New Spanish-Language Books Releasing in February

Natalie’s uplifting story of using the scientific process to “save” her mother from depression is what Booklist calls “a winning story full of heart and action.”When Natalie’s science teacher suggests that she enter an egg drop competition, Natalie thinks that this might be the perfect solution to all of her problems. There’s prize money, and if she and her friends wins, then she can fly her botanist mother to see the miraculous Cobalt Blue Orchids–flowers that survive against impossible odds. Natalie’s mother has been suffering from depression, and Natalie is sure that the flowers’ magic will inspire her mom to love life again. Which means it’s time for Natalie’s friends to step up and show her that talking about a problem is like taking a plant out of a dark cupboard and giving it light. With their help, Natalie begins an uplifting journey to discover the science of hope, love, and miracles. A vibrant, loving debut about the coming-of-age moment when kids realize that parents are people, too. Think THE FOURTEENTH GOLDFISH meets THE THING ABOUT JELLYFISH.

THE HUNGER GAMES as you’ve never seen it before — in a remarkable illustrated edition.   Even at the age of sixteen, Katniss Everdeen knows it takes hard work, keen observation, and inner fortitude to survive in the world. Her home, District 12, is under the merciless rule of the Capitol, continually forced to pay after losing a long-ago civil war in the nation of Panem.   One of the ways the Capitol keeps control is its annual Hunger Games, a televised fight to the death featuring two young tributes from each of Panem’s twelve districts. This gruesome battle is meant to send home a chilling message: Rebellion will always be punished.   When Katniss finds herself within the Hunger Games arena, she knows the odds aren’t in her favor. Any wrong move will end her life — and even the right moves come with a cost. But if she can survive, there is a chance the districts may survive as well…   The Hunger Games has enthralled millions of readers in its examination of the price of war, human nature, and the powerful force of both love and resistance. Now it appears for the first time in a deluxe illustrated edition, with spellbinding art from internationally acclaimed artist Nico Delort.

“When one twin dies, is the other still a twin or should they be called something else?”   That’s Elio’s first thought after Eva, his twin sister, inseparable companion and best friend, is killed in a fall from a roof.   Without Eva – smart, inquisitive, demanding, passionate defender of justice – who is Elio? Who is Mónica, their mother, a million miles distant from her teenage daughter? And what role does Mateo play, the psychiatrist whose job it is to help Elio manage the pain of losing his sister, when it still isn’t clear if her fall was an accident, or she was pushed?   Elio may not know the right term for a person who has lost their twin, but he does know that Eva is gone. She flew away, like she always wanted.   Now he must decide how to understand what happened to his sister, as well as how to move forward with his own life.

It used to be that when I heard people talk about the importance of “knowing oneself,” I didn’t understand what they meant. When you’ve been living with yourself for thirty years, what exactly is left to know? Is there really anything you’d be surprised to discover? In our daily lives, we encounter thousands of feelings, people, slights and situations that make us uncomfortable. Identifying them and knowing which ones we can do something about and which ones we can’t is crucial to answering nagging questions such as: Why am I being so sensitive? Why am I always on the defensive? Why do I feel anxious? What exactly is going on with me?    That’s why, dear friend, we need to talk. Let’s take a moment to get to know each other, correct our misperceptions, accept and forgive… and, most of all, say good riddance to the things we need to get rid of.  Let’s see if we can start loving each other the way we deserve to be loved. It’s about time.

Alexander Cold, his grandmother Kate, and his closest friend Nadia return in the follow-up to City of the Beasts on a new quest to find the fabled Golden Dragon of the Himalayas, another fantastical voyage of suspense, magic, and awe-inspiring adventure from internationally celebrated novelist Isabel Allende.   Not many months have passed since teenager Alexander Cold followed his bold grandmother into the heart of the Amazon to uncover its legendary Beast. This time, reporter Kate Cold escorts her grandson and his closest friend, Nadia, along with the photographers from International Geographic, on a journey to another location far from home.   Entering a forbidden sovereignty tucked in the frosty peaks of the Himalayas, the team’s task is to locate a sacred statue and priceless oracle that can foretell the future of the kingdom, known as the Golden Dragon.   In their scramble to reach the statue, Alexander and Nadia must use the transcendent power of their totemic animal spirits—Jaguar and Eagle. With the aid of a sage Buddhist monk, his young royal disciple, and a fierce tribe of Yeti warriors, Alexander and Nadia fight to protect the holy rule of the Golden Dragon—before it can be destroyed by the greed of an outsider.