The Arctic Quest

by Minda Gomez

Let your imagination soar in this exciting illustrated adventure!

Rico, Diego, and Araceli Martinez’s road-trip to Mexico just got a lot more exciting, thanks to an incredible gift that turns them into Arctic animals through virtual reality!

As they scurry, fly, and lumber through the Arctic, will they work together to complete Don Toño's challenge in time? Will they keep their promise to their parents as they explore with their new friends?

You will love following the adventures of these spunky bilingual siblings, and will savor their deliciously warm Navidad celebration in Mexico!

Social-Emotional Themes and Values:

Cooperation
Responsibility
Perseverance
Encouragement

Themes:

Social-Emotional Learning
Mexican Culture and Foods
Spanish Language
Bicultural Families

131 pages, Paperback

Published July 30, 2022

About the author

Minda lives in Minnesota with her husband and three spunky bilingual kids. Their family has created their own brand of "Mexigringo" as they blend their Papi's Mexican culture with their Mami's Minnesotan culture.

Minda is a teacher of English Learners at a local elementary school. She has taught second grade in Mexico and volunteered in Guatemala, Peru, and other parts of Latin America.

Minda is passionate about teaching children to be proud of their bilingual superpowers. She is hopeful that her readers and her own kids will identify with the Martinez family, and remember that speaking more than one language is one of the many things that can make a kid special.

Reviews

[Caron Pescatore · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG! This was such a fun read and so educational! Not only do readers learn many Spanish words AND the correct pronunciation, but they also learn about various Mexican foods and how to prepare them. Minda Gomez's Arctic Quest provides all of that, and it's also entertaining!

The Martinez family, Mami, Papi, Rico, Diego, and Araceli, are on a road trip, heading to Mexico to spend Christmas with their Tito and Tita. Before leaving for their trip, neighbor Don Toño gives them a gift which they later discover is a means to accessing the virtual reality world we read about in book #1. As with the first book, the story presents situations where young readers can learn important life lessons about selfishness, responsibility, family loyalty, and much more.

My mouth watered as I read about the many delicious Mexican foods. At the beginning of the book is a chart listing all the Spanish words used in the story along with definitions AND proper pronunciation! Furthermore, because the Martinez children are learning Spanish, whenever a character uses a Spanish word, they give the English meaning. So when Diego's Tita (his grandmother) says, "¡Feliz Navidad! Bienvenido a nuestra casa." Diego translates it in his head—"Merry Christmas. Welcome to our house."

Ms. Gomez found her groove with this second story; I read the first book, The Secret Door, and enjoyed it very much (I rated that one 5 stars). This one is so much better! If you're looking for a book that entertains children while introducing them to another language and culture and teaches them essential life lessons, then this is the book for you! The Arctic Quest is muy chido (very cool!) Enjoy!

[Bailey Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Arctic Quest a Martinez Kids Adventure is the second book in a wonderful children's chapter book series! I read the second book before the first and love that you can read these books out of order without feeling lost! The Martinez Kids have the coolest neighbor in the world! Don Tono is an inventor who asks the kids to help him test out his virtual reality products. While in the world of virtual reality, the kids are able to go on incredible adventures as various animals. This book is extremely descriptive and fun making the reader feel like the kids really are in the arctic! I loved that the story occasionally flipped back and forth from virtual reality to a Mexican Christmas without loosing its themes of cooperation, responsibility, and understanding things from another's point of view. All siblings have struggles from time to time and this story is a great illustration of how important it is to work out problems. Everything works out better when you take the time to think of how others might feel and what is truly fair. There are many lessons to be learned from this book but the lesson siblings can learn is my favorite! I also loved that this book is about a bicultural family. The blend of Mexican-American traditions, language, and food is amazingly accurate. The reader learns how Christmas is spent in Mexico and learns some fun Christmas traditions! I loved the use of Spanish throughout this book. Almost always the meaning of the Spanish word or phrase used is explained or the English version is mirrored in the next sentence. This pattern makes it easy for the reader to learn Spanish without referring to the glossary. Overall, I loved this children's chapter book! It is fun, imaginative, educational, and the sibling relationships are extremely relatable!

[Kris Reguera · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic, illustrated chapter book which includes many Spanish words for you! It read it easily in English and I love to see illustrations in chapter books. And there’s adorable animals in it, too!

The Arctic Quest, by Minda Gómez is the second of a series of books that take us on fun adventures while we learn some Spanish language and Hispanic culture without even realizing (this part is for the kids) and I can’t wait to lend it to my students!

