(2) 4-6 Tales of the Feathered Serpent series. Illustrated by Charlene Bowles. This follow-up to Rise of the Halfling King (rev. 11/20) tells the story -- again in graphic-novel form -- of Mayan demigod twins Hunahpu and Xbalanke, sons of demigods One Hunahpu and Lady Blood, a royal ruler of Xibalba (the Underworld), "the only good and lovely creature in that place." Wooed by the trapped soul of One Hunahpu, Lady Blood leaves Xibalba to give birth in the Overworld. From the start, her sons are forced to compete with their older twin half-brothers for the attention of their grandmother, the goddess of the cornfields. With the encouragement of Lady Blood to achieve their "destiny" to rescue their father and uncle from Xibalba, the younger twins concoct a musical plan to trick their older brothers and get them out of the way for a bit. Straightforward and humorous language paired with clear, eye-catching comics-style illustrations make this an engaging retelling of a selection from the Mayan Popol Vuh. An appended author's note further explains the origin of the story and inspiration for the series, and a list of characters in the opening pages is helpful for navigating the tale. A Spanish edition, Los héroes gemelos y la magia de la canción, will be published in spring 2025.

Reviewer: Monica de los Reyes | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2025

(1) 4-6 Vernick's absorbing historical World War II novel alternates between the perspectives of two teenage girls: Nellie Doud in Oregon and Tamiko Nakaoka in Japan. Nellie misses her Pa, who's in the service; has a crush on friend and neighbor Joey, whose brother was recently killed in action; and narrowly escapes being killed by the Japanese bomb that takes six lives in her small town. Orphan Tamiko worries about her older brother when he joins the Imperial Army; is initially excited when the girls at her school are enlisted to help the emperor; then survives terrible conditions while making paper for the balloons that will carry bombs to America. Both girls just want the war to be over, and both think deeply about the complexities of blame, guilt, forgiveness, and compassion while navigating their own country's racist propaganda. Readers may want to follow up this engrossing novel with Tanya Lee Stone's Peace Is a Chain Reaction (rev. 9/22); each book greatly enhances the other. (Marc Tyler Nobleman's earlier picture book Thirty ­Minutes over Oregon, rev. 11/18, covers similar material for younger readers.) Appended are extensive notes on the true events behind the story, further information about World War II, research sources, and a glossary.

Reviewer: Jennifer M. Brabander | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2022

(2) 4-6 Tales of the Feathered Serpent series. Illustrated by Charlene Bowles. In this series starter, David Bowles, author of 2018's Feathered Serpent, Dark Heart of Sky: Myths of Mexico, adapts a tale from that anthology for the graphic novel form. This volume focuses on the classic legend of Sayam--the Halfling (part-human, part-alux) king of Uxmal, the ancient city of Late Classic Mayan civilization. Raised and trained by the wise healer and medicine woman Almah, Sayam is destined to overthrow Kinich Kak Ek, Uxmal's despotic king, whose tyrannical rule has wrought disharmony across the realm, driving aluxes, witches, and the healing arts of magic underground. Throughout, Bowles highlights Mayan writing and storytelling systems, embedding references to Mayan philosophy and ethics in a thrilling, fast-moving plot that sees Sayam fulfill the prophecy of his reign. Charlene Bowles's illustrations match the pacing and cadence of the narrative with varying yet well-­organized panels that build robust ­characters and convey emotions. In particular, Sayam's growing maturity, leadership, and sense of duty to his people are depicted through relatable simplicity of expression and peaceful equilibrium achieved by the cool teal-blue palette. A directory of characters precedes the story, and a concluding author's note about the aesthetics of graphic art in Mayan writing traditions articulates the importance of perpetuating Mayan epistemology and culture in modern-day storytelling.

Reviewer: Lettycia Terrones | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2020

(2) 4-6 Max's Lucha Libre Adventures series. This fourth series entry is another entertainingly pulpy, action-packed lucha libre–themed tale. Here, Max and his extended family are in Mexico City appearing as extras in Tio Rodolfo's latest film. Rodolfo has led a long and illustrious career as the Guardian Angel, lucha libre's beloved masked hero, but having found love (with a lucha libra champion, naturally), he's ready to retire. Max sets his sights on taking over as the new Guardian Angel, but so do a host of others: friends, foes, and family. Juicy subplots worthy of the best telenovelas are related with Tex-Mex linguistic flare, keeping the pace fast and the twists fresh. Garza attends to quirky idiosyncrasies of Max's family, affirming the lore, performance, and drama at the heart of lucha libre culture. Inky black-and-white images amusingly illustrate each chapter. Expert Spanish translation on facing pages lends symmetry and balance to the story for Spanish or dual-language readers.

Reviewer: Lettycia Terrones | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2020

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Vicki Trego Hill. American Southwest storyteller Hayes retells ten folktales (five new and five from the original 1994 edition) with straightforward, often funny text in both English and Spanish. In these tales, women's cunning saves the day from people with unsavory intentions or unfortunate habits. Soft, realistic black-and-white illustrations, some new and some reused from the previous edition, open the stories. Back matter includes notes about the origins of each tale.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2019

(2) YA Seventeen-year-old Khosi (This Thing Called the Future) tries to support herself and her sister as a sangoma, only to be accused of witchcraft. Then she learns she is pregnant. When a hate crime leaves a dead Somali immigrant at Khosi's door, she feels duty-bound to speak out in her South African community. The story's blend of Catholicism, traditional beliefs, and Western scientific thought allows readers to sample Khosi's culture.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2019

(3) YA In 1958 California, four goodhearted Mexican American boys find themselves in deep trouble when they stumble upon the body of a murdered homeless person along the Southern Pacific Railroad tracks that run through their town. Told from the perspective of twelve-year-old Manuel, this coming-of-age story is also a moving exploration of institutionalized racism.

