On the Wings of la Noche

Gr 9 Up–A haunting and beautifully crafted novel that explores themes of grief, love, and magical transformation through the life of Estrella “Noche” Villanueva. It’s a story about secrets, trying to understand one’s background and identity, as well as the pain that comes with growth and what it means to face grief. Estrella is devastated by the death of her girlfriend, Dante. While Estrella is a quiet teen who’s passionate about science by day, at night she comes alive as a Lechuza, a mythical owl-like creature that roams, full of strength and supernatural powers. As a Lechuza, Estrella is confident, but her sadness leads her to nightly visits to the lake where Dante drowned, desperate to keep her memory and soul alive. Yet if Dante’s soul lingers, her spirit still being around could lead to Estrella’s own demise. Readers will strongly feel Estrella’s emotions thanks to the author’s intense prose, and the book’s storytelling takes a beautiful spin when a new student enters her school. Jax, also a science enthusiast, deeply connects with Estrella. As they spend more time together, it brings up feelings within Estrella that she thought had been buried. She struggles with understanding herself and is torn between moving on, holding on to her grief, and with her complicated feelings towards Jax.