Solimar: The Sword of the Monarchs Review

Solimar: The Sword of the Monarchs

By: Pam Munoz Ryan

Disney Publishing Worldwide

Disney Hyperion

Children’s Fiction, Middle-grade

Publish Date 1 February 2022

I would like to thank both NetGalley and Disney Publishing for allowing me to read and review this book.

Good Reads Synopsis:

Middle-grade fans of Pam Muñoz Ryan’s Esperanza Rising, will find a new Mexican heroine to love in Solimar and a fresh, magical story!

On the brink of her Quinceañera, and her official coronation, Solimar visits the oyamel forest to sit among the monarch butterflies. There, the sun pierces through a sword-shaped crevice in a boulder, which shines on her and sends the butterflies humming and swirling around her.

After the magical frenzy, she realizes she’s been given a gift—and a burden: she can predict the near future! She has also become a protector of the young and weak butterflies. This alone would be a huge responsibility, but tragedy strikes when a neighboring king invades while her father and brother and many others are away. The remaining villagers are taken hostage—all except Solimar.

Can this princess-to-be save her family, the kingdom, and the future of the monarch butterflies from a greedy and dangerous king?

Written for ages 8 to 12 by the Newbery Honor Medal winner of the highly acclaimed novel Echo.

I really enjoyed this book and gave it 4 stars. The book is a fast read and fairly easy to understand. I don’t know a whole lot of Spanish and that did bring me some issues, but I was able to figure it out to understand what was going on. I understand this book is for middle-grade, but the main character is about to turn to 15 in the story. This book is about a royal family who is getting ready to present the main character Soli, with the princess crown and shoes which will level her up from a child to an adult in their eyes.

The adventures start when Soli discovers that all of sudden, she can foretell the future and she doesn’t know why. She went against the rules and crossed the creek and butterflies were all around her and her reboz. She wants to understand what happen and she goes to her grandma to find out. The two of them go on a small adventure to help her understand what happened. They need to keep this secret but somehow someone found out and want to capture her. Other things are also going on in the story and they do connect in the end. Soli ends up going on an adventure to help her kingdom and family.

Does she save the kingdom and her family? How can she tell the future? You will have to read the book.