Fall of the Fireflies- El otoño de las luciérnagas

Written by Guadalupe García McCall

Publisher: Lee & Low Books

Edition: Standard Edition

Print length: 352 pages

ISBN-10: 1643796992

ISBN-13: 978-1643796994

From Pura Belpré Award–winning author Guadalupe García McCall comes the first in the Seasons of Sisterhood trilogy: a reimagining of Sophocles’ Antigone set in the world of her bestselling Summer of the Mariposas.

As fifteen-year-old twins Delia and Velia plan the launch of their Magic-Twin Tour with their father’s Tejano band, a sudden supernatural attack on their father derails the family. Papá is delirious with a susto, a fright so awful that it allows a mysterious supernatural being to begin slowly sucking the life out of him.

As the twins hunt down his attacker, a wider world of borderland monsters opens up to them. Each twin has her own decision to make, with her own guide from the Aztec pantheon–Quetzalcoatl guiding Velia, and Xolotl advising Delia. Soon the girls must choose: Should they follow a divine mandate to become monster hunters for the goddess of death?

Can the sisters obey the will of the gods while saving their father’s life? Anything can happen within the magical realm of the borderlands.

El otoño de las luciérnagas 

De la autora ganadora del premio Pura Belpré Guadalupe García McCall llega la primera entrega de la trilogía Las estaciones de la sororidad: una reinvención de Antígona de Sófocles ambientada en el mundo de su best seller El verano de las mariposas.

Mientras las gemelas Velia y Delia, de dieciséis años, planean el lanzamiento de su gira Gemelas-Magicas con la banda tejana de su padre, un repentino ataque sobrenatural contra su padre descarrila a la familia. Papá delira con un susto, un susto tan terrible que permite que un misterioso sobrenatural comience a succionarle lentamente la vida.

Mientras las gemelas persiguen al atacante de su padre, se les abre un mundo más amplio de monstruos fronterizos. Pronto las chicas deberán elegir: ¿deberían seguir un mandato divino para convertirse en cazadoras de monstruos para la diosa de la muerte? Cada gemela tiene que tomar su propia decisión, con su propio guía del panteón azteca: Quetzalcóatl guiando a Velia y Xólotl aconsejando a Delia.

¿Podrán las hermanas obedecer la voluntad de los dioses mientras salvan la vida de su padre? Cualquier cosa puede suceder dentro del reino mágico de las tierras fronterizas.

Review

"This story inspired by Sophocles' Antigone seamlessly blends coming-of-age themes with folklore. McCall respectfully integrates well-researched Nahuatl vocabulary and Aztec mythology as she explores sisterhood, cultural identity, and blended family dynamics.... A rich, mythic story about selfhood and soul-deep family ties." -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"Mesmerizing.... Via the girls' propulsive, distinctly rendered alternating POVs, McCall presents an Aztec-influenced world teeming with magical creatures and powerful deities." -- Publishers Weekly, starred review

"Readers will relate to the twins' struggle to balance the head-and-heart decisions they make to find justice for their father and save Eagle Pass from a haunting, cruel landowner who wants to come back from the dead. This -Mexican American twist on Antigone draws on -compelling multideity legends to flesh out the first of three coming-of-age novels.... A must-purchase." -- School Library Journal, starred review

"The emphasis on familial ties and culture is impactful, and the incorporation of Mexican folklore, practices, and Aztec deities is a necessary addition in the world of YA fantasy. Recommended for fans of mythology and folklore, and those in need of a quest." -- Booklist

Guadalupe García McCall is the best-selling author of Summer of the Mariposas and won the Pura Belpré Award for her first novel, Under the Mesquite. She is a full-time author and abuelita and lives with her husband in South Texas. Find her online at ggmccall.com.

The Hero Twins and the Magic of Song

The Hero Twins and the Magic of Song

(Tales of the Feathered Serpent #2)

Written by David Bowles

Illustrated by Charlene Bowles

Publisher: Lee & Low Books; Standard Edition 

Language: ‎English

Paperback: 80 pages

ISBN-10: ‎1947627694

ISBN-13: ‎978-1947627697

Reading age: ‎8 - 12 years

Grade level: ‎3 - 7

 

In the age when Maya demigods lived among us, two carefree brothers, One Hunahpu and Seven Hunahpu, are foolishly lured to Xibalba, the Land of the Dead, to play a game. Unfortunately, it was a one-way trip. Unable to return to the sea-ringed world above, One Hunahpu’s firstborn sons must be raised by their grandmother.

