Based upon a legend from the Dominican Republic, this book for children is by the celebrated author of adult fiction Julia Alvarez. It tells the story of the ciguapas, mysterious sea creatures so fearful of humans that they only come ashore at night--and their humanlike feet leave backward footprints, so they can`t be pursued. One evening, Guapa, a fearless ciguapa, is spotted by a young boy. Guapa flees, but she can`t resist returning to learn more about the mysterious humans. Will Guapa make a new human friend? Or is her life at risk? With color illustrations throughout.