the Chupacabra a monster of those parts and the three teens are sure they have a encounter with the mysterious Chupacabra.
You’ll have to read the rest to find out what happens and if Nico makes it into the special school. But I can tell you beside the suspense there is a ton of action going on all the time around and to the three cousins. This is a wonderful story and it is really hard to put down once you start reading it.

Great for fans of the Riordan line and all the authors on his imprint. It took a while to get into but once that halfway point was reached it became a roller coaster of action and history. Too bad it didn’t come out at the beginning of summer, it would make a great audio book for a road trip.

This was a fun and vibrant book filled with creatures that young readers will obsess over. The incorporation of relevant issues to Puerto Rico was fantastic and will prompt lots of discussion. Overall, I think a wide variety of readers will love this story. Highly recommend.

I just couldn't get into this one. There's plenty of humor so I thought I'd be into it, but the pace was just too slow for me. It was also somewhat hard to feel connected to the MC, who was just sort of exhausting