 

Yet all hope is not lost. Down in Xibalba, One Hunahpu meets the rebellious Lady Blood, and their love leads to another set of twin sons, destined to save their father and uncle and restore balance to the cosmos. But won’t be easy! Lady Blood is shunned in the world above, and the twins are taunted by their half-brothers’ cruel pranks. If they choose to use a little trickster magic, maybe… just maybe… they might succeed.

 

Adapted from author David Bowles’s retellings and translations of essential pre-Columbian texts like the Popol Vuh, the Tales of the Feathered Serpent series bring Indigenous Mesoamerican stories alive for young readers!

 

 

Los héroes gemelos y la magia de la canción

(Leyendas de la serpiente emplumada #2)

 

 

En esta novela gráfica que reinventa un cuento indígena mexicano, los gemelos semidioses usan la magia de la canción para rescatar a su padre y a su tío de la peligrosa tierra de los muertos. Una aventura suprema de grado medio!

 

In this graphic novel retelling of an Indigenous Mexican tale, demigod twins must use their magic of song to rescue their father and uncle from the perilous Land of the Dead. A supreme middle-grade adventure!

 

En la época en que los semidioses mayas vivían entre nosotros, dos hermanos despreocupados, Uno Hunahpu y Siete Hunahpu, son atraídos a Xibalbá, la Tierra de los Muertos, para jugar. Desafortunadamente, fue un viaje sin regreso. Incapaces de regresar al mundo rodeado de mar, los hijos primogénitos de Uno Hunahpu deben ser criados por su abuela.

 

Sin embargo, no toda esperanza está perdida. En Xibalbá, Uno Hunahpu conoce a la rebelde Lady Blood, y su amor conduce a otro par de hijos gemelos, destinados a salvar a su padre y a su tío y restaurar el equilibrio del cosmos. ¡Pero no será fácil! Lady Blood es rechazada en el mundo de arriba, y los gemelos se burlan de las crueles bromas de sus medio hermanos. Si eligen usar un poco de magia engañosa, tal vez… sólo tal vez… puedan tener éxito.

 

Adaptada de los recuentos y traducciones del autor David Bowles de textos precolombinos esenciales como el Popol Vuh, la serie Cuentos de la serpiente emplumada da vida a las historias indígenas mesoamericanas para los lectores jóvenes.

 

 

 

David Bowles is a Mexican American author from south Texas, where he teaches at the University of Texas Río Grande Valley. He has written several award-winning titles, most notably The Smoking Mirror and They Call Me Güero. His graphic novels include the Clockwork Curandera trilogy and the Tales of the Feathered Serpent series, based on stories from his critically acclaimed Feathered Serpent, Dark Heart of Sky. His work has also been published in multiple anthologies, plus venues such as The New York Times, School Library Journal, Strange Horizons, English Journal, Rattle, Translation Review, and the Journal of Children's Literature. In 2017, David was inducted into the Texas Institute of Letters. He is online at davidbowles.us and on Twitter at @DavidOBowles.

 

 

Charlene Bowles is a comic artist and illustrator based in Texas. She graduated from The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley in 2018. Rise of the Halfling King is her debut graphic novel and her work has also been featured on the covers of the award-winning Garza Twins books. She is currently developing many of her own comic projects.

Secret of the Moon Conch

 By David Bowles and Guadalupe García McCall 

 

Publisher: Bloomsbury YA (June 6, 2023)

Language: English

Hardcover: ‎464 pages

ISBN-10: ‎1547609893

ISBN-13‏: ‎978-1547609895

 

 

Award-winning authors David Bowles and Guadalupe García McCall join forces to craft a sweeping fantasy romance about falling in love despite all odds.

 

In modern-day Mexico, Sitlali is all alone after the death of her beloved abuela. Targeted by a dangerous gang member, she flees to the United States to find her father. The night before her journey, she finds an ancient conch shell on the beach and takes it with her as a memento of home.