[Lesley Barklay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Join Rico, Diego, and their little sister Araceli, as they travel to Mexico to visit their grandparents--and take an unexpected detour to the Arctic along the way. My nine-year-old daughter was captivated by this adventure. With beautiful illustrations, smatterings of Spanish, and a strong message about the benefits in getting along with your siblings, parents and children alike will be delighted with this beautiful book.

Well worth a read!

[Dia Mixon · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Arctic Quest is an incredibly engaging read! Through super descriptive storytelling, Gomez is able to take readers on a journey to the Arctic. It is a bilingual adventure with humor, relatable characters, and fun facts about the Arctic. What more could you ask for in a story?! I really love how seamlessly the lessons about the Arctic animals are woven into the story. Readers can really learn something under the guise of a family adventure tale:) I am looking forward to reading more Martinez Kids Adventures!

[Ash · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Arctic Quest by Minda Gomez is a sweet story about a family going on a road trip to visit their grandparents in Mexico for Christmas. On the way, the kids find themselves in the middle of a wild adventure thanks to three pairs of virtual reality glasses and their neighbor, Don Toño. The adventure is interrupted by their arrival to Mexico, and initially, the kids would prefer to be back on their wild adventure; however, they learn to treasure time with their family and learning about new traditions. After enjoying time with their family in Mexico, the Martinez family begins the journey home, and the kids resume their special adventure that makes the drive from Mexico to Minnesota seem like just a matter of minutes and challenges them in more ways than they had thought.

This is a phenomenal book that takes your imagination on a wild ride while simultaneously supporting young reader's Spanish-language learning and exposing them to Mexican culture. It is a fun, engaging story that you don't want to miss out on!

[April · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this book in a giveaway. It was mailed and signed by the author, which was a special surprise for my daughter.

It's super cute. I love that it's a chapter book, but still has illustrations through out (including a map). It is educational and informative about both Mexico and the Arctic. My daughter is receiving a montessori homeschool education, so I will be adding this to her continent boxes. It has a recipe, so that adds a sensorial element to the experience. It also includes some Spanish vocabulary.

Highly recommend.

[Reader Views · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The Arctic Quest” written and illustrated by Minda Gomez is the second book in the Martinez Kids Adventures featuring, you guessed it—the Martinez kids—Rico, Diego, and Araceli! It’s a delightful romp full of new and exciting adventures that will appeal to kids of all ages.

It’s the holiday season and the Martinez family is leaving the winter wonderland of Minnesota to celebrate the season with their grandparents in Mexico. Initially, the kids aren’t very excited about going to a place that won’t involve a white Christmas, but before they leave, their neighbor, Don Tono, presents them with the gift of virtual reality with his latest invention. The gift comes with stipulations, however, and they must work together as they become animals of The Arctic to complete Don Tono’s challenge.

There is so much to discover in this story and I have nothing but kudos for Minda Gomez for this special treat. Through themes of teamwork, responsibility, patience and support for one another, the Martinez kids take readers on a unique adventure as they learn about two different locations and cultures over 2,500 miles apart. Gomez incorporates Spanish into the text organically through the characters so readers glean the meanings naturally over the course of the story. I had as much fun as the kids as they learned about the glorious animals of The Arctic and the traditions of their family in Mexico. I confess, I’m especially looking forward to making their Tita’s Atole de Avena (a hot oatmeal drink).

This story is bursting with intriguing elements. The illustrations are amazing! Down to earth, vibrant, and inviting, they encourage readers to explore their own fantasies, from what it must be like to live in The Arctic to the lively traditions and importance of family in a culture that may differ from their own experience. The colorful map in the book’s front displays the scope of the Martinez’s travels and there is also a comprehensive glossary of all the Spanish words featured in the story. The glossary includes the correct pronunciations and their English counterparts, and I found it extremely helpful to refer to it from time to time.

I cannot wait to share “The Arctic Quest” with my granddaughter. Those she’s a little young to grasp all the content, I know she will enjoy the illustrations of the different animals and learning Spanish as her parents are already teaching her. This book is best suited for early readers and up, though I have a feeling kids of all ages will devour this story. This big kid did. I highly recommend this amazing book and the entire series by Minda Gomez and can’t wait to see what adventures the Martinez kids have in store for readers next.

