Children’s Book Review: The Secret Footprints

Media Type: Print Book
Title: The Secret Footprints
Author: Julia Alvarez
Illustrator: Fabian Negrin
Publisher: Dragonfly Books
Pages: Paperback; 40
Release Date: September 10, 2002
Source: School Library
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Recommended to: Readers who enjoy reading myths and legends.


Difficulty Level: Readers nearing the Middle Grade mark will be able to read this alone. Also good as a parent to child read. 


Add it on: Goodreads / Shelfari / Amazon / B&N

Ciguapas are a secret tribe of beautiful people who live underwater in “cool blue caves hung with seashells and seaweed.” Avoiding humans at all costs, they come out to hunt for food only at night. But the most remarkable thing about the ciguapas is that their feet are on backward. Walking on land, their footprints lead in the opposite direction. This helps them keep the secret of their existence from humans, who, they believe, would cage them and force them to “take baths and do laundry and wash your hands before meals.” But once upon a time, a brave, bold, bright-eyed–and curious–ciguapa named Guapa almost made real her people’s worst fears. Straying too close to a human home one night, Guapa is discovered by a young boy. Escaping, she vows to be more careful. But her curiosity is stronger than her word, and soon she finds herself in the hands of a surprisingly kind human family.