By Xavier Garza
ISBN: 978-1-55885-996-8
Publication Date: May 31, 2024
Format: Trade Paperback
Pages: 149
Imprint: Piñata Books
Ages: 8-12
This thrilling bilingual short novel introduces young readers
to spooky Latin American lore!
Vincent and his dad are on a bus in Mexico, headed to his late mom’s village of Nagual, when he hears a loud animal roar! Oddly, no one else seems to have heard it. Looking out the window, he is surprised to see a girl running alongside the bus; he’s even more amazed when she turns into a jaguar! And then he sees a sinister sight: a woman with a cadaverous-looking donkey’s head whose glowing red eyes burn as if on fire! Even in a different country, there’s another monster mystery to solve.
The boy monster fighter has never met his mother’s side of the family, but he knows his maternal grandfather Federico blames his dad for taking Luz away. Despite the tension, Vincent is excited to meet his granddad, Aunt Marina and cousins Pedro and Lupe, who looks suspiciously like the girl he saw running beside the bus!
Vincent soon learns that Lupe, like many others in the village, is a nagual, someone born with the magical ability to transform into an animal. His cousins tell him the Donkey Lady hasn’t been seen in years, so why has she come back now? They are also alarmed when Vincent tells them that his girlfriend Zulema, a witch owl, is coming to visit. Their grandfather hates witch owls! All too soon, this sixth novel in Garza’s bilingual Monster Fighter Mystery series culminates in a convergence of supernatural beings—witch owls, the demonic Donkey Lady, curanderos and naguales—all fighting in a life-or-death battle!
Praise for Xavier Garza’s Monster Fighter Mystery series:
“This installment in the ‘Vincent Ventura’ series is full of fun and surprises, with fast-paced chapters and a mystery that is sure to intrigue fans of Latin American folklore. The dual English and Spanish format makes this an excellent choice for youth bilingual and Spanish collections, and the bold artwork interspersed among the chapters is eye-catching and provides an intriguing close-up of the characters. VERDICT: Highly recommended for collections for youth and for readers of retellings, adventure, and fantasy.”—School Library Journal on Vincent Ventura and the Curse of the Weeping Woman / Vincent Ventura y la maldición de La Llorona
“Multifaceted portrayals of legendary spirits add depth to a narrative that is enhanced by dramatic black-and-white art… Nuanced folklore shines in this thrilling beginning chapter book.”—Kirkus Reviews on Vincent Ventura and the Curse of the Weeping Woman / Vincent Ventura y la maldición de La Llorona
“Monster fighter extraordinaire Vincent Ventura battles his latest foe: the dreadful duende! Book 3 in Garza’s Monster Fighter Mystery series adds a little psychological horror to Vincent’s newest adventure, and this installment [is] a cohesive story centered on friendship and, more importantly, kicking monster butt. A case of lighthearted fun during the witching hour.”—Kirkus Reviews on Vincent Ventura and the Diabolical Duendes / Vincent Ventura y los duendes diabólicos
“This fun, illustrated Spanish/English short chapter book has enough Mexican folklore and American teen angst to keep middle grade and reluctant readers interested in the otherworldly adventures of the monster-fighter extraordinaire.”—School Library Journal on Vincent Ventura and the Mystery of the Witch Owl / Vincent Ventura y el mistero de la bruja lechuza
“Garza’s cool series sequel offers a little mystery, a little action, and a lot of fun. A breezy read, Vincent’s latest adventure packs folkloric elements in a fast-paced tale that’s sure to entice reluctant readers. Similar to its predecessor, this bilingual novel contains both English and Baeza Ventura’s Spanish versions, with the latter being superior in readability. A real hoot.”—Kirkus Reviews on Vincent Ventura and the Mystery of the Witch Owl / Vincent Ventura y el mistero de la bruja lechuza
“Garza delves into Spanish folklore and adds action, horror, and mystery to create a wonderfully exciting book. This illustrated series-starter is formatted as a bilingual flipbook, with the Spanish text occupying one half of the book, and English the other. The descriptive Spanish and high vocabulary make it a strong addition to both elementary and middle school mystery sections.”—Booklist on Vincent Ventura and the Mystery of the Chupacabras / Vincent Ventura y el misterio del chupacabras
XAVIER GARZA is the author of numerous books for kids, including five previous volumes in the Monster Fighter Mystery series: Vincent Ventura and the Curse of the Dancing Devil / Vincent Ventura y la maldición del diablo bailarín (Piñata Books, 2023), Vincent Ventura and the Curse of the Weeping Woman / Vincent Ventura y la maldición de La Llorona (Piñata Books, 2021), Vincent Ventura and the Diabolical Duendes / Vincent Ventura y los duendes diabólicos (Piñata Books, 2020), Vincent Ventura and the Mystery of the Witch Owl / Vincent Ventura y el misterio de la bruja lechuza (Piñata Books, 2019) and Vincent Ventura and the Mystery of the Chupacabras / Vincent Ventura y el misterio del chupacabras (Piñata Books, 2018). He lives with his family in San Antonio, Texas.
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