(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Vanessa Morales. Omega Morales comes from a family of empaths, enchanters who can read and influence the emotions of people and objects around them. Omega struggles to control her power, which causes her to feel like an outcast within her family. Her inability to manage her magic also means that she cannot control how much the feelings of others affect her, forcing her to isolate herself from her emotion-filled classmates. When the trees talk of a scary being haunting the city, Omega goes in search of answers and discovers the legend of La Lechuza, a terrifying witch with the power to transform herself into an owl. Could La Lechuza be responsible for the violent occurrences happening throughout the city? Omega, cousin Carlitos, and best friend Clau (a young ghost who has refused to pass on to the afterlife) work to unravel the mystery before it's too late. Kemp's middle-grade debut, with Morales's black-and-white art interspersed, is an entertaining, sometimes frightening, and thought-provoking story that comments on generational trauma, bullying, friendship, and family. Readers will relate to Omega's struggles to trust herself in difficult situations.

Reviewer: S. R. Toliver | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2022