 

In 1521, Calizto is trapped in the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan, which is besieged by Spanish invaders. He has fought valiantly, but hope for his people is running out. Desperate to escape, he takes up his mother's sacred conch and sounds a plea to the gods.

 

The conch holds magic neither Sitlali nor Calizto understand, magic that allows them to communicate across centuries--and find comfort in each other as they fight to survive. With each conversation, they fall deeper in love, and as the moon waxes, they become more present to each other. But as danger threatens at every turn, will they ever find a way to truly be together?

 

 

“An excellent romantic fantasy woven with timeless themes. The authors juxtapose historical aspects of Aztec civilization with today's current events, calling attention to strains that migrants experience in modern-day detention centers. Young adults will thoroughly enjoy this riveting, long-distance love story.” ―Booklist, starred review

 

 

David Bowles is an award-winning Mexican American author and translator from Texas. His books include The Smoking Mirror, Feathered Serpent Dark Heart of Sky, and They Call Me Güero. He has been published in the New York Times, School Library Journal, Strange Horizons, English Journal, Rattle, Translation Review, and the Journal of Children's Literature. In 2017, he was inducted into the Texas Institute of Letters, and in 2020, he co-founded #DignidadLiteraria, a social justice movement advocating for greater Latinx representation in publishing.  www.davidbowles.us

 

Guadalupe García McCall is the award-winning author of Under the Mesquite, Summer of the Mariposas, Shame the Stars, All the Stars Denied, and Echoes of Grace. She has received a Pura Belpré Author Award, a Westchester Young Adult Fiction Award, and the Tomás Rivera Mexican-American Children's Book Award, and was a finalist for the William C. Morris Award and the Andre Norton Award for Young Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy, among many other accolades. She advocates for literacy and diverse books. She lives with her husband in Texas. ggmccall.com

Tomás Rivera Children’s Book Award Celebration

 
 

Tomás Rivera Children's Book Award will be on November 3rd from 9:30 a.m. -12 noon. The presentation for younger readers will be from 9:30-10:30 a.m. and the presentation for older readers will be from 11:00 a.m.-12 noon. This event will be live streamed!

 

Please join us for the live stream event of the Tomás Rivera Children's Book Award on November 3rd!

 

Texas State University College of Education created The Tomás Rivera Mexican American Children’s Book Award in 1995 to honor authors and illustrators who create literature that depicts the Mexican American experience. It is named in honor of Texas State University distinguished alumnus Dr. Tomás Rivera.

 

Bright Star 

By Yuyi Morales 

 

With the combination of powerful, spare language and sumptuous, complex imagery characteristic of her work, Yuyi Morales weaves the tale of a fawn making her way through a landscape that is dangerous, beautiful—and full of potential.  A gentle voice urges her onward, to face her fears and challenge the obstacles that seek to hold her back.

 

With a voice full of calm, contemplative wisdom, readers are invited to listen and observe, to accept themselves—and to dare to shout!

 

In a world full of uncertainty, Bright Star seeks to offer reassurance and courage. Yuyi Morales' first book since her New York Times bestseller Dreamers explores the borderlands—the plants, animals, and insects that make their home in the desert, and the people who live and travel through this unique and beautiful part of the world. 

 

My Two Border Towns 

By David Bowles  

Illustrated by Erika Meza 

 

Early one Saturday morning, a boy prepares for a trip to The Other Side/El Otro Lado. It's close--just down the street from his school--and it's a twin of where he lives. To get there, his father drives their truck along the Rio Grande and over a bridge, where they're greeted by a giant statue of an eagle. Their outings always include a meal at their favorite restaurant, a visit with Tío Mateo at his jewelry store, a cold treat from the paletero, and a pharmacy pickup. On their final and most important stop, they check in with friends seeking asylum and drop off much-needed supplies.

 

My Two Border Towns by David Bowles, with stunning watercolor illustrations by Erika Meza, is the loving story of a father and son's weekend ritual, a demonstration of community care, and a tribute to the fluidity, complexity, and vibrancy of life on the U.S.-Mexico border.

