Taft native wins prestigious Newbery Medal for the sci-fi novel “The Last Cuentista”

Valley native Donna Barba Higuera took home the Newbery Medal for her book “The Last Cuentista.” It’s a dystopian sci-fi novel about a 12-year-old girl who keeps the memory of Earth alive after the planet is destroyed by a comet. Valley Edition host Kathleen Schock spoke to Higuera about the inspiration she drew from her childhood growing up in Taft, and what it’s like to win the nation’s most coveted prize for children’s literature.