Reading Group Guide

Wild Dreamers

By Margarita Engle

About the Book

Ana and her mother have been living out of their car ever since her militant father became one of the FBI’s most wanted. Leandro has struggled with debilitating anxiety since his family fled Cuba on a perilous raft.

One moonlit night, in a wilderness park in California, Ana and Leandro meet. Their connection is instant—a shared radiance that feels both scientific and magical. Then they discover they are not alone: a huge mountain lion stalks through the trees, one of many wild animals whose habitat has been threatened by humans.

Determined to make a difference, Ana and Leandro start a rewilding club at their school, working with scientists to build wildlife crossings that can help mountain lions find one another. If pumas can find their way to a better tomorrow, surely Ana and Leandro can too.

Discussion Questions

1. How does the story that Leandro shares about the couple in the cavern foreshadow his relationship with Ana and their rewilding efforts?

2. Indigenous people are mentioned throughout the story, such as the Taíno people from the Caribbean, including Cuba. How are Indigenous cultures connected to the environment? Use examples from the text and further research to support your answer.

3. Ana mentions that the school counselor’s supply closet has everything available, “everything / except dignity.” (p. 28) What does she mean by this? How do you define dignity?

4. When Leandro and Ana touch, they appear to glow. What does this metaphor mean? Why does the glow change color after Leandro experiences a panic attack? Use examples from the text to support your answer.

5. Ana and Leandro immediately feel connected to each other, and their relationship grows stronger when they connect over their shared Cuban roots. Discuss each character’s journey to the San Francisco area. Consider their families’ journeys, and compare Ana and Leandro’s relationship to the relationships Ana’s mom and Leandro’s uncle, Leno, have had in their lives.

6. The poem “Trust” discusses Leandro’s guilt over his father’s death. How does this impact who he is and how Cielo helps him as a service animal? What work or task has Cielo been trained to perform for Leandro?

7. How did Ana’s father become radicalized? How can people have shared identities and experiences, yet completely different outlooks in life? Use examples from the text and your own personal experiences if you feel comfortable sharing.

8. Why doesn’t Ana feed the puma that visits her home? Research the scientific reasoning for this choice.

9. Ana asks, “Wouldn’t ‘community scientist’ / be more inclusive?” (p. 87) What do you think? What is the difference between calling someone a citizen or a community member? Additionally, what does it take to be a scientist? Would you be a community scientist if given the opportunity?

10. The rewilding club is made up of a diverse group of people. How does identity impact how one experiences environmental issues? Use examples from text and your own life to answer.

11. Cielo is described as a singing dog and a “stowaway blue merle puppy” who is then trained as Leandro’s service dog. (p. 3) She is also skilled at scent tracking. What breed could Cielo be? How do her scent skills make her helpful in environmental and conservation work?

12. Ana states that Jane Goodall believes “optimistic young people / can make the changes needed to heal Earth.” (p. 69) What are these changes? Do you agree with Goodall’s statement? Explain your answer.

13. Leandro and Ana consider their college plans. In pairs, discuss where you’re at when it comes to post–high school plans. How do you feel about college? What questions and concerns do you have? Allow the freedom to dream to also guide your conversation. What would you do if no barriers existed?

14. Ana considers Leandro to be brave and strong through his kindness, and she expresses that is all she needs, because “men who think they have to be tough / are wrong.” (p. 122) As a class, discuss the expectations society places on different genders. How do you feel about these expectations? What do you think is the most important trait in a person?

15. The poem “Role Models” lists various people that inspire the characters. In pairs, discuss someone who inspires you and why.

16. When Ana names the puma “Caona,” she claims it is unscientific of her. Why does she think this? What is the importance of a name for a human and for an animal? Expand on your answers with examples from the text and your personal experiences.

17. Discuss Ana’s and Leandro’s different interpretations of Thanksgiving. What is your interpretation? What actions do you take to express gratitude?

18. Leandro says, “Sometimes I feel like you / are my only true home, Ana Tanamá.” (p. 152) What does he mean by this? How is home represented in the novel? Use examples from the text.

19. When Leandro and Ana are able to reunite, they both jump in the water to get to each other sooner. Why was Leandro able to dive into the water despite his anxieties and fear? In what other instances does Leandro face his fears and anxieties throughout the story?

20. When Leandro and Ana find the puma after she has given birth, they argue about which course of action to take. What choices do they discuss? Is there a correct choice? What would you do? What does the puma represent in the story?

Extension Activities

1. There are numerous environmental and nature books discussed in Wild Dreamers. Choose one and write a short reflection on why you think that specific book was included in Wild Dreamers and how it might have influenced the story.

2. The pregnant puma interacts with the characters when she returns night after night to the cottage. Write a poem from the puma’s perspective about Leandro, Ana, the puma’s struggles, why she returns there, or anything else that would fit with the story’s themes and plot.

3. In groups of four, choose one activity from the book’s rewilding club that you could do as a class. Create an event plan and design a poster to invite more students from your school to participate.

4. Throughout the novel, Ana grapples with language, the intentions behind specific words, how they sound, and their impact. For example, she struggles with the words “unhoused” versus “homeless” to describe herself at the beginning of the story. Choose a word to describe a person, whether it be their identity or a lived experience. What is the history of the word, including its origin? Does it have negative connotations? What are the social impacts? As a class, share your words and what you learned.

5. Ana wishes and prays that “there can be safe zones for both—wild creatures and houseless humans.” (p. 9) Using a mix of print and digital sources, write an argumentative essay, make an informational video, or create a presentation about why there aren’t enough safe zones for wild creatures and humans, along with ideas for how to solve the issue.

Note: Page numbers refer to the hardcover edition of this title.

Guide written by Cynthia Medrano, Librarian at the Highland Park Public Library.

This guide has been provided by Simon & Schuster for classroom, library, and reading group use. It may be reproduced in its entirety or excerpted for these purposes.