Meet the Costa kids. . .Marco, Pablo, and Olivia are two brothers and a sister who came from the mountains of Ecuador. The three kids grew up in a farmhouse with their parents and very little means. After their dad got a high-paying job, Marco, Pablo, Olivia, and their parents moved to the coast for a fresh start.
The Costa siblings’ lives turn into a wild ride when they make new friends, set on adventures, celebrate traditions, deal with rivals, embark on journeys, and experience things they never thought they could have experienced.
Marco, Pablo, & Olivia is a crafted book filled with nine stand-alone mini-stories that feature Ecuador’s beautiful culture, morality, and magic!
Story Two
Pablo loves animals more than anybody loves their pets. Back in Loja, the Costa siblings had some lovely yet messy dogs for pets, but they will never forget that one special animal they had. A magical alpaca! Pablo tells a flashback story to Diego about how he tried to adopt the magical alpaca, but it was against his parent’s rule to have pets.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Reedsy Discovery. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.
Marco, Pablo, & Olivia: Bella The Alpaca by Ana Cortes is a children’s graphic novel about two brothers and a sister who have come from the mountains of Ecuador. At the tale’s start, we learn the siblings have been in Guayaquil for five days. Guayaquil’s pronunciation and background information might be unfamiliar to many children in the recommended reading age bracket: of 8-13 years. An internet search will give questioning children all the information they seek.
As the story progresses, we learn about Bella, the magical alpaca who resides in Loja. Loja, like Guayaquil, might be unheard of to some. It was to me. Therefore, I quickly searched to learn more about this location. I would suggest looking up this city with your young reader/listener. Knowledge is power!
As I delved back into the story, I learned more about Bella. She’s unlike any alpaca you’d seen before! Her unique abilities will amaze young readers: she can talk and fly. Bella tells the young trio she’s a homeless alpaca. As a pet owner, Bella’s predicament touched my heart. I bet it’ll touch yours too.
Marco, Pablo, & Olivia: Bella The Alpaca had tender moments, danger, action, and adventure. After you read this story, it’s important to stress to your child or class that sneaking out of your home is dangerous. You never know the trouble you’ll run into. Plus, your family will worry about you. This story had a happy ending, but not all real stories do. I would stress to young listeners that they should give a heartfelt apology if they do something wrong. The overall message was lovely: your parents will love you no matter what.
Marco, Pablo, & Olivia: Bella The Alpaca did have some words in Spanish and required outside assistance in background information, but overall the story was lovely. I recommend this story to families with children currently enrolled in elementary school.
Heart Rating System:
1 (lowest) and 5 (highest)
Score: ❤❤❤❤
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