Indivisible 

By Daniel Aleman

 

Mateo Garcia and his younger sister, Sophie, have been taught to fear one word for as long as they can remember: deportation. Over the past few years, however, the fear that their undocumented immigrant parents could be sent back to Mexico started to fade. Ma and Pa have been in the United States for so long, they have American-born children, and they're hard workers and good neighbors. When Mateo returns from school one day to find that his parents have been taken by ICE, he realizes that his family's worst nightmare has become a reality. With his parents' fate and his own future hanging in the balance, Mateo must figure out who he is and what he is capable of, even as he's forced to question what it means to be an American.

 

Daniel Aleman's Indivisible is a remarkable story—both powerful in its explorations of immigration in America and deeply intimate in its portrait of a teen boy driven by his fierce, protective love for his parents and his sister.

 

 

 

 

2022 Tomás Rivera Book Award Winners

Texas State University College of Education created The Tomás Rivera Mexican American Children’s Book Award in 1995 to honor authors and illustrators who create literature that depicts the Mexican American experience. It is named in honor of Texas State University distinguished alumnus Dr. Tomás Rivera.

My Two Border Towns Hardcover 

By David and illustrated by Erika Meza  

 

Early one Saturday morning, a boy prepares for a trip to The Other Side/El Otro Lado. It's close--just down the street from his school--and it's a twin of where he lives. To get there, his father drives their truck along the Rio Grande and over a bridge, where they're greeted by a giant statue of an eagle. Their outings always include a meal at their favorite restaurant, a visit with Tío Mateo at his jewelry store, a cold treat from the paletero, and a pharmacy pickup. On their final and most important stop, they check in with friends seeking asylum and drop off much-needed supplies.

 

My Two Border Towns by David Bowles, with stunning watercolor illustrations by Erika Meza, is the loving story of a father and son's weekend ritual, a demonstration of community care, and a tribute to the fluidity, complexity, and vibrancy of life on the U.S.-Mexico border.

 

 

Indivisible 

By Daniel Aleman

 

Mateo Garcia and his younger sister, Sophie, have been taught to fear one word for as long as they can remember: deportation. Over the past few years, however, the fear that their undocumented immigrant parents could be sent back to Mexico started to fade. Ma and Pa have been in the United States for so long, they have American-born children, and they're hard workers and good neighbors. When Mateo returns from school one day to find that his parents have been taken by ICE, he realizes that his family's worst nightmare has become a reality. With his parents' fate and his own future hanging in the balance, Mateo must figure out who he is and what he is capable of, even as he's forced to question what it means to be an American.

 

Daniel Aleman's Indivisible is a remarkable story—both powerful in its explorations of immigration in America and deeply intimate in its portrait of a teen boy driven by his fierce, protective love for his parents and his sister.

 

 

Bright Star 

By Yuyi Morales  

 

With the combination of powerful, spare language and sumptuous, complex imagery characteristic of her work, Yuyi Morales weaves the tale of a fawn making her way through a landscape that is dangerous, beautiful—and full of potential.  A gentle voice urges her onward, to face her fears and challenge the obstacles that seek to hold her back.

 

With a voice full of calm, contemplative wisdom, readers are invited to listen and observe, to accept themselves—and to dare to shout!

 

In a world full of uncertainty, Bright Star seeks to offer reassurance and courage. Yuyi Morales' first book since her New York Times bestseller Dreamers explores the borderlands—the plants, animals, and insects that make their home in the desert, and the people who live and travel through this unique and beautiful part of the world. 

 

Created with a combination of techniques including hand-embroidered lettering, painting, sketching, digital paintings with textures from photographs of the Sonoran Desert, this stunning book is full of beauty—from the handwoven blanket of the endpapers through the last inspiring spread of young families facing their future with determination and hope. 

Best Spanish Language Picture Book Award

The Best Spanish Language Picture Book prize is a biennial prize given to a book that was published or translated into Spanish. Award candidates are identified from the annual Best Spanish Language Picture Book of the Year list, which is prepared by the Spanish Language Affiliate (SLA) of the Children’s Book Committee. The award jury is comprised of Spanish speaking members of the SLA, CBC, Bank Street College, New York Public Library, and City University of New York.

