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Description
Sent with her governess to live with the dreadful Carter family in exotic Brazil in 1910, Maia endures many hardships before fulfilling her dream of exploring the Amazon River.
Quick Summary
If your kid loved *The Secret Garden* or *A Little Princess*, they'll probably adore this one too it has that same satisfying feeling of a lonely orphan finding her real people and place in the world. Set in the Amazon in 1910, it's full of jungle adventures, weird and wonderful animals, and a governess who might be the most lovable grump you've ever met. Ibbotson really makes you *feel* the heat and the magic of the river, and there's a wonderful friendship that develops along the way that makes the whole journey worthwhile. It's funny in spots (the governess is hilariously grumpy), but it also has some genuinely tense moments when things go wrong on the river, so it's not all easy sailing. This is a great pick for middle-graders who like stories about friendship, belonging, and a little bit of adventure plus they'll probably come away knowing way more about the Amazon than they did before.