[Nicole Marshall · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fun and very educational story! It makes learning Spanish interesting and fun for a young audience. The Artic Quest is a story about a family going on a road trip to visit their grandparents in Mexico during the holidays. The book is very engaging as you follow the family from the story on their exciting adventure. The story is very descriptive and the relationship between the siblings was very relatable. The illustrations also helped to bring the story along. Overall, I enjoyed this read and recommend this book.

[Maritere Rodriguez Bellas · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Martinez Kids at it again! A fun read for kids!

Family, culture, traditions, and fantasy fun, the bilingual Martinez Kids embark in another adventure that takes them from Minnesota to The Artic, to Mexico and back North while they must work together to figure out their smart inventor friend's challenge and how to enjoy Navidad with their abuelos, away from their friends and the cold. But, are they really away from the cold weather?? Creative imagination at its best, The Artic Quest is yet another brilliant story highlighting three bilingual and bicultural siblings and a very smart Mexican inventor neighborhood by the very talented Minda Gomez. A must fun read for all children! Maritere R. Bellas

[Sarah Rizk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Family is everything

In this book, the kids are gifted with portable virtual reality in the form of glasses. The kids travel to the Arctic Circle. They spend a lot of time bickering, but in order to complete a task given to them, they must learn to get along and work together. This lesson becomes even more important later on in the book when the youngest Martinez kid goes missing and her two older brothers must work together to find her. They take responsibility for their actions, realizing that they were wrong. This was another great read, and this book sends a clear message of how important family is.

[Carole G. Barton · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Arctic Quest is an amazing adventure of the Martinez kids and family. I love their adventure, problem solving, and learning that they can do so much more by supporting each other. The jokes are funny as they are scattered throughout the book. It was also a great learning experience since Minda Gomez (author and illustrator of this chapter book) listed Spanish words at the beginning of the book and used throughout the book. I highly recommend this book.😊

[Sia · Rating 5 out of 5]

i made my 7 year brother to read this book and he love all the little illustrations in between were amazing. Over all a fun read would recommend to even adults.

[Deborah Fontaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed the virtual reality and the lesson learned in Martinez Kids Adventures: The Arctic Quest along with the family holiday traditions the family celebrates. I also enjoyed the way the author sprinkled Spanish throughout the story with the English translation smoothly written in.

Being the oldest of 6 children, I could relate with the siblings and their family dynamic. Very clever!

Thank you for a very cute story @martinezkidsadventures. I loved this children’s chapter book.

[Kathryn (Dragon Bite Books) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review first published on my blog Dragon Bite Books .

Gomez is a white woman, married to a Mexican American man, and the Martinezes are based on her own family. This is her second book (the first is published in English and in Spanish). These books seem to be self-published. I found a notice on Instagram about this local-to-the-poster author having this book currently free on Kindle and thought I would take the chance.

The Martinez family (and the Gomezes) live in Minnesota. Their neighbor, also a Mexican American man, Don Toño (presumably introduced in the first book) is a genius inventor. He gifts the Martinez children with virtual reality glasses that “transport” them to the Arctic and allow them to take the form of Arctic animals to adventure and learn.

The children interact with characters of the same species that they morph into and learn about the animals that they are mimicking through these characters.

That’s half of the book.

The other half is an ode to the children’s Mexican heritage. The Arctic Quest takes place on the car ride from Minnesota to Mexico and back. The family is visiting the children’s grandparents for Christmas. During their time in Mexico, the children are forbidden from using their VR glasses. The trip is about spending time with family. And the kids enjoy their time with their family, and really come to appreciate their Mexican celebration of Christmas, missing neither their friends nor the Minnesota snow while there. I really enjoyed learning about the family’s Christmas traditions too.

Unfortunately, this story suffers from the common mistakes that young writers make. The youngest Martinez, Araceli, speaks in an unrealistic baby talk, mistaking “I” for “me” and dropping verbs. Gomez doesn’t utilize “said” as she should, leaning instead on verbs with more flourish. The characters’ tones are more often told than shown through expression or action.

The lessons are of putting your family first before your own self-interest. The two older boys resent having to watch out for their young sister, both in the real world and in the virtual reality. But when they briefly lose her they realize that the family is strongest together and band together to use what they have learned and the special abilities of the animals they are embodying to find her.

The book is colorfully illustrated and includes a map of North America, which includes the states that the family pass through, a recipe for atole de avena, and a Spanish-English dictionary with the proper Spanish pronunciations. Spanish words and phrases are used throughout, some translated within the text, the rest in the dictionary attached.

The story includes a scene of crossing from Mexico to the United States through a checkpoint which is an experience I have not had nor that I see often depicted in literature in general.