RAINING SARDINES

Enriquito and Ernestina are good friends in a small rural village in pre-revolutionary Cuba. On a morning when sardines rain from the sky, they also meet Aguas Clara, la Davinadora on her way to Havana, floating on a couch. Riding along for awhile, the two friends learn a bit about their future. Real life is full of family stories, and saving wild ponies from the evil machinations of the rich landowner in the area whose daughter is as greedy as her father. Soon Enriquito and Ernestina are caught up in keeping the wild ponies safe, understanding the lessons from the past and keeping themselves out of jail. The courtroom scene at the end maintains elements of magical realism as well as a dénouement worthy of a movie of the week. The happy ending is never in doubt, but it’s a lot of fun getting there. The Cuban cultural elements add flavor and spice to what is an essentially familiar melodramatic plot. Nostalgia in a fresh form. (Fiction. 10-14)