As with its English language prizes and lists, the SLA of the CBC aims to help parents, teachers, and librarians choose books that children will find captivating and transforming. The award is meant to encourage more publishers to create high quality materials in Spanish for children.

Gold Medal

Mis dos pueblos fronterizos por David Bowles; ilustrado por Erika Meza (Kokila)

Early one Saturday morning, a boy prepares for a trip to The Other Side/El Otro Lado. It's close--just down the street from his school--and it's a twin of where he lives. To get there, his father drives their truck along the Rio Grande and over a bridge, where they're greeted by a giant statue of an eagle. Their outings always include a meal at their favorite restaurant, a visit with Tío Mateo at his jewelry store, a cold treat from the paletero, and a pharmacy pickup. On their final and most important stop, they check in with friends seeking asylum and drop off much-needed supplies.

My Two Border Towns by David Bowles, with stunning watercolor illustrations by Erika Meza, is the loving story of a father and son's weekend ritual, a demonstration of community care, and a tribute to the fluidity, complexity, and vibrancy of life on the U.S.-Mexico border.

Silver Medals

Evelyn del Rey se muda por Meg Medina; ilustrado por Sonia Sánchez (Candlewick)

A big truck with its mouth wide open is parked at the curb, ready to gobble up Evelyn’s mirror with the stickers around the edge . . . and the sofa that we bounce on to get to the moon.

Evelyn Del Rey is Daniela’s best friend. They do everything together and even live in twin apartments across the street from each other: Daniela with her mami and hamster, and Evelyn with her mami, papi, and cat. But not after today—not after Evelyn moves away. Until then, the girls play amid the moving boxes until it’s time to say goodbye, making promises to keep in touch, because they know that their friendship will always be special. The tenderness of Meg Medina’s beautifully written story about friendship and change is balanced by Sonia Sánchez’s colorful and vibrant depictions of the girls’ urban neighborhood.

Pulpo Guisado por Eric Velazquez (Holiday House)

The octopus Grandma is cooking has grown to titanic proportions. "¡Tenga cuidado!" Ramsey shouts. "Be careful!" But it's too late. The octopus traps Grandma! Ramsey must use both art and intellect to free his beloved abuela. 

Then the story takes a surprising twist. And it can be read two ways. Open the fold-out pages to find Ramsey telling a story to his family. Keep the pages folded, and Ramsey's octopus adventure is real.

This beautifully illustrated picture book, drawn from the author's childhood memories, celebrates creativity, heroism, family, grandmothers, grandsons, Puerto Rican food, Latinx culture and more.

With an author's note and the Velasquez family recipe for Octopus Stew!

Sharuko: El arqueólogo Peruano Julio C. Tello  por Monica Brown; ilustrado por Elisa Chavarri (Lee & Low)

Growing up in the late 1800s, Julio Tello, an Indigenous boy, spent time exploring the caves and burial grounds in the foothills of the Peruvian Andes. Nothing scared Julio, not even the ancient human skulls he found. His bravery earned him the boyhood nickname Sharuko, which means brave in Quechua, the language of the Native people of Peru.

At the age of twelve, Julio moved to Lima to continue his education. While in medical school, he discovered an article about the skulls he had found. The skulls had long ago been sent to Lima to be studied by scientists. The article renewed Julio's interest in his ancestry, and he decided to devote his medical skills to the study of Peru's Indigenous history.

Over his lifetime, Julio Tello made many revolutionary discoveries at archaeological sites around Peru, and he worked to preserve the historical treasures he excavated. He showed that Peru's Indigenous cultures had been established thousands of years ago, disproving the popular belief that Peruvian culture had been introduced more recently from other countries. He fostered pride in his country's Indigenous ancestry, making him a hero to all Peruvians. Because of the brave man once known as Sharuko, people around the world today know of Peru's long history and its living cultural legacy.

13th Street #1: Battle of the Bad-Breath Bats

 

 

 

Written by David Bowles

 

Illustrated by Shane Clester

 

 

 

 

*Grade Level : 1 - 5

*Paperback : 96 pages

*ISBN-10 : 0062947796

*ISBN-13 : 978-0062947796

*Publisher : HarperCollins; Illustrated Edition

*Language: : English

*Reading level : 6 - 10 years

 

 

A new silly and spooky highly illustrated series that’s perfect for fans of Eerie Elementary and Notebooks of Doom, featuring art on every page and fun activities at the end of each book. It's a Halloween chapter book treat!

