ISSAQUAH, Wash. — In 2022, The Newbery is celebrating its 100th anniversary and has honored five books. Just one received the Newbery Medal and that one -- titled The Last Cuentista -- belongs to an Issaquah author, who’s still trying to grasp the gravity of the immense honor.
Donna Barba Higuera said she thought she was joining a video call to discuss a paperback edition of her previous book when the surprise was revealed to her.
“There were all of these faces popping up on the Zoom and it was the Newbery committee from the American Library Association telling me I won the Newbery award. It was a bit of a shocker!” she exclaimed.
Higuera is an optometrist whose third book, The Last Cuentista, is a science fiction-themed folklore story with dystopian themes.
Set in 2061, The Last Cuentista follows 12-year-old Petra Peña and her family leaving Earth to continue the human race after a comet strikes the planet.
Spoiler: They make it to the new planet but Petra is the only one who remembers Earth and must use storytelling to keep her people’s heritage and stories alive.
Cuentista translates to “storyteller” and Higuera said that tends to mean embellished stories. She dedicates the book to her father, saying that she comes from a long line of storytellers.
Higuera said the theme of the book means something different to each reader but the general message is about the important tradition of oral storytelling and what would happen if our stories were forgotten or even erased.
“It’s about remembering Earth but more about remembering what it means to be human," she said.
Higuera is excited to add the prestigious Newbery gold medal sticker to her latest book. It has already been recognized with The Belpre award, which honors Latinx writers and artists whose works "best portray, affirm and celebrate the Latino cultural experience.”
The Last Cuentista is a best seller on Amazon and is also available in audiobook.
The Newbery Medal is the oldest and most prestigious children's literature award that dates back to 1921. It's named 18th-century British bookseller John Newbery.
The annual award honors an outstanding contribution to American children's literature. The past century has seen Newbery Medals awarded to classics like 1962’s A Wrinkle in Time and Beverly Cleary’s Dear Mr. Henshaw from 1991.