Reviewer: Katie Darrin

(2) YA The dynamic complexity of the Rio Grande borderlands pulses in the poetry of twelve-year-old Güero. His forty-nine poems in diverse forms explore family, friendship, young love, and racism, with the dexterously rich linguistic tradition of Mexican cuentos and dichos always central. Bowles confidently intersperses the voices of Güero's many family members, using Texas Spanglish colloquialisms with specificity. A welcome contribution to the bildungsroman corpus of Chicana/o literature. Glos.

Reviewer: Lettycia Terrones | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2018

(3) YA In this dense but readable anthology of captivating tales from pre-Columbian Mexico, a variety of creation and origin myths are ordered chronologically to share a narrative history of the world from the Aztec and Maya perspectives. Background information is provided in the introduction. Add this title to collections of myths from around the world. Pronunciation guide included. Bib., glos.

Reviewer: Katie Darrin

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Adriana M. Garcia. A girl learns about the cycle of life, death, and renewal from her grandfather as they work in the garden, take a walk, and water a tree planted when the girl was born. Verdant illustrations full of circles and arced lines keep the focus on the close-knit pair as they explore the life-affirming traditions of their mestizo heritage; a note discusses González's "mix of Native American and Spanish ancestry."

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano

(4) YA Held back in sophomore English again, seventeen-year-old Tim tries desperately to get ahead of the many challenges he faces: a learning disability; an alcoholic father; and the threat of failure only compounded by day-to-day trials of black, working-class life in Newark. Visceral dialogue and characters' moving vulnerabilities are slightly undercut by overwritten narration.

Reviewer: Anastasia M. Collins

(4) YA Jaya is a transgender boy from a wealthy Gujarati family in Hawaii. Devoted to protecting her siblings, beautiful Rasa is a victim of sex-trafficking. Each protagonist's childhood has been riddled with different kinds of pain and abuse, but their love provides each teen with hope and maybe even a path forward. The romance is ultimately underdeveloped, but Patel's novel tackles difficult issues without flinching.

Reviewer: Megan Lynn Isaac

(2) YA Thirteen-year-old Boli's life changes forever when drug cartels come to his small Mexican town. When his parents fail to return from a trip, Boli is certain they have been murdered. He finds hope in an unlikely hero: a washed-up luchador (wrestler). Readers will root for Boli as he tries to save his town. A searing, violence-drenched depiction of the terror of the drug war. Glos.

Reviewer: Celia C. Perez | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2016

(2) 4-6 Max's Lucha Libre Adventures series. In this third entry, twelve-year-old Max's luchador uncle invites Max to a big event in L.A., where ex-girlfriend Cecilia lives. But the equally beguiling Paloma invites Max to join the Lucha Libre club and watch the tournament. What this illustrated bilingual story may lack in literary distinction, it more than makes up for in child appeal, with tween romance, wish fulfillment, and adventure.

Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2017

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Antonio Castro L.. Only beans grow on the poor Hayes family's farm, so they eat nothing but. When the father buys a large hambone, it's used repeatedly by the family and their neighbors to flavor their beans, and it comes in handy when Grandpa loses his teeth in the well. Caricature illustrations (somewhat garishly) play up the humor in this homey, Southwest-flavored tall tale.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(3) YA Gujarati Indian teen Rani likes hip-hop music and writes her own rhymes. A victim of incest and sexual abuse, she finds solace in the music scene of 1991 Moloka'i, Hawaii. Patel, a psychiatrist, offers a memorable protagonist and a deft lesson in unlearning unhealthy notions of love. An author's note discusses the effects of sexual abuse on mental health. Reading list, websites. Glos.

Reviewer: Lauren Causey

(4) K-3 "When she was born, Corky was given calendars for all of her days by Old Bear, keeper of time and keys." As she grows (she's an old woman for much of the story), she contemplates her time on earth. This highly abstract, gorgeously illustrated, but adult-centered meditation on a life well lived may provoke discussion.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(3) YA D-Bow's High School Hoops series. Coming off a knee injury, African American senior D-Bow (Next; Slump; Pull) is ready to take his basketball skills to college. But there's a new white kid in school gunning for his spot, and family and girlfriend problems are distracting him. Will he flame out in the end? Detailed game action and a well-balanced emotional story line bring the series to a satisfying conclusion.

Reviewer: David Elzey

(3) PS Wood sculptures by Rubí Fuentes and Efraín Broa. "Bees say BZZZ BZZZ. Can you? / Las abejas dicen ZUM ZUM. ¿Puedes tú?" Each double-page spread of this bilingual animal-sounds book features traditional painted Oaxacan wood carvings of animals set against brightly colored pages. The textured backgrounds, small square shape, and traditional page borders will all catch young readers' attention and further invite them to play with language.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(4) YA A Texas town is rocked by tragedy when "the Johns," two star baseball players, die in an accident, but Chon Gonzales hopes that this is his chance to finally be with John Mejia's girlfriend, Araceli. Strong, evocative language paints a vivid portrait of a tiny and hopeless town. The plot isn't as compelling as the character studies strung throughout the book.

Reviewer: Siena Leslie