 

Cousins Malia, Ivan, and Dante are visiting their aunt Lucy for the summer. But on their way to Gulf City’s water park, they get lost on 13th Street. Only it’s not a street at all. It’s a strange world filled with dangerous beasts! Will the cousins find their way back to Aunt Lucy’s?

 

Each story in this hilarious and scary new series from award-winning author David Bowles is designed to set independent readers up for success—with short, fast-paced chapters, art on every page, and progress bars at the end of each chapter!

 

 

Review

 

"An exciting series opener that should whet readers’ appetites for more." (Kirkus Reviews)

 

"This book speaks to kids who enjoy a scare. From the enticing cover to the cliff-hanger chapter endings, this series is meant to encourage reading and boost confidence and skills.”  (School Library Journal)

 

 

 

 

David Bowles is the award-winning Mexican American author of They Call Me Guero and other titles for young readers. Because of his family’s roots in Mexico, he’s traveled all over that country studying creepy legends, exploring ancient ruins, and avoiding monsters (so far). He lives in Donna, Texas.

 

 

Largely self taught, Shane has been a professional illustrator since 2005. Initially working in comics and storyboards, Shane has transitioned to his real passion—children’s books—even self-publishing several of his own. Shane currently lives in Florida with his wonderful wife and their two tots. When not illustrating, he can usually be found by his in-laws' pool.

 

Rise of the Halfling King

 

Written by David Bowles 

Illustrated Charlene Bowles

 

Age Range: 8 - 13 years

Grade Level: 3 - 4

Series: Tales of the Feathered Serpent (Book 1)

Paperback: 64 pages

Publisher: Cinco Puntos Press (September 1, 2020)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1947627376

ISBN-13: 978-1947627376

Product Dimensions: 7 x 10.5 inches

 

A middle grade graphic novel follows the adventures of a magical boy from Maya mythology. The first of a series based on ancient Mesoamerican myths and legends.

 

Sayam has always been different from other kids―he’s very short for his age, his best friend is a monkey, and most curious of all: he was born from an egg! His grandmother, a witch, found him and taught him all the ancient magic she uses to help her people. So when a giant snake starts terrorizing a nearby city, Sayam decides it’s time for him to use his knowledge to help others, and steps into action. But the beast might not be Sayam’s biggest problem: the ruthless King Kinich Kak Ek sees Sayam as a threat to his throne. Prophecy declares that whoever succeeds at three impossible tests will be king. Monstrous snakes and impossible tests are a lot for a boy to handle, but Sayam is brave and has a loyal monkey, a wise grandmother, and magical knowledge on his side!

 

 

Fans of adventure tales with a mythological focus―such as Bowles’ previous work with Latin American myths, The Chupacabras of the Rio Grande and the Garza Twin series, as well as Rick Riordan Presents, especially the Storm Runner novels―will love this exciting and accessible graphic novel. Rise of the Halfling King is also an invaluable educational tool for middle school students―it’s a well-researched introduction to Maya culture, made accessible by an expert in Mesoamerican culture and juvenile literature. Bowles previously stitched together tales from Maya, Aztec, and other ancient mythology from pre-Columbian Mexico in the critically-acclaimed YA book, Feathered Serpent, Dark Heart of Sky.

 

David Bowles is a Mexican American author and educator based in South Texas. He has written fourteen books. His middle grade novel-in-verse They Call Me Güero has been the recipient of numerous honors such as the Pura Belpré Honor, the Tomás Rivera Mexican American Children’s Book Award, the Claudia Lewis Award for Excellence in Poetry, the Walter Dean Myers Honor Award for Outstanding Children’s Literature, the Texas Institute of Letters Best Middle Grade Book Award, the Skipping Stones Award; the book is also an Américas Book Award Commended Title and was named in the Bluebonnet Award Masterlist. Some of his other books are Feathered Serpent, Dark Heart of Sky and The Smoking Mirror.

 

Charlene Bowles is a Mexican American digital artist based in Texas. Her work has been featured on the covers of the award-winning Garza Twins books.