(1) K-3 Illustrated by Beatriz Gutiérrez Hernández. When the nocturnal animals that surround a family's house in the desert come out, "they howl and buzz and hoot -- a chorus in need of a band." On the ample porch, each family member plays an instrument (some passed down from ancestors) that complements a natural sound -- maracas that sound like rattlesnakes, a flute "calling down the wind." The child narrator is learning to play guitar from Grandma and practices diligently to be able to join in the nightly concert. Gutiirréz Hernández's expansive illustrations -- digitally rendered from acrylic gouache and colored pencil -- open with sunny pinks and gradually deepen into inky blue-greens and pearlescent whites as night falls. Kemp's lyrical metaphors set the desert stage, and "an audience of [the family's] ancestors" dances in the stars above and in their memories. The narrator's parents remind them that nature is full of memories: the moon is "a memory of the sun," and Mami sings "about the cacti remembering the rain." A gorgeous, intergenerational reflection on being mindful of the present while remembering and honoring loved ones from the past. Notes from author and illustrator are appended. Concurrently published in Spanish as Cancisn del desiertó.

Reviewer: | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2024

(2) YA This novel in verse is told from the perspectives of Danna and Raúl, who meet when Raúl and his uncle play music as therapy for Danna's grandfather, who has dementia. They are enamored with each other that first day, but Danna fully wins Raúl over on his next visit with her homemade chorreadas de piloncillo. Kemp employs striking food metaphors and similes to create a warm image of young love ("I didn't know / you could see [love] / glittering in the crust / of a cookie") as well as a poignant perspective on the experience of caring for a loved one with dementia. Danna fears losing not just her grandfather but also his memories as a food writer. She is at least somewhat comforted when she finds his journals that reveal "a portrait of / an appetite-- / even older than I am-- / ...for adventure and romance and a satisfaction / you can taste." Danna considers herself the poet, but Raúl's sections use verse more effectively, especially in conveying his relationship with his mother; she and Raúl are both survivors of domestic violence, and she has recently returned from two years of incarceration. Fans of Acevedo's The Poet X (rev. 3/18) will appreciate this novel's similar style and themes, which also touch on religion, body image, and Latine identity.

Reviewer: | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2023

(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