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A few months ago, author Ryan Calejo sent me a copy of his book Charlie Hernandez and the League of Shadows. You might remember my post about it. Since then, the book has made its rounds through many of my students’ hands. It’s one that I recommend over and over again!
I purchased the Audible version of the book to listen in the car with my kids. We loved it! After listening to the story, my son asked if we could go to the bookstore and find some books about Latin American mythology. Sadly, there was almost nothing available; at least, not one suitable for kids. We found a book that had world myths by geographic location. That will have to do for now.
You’ve just got to read Charlie Hernandez for yourself. The story is full of action, mystery, and a dynamic teen friendship that grows over the course of the book. My kids can’t wait until book 2!
About the Book:
Title: CHARLIE HERNANDEZ AND THE LEAGUE OF SHADOWS (Charlie Hernández #1)
Author: Ryan Calejo
Pub. Date: October 23, 2018
Publisher: Aladdin
Formats: Hardcover, Paperback, eBook, audiobook
Pages: 330
Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, Audible, B&N, iBooks, Kobo, TBD
“This is a perfect pick for kids who love Rick Riordan’s many series, particularly for those eager for mythologies beyond Greek and Roman stories.” —Booklist (starred review)
“A winner for all kids, but it will be especially beloved by Latinx and Hispanic families.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
The Lightning Thief meets the Story Thieves series in this middle grade fantasy inspired by Hispanic folklore, legends, and myths from the Iberian Peninsula and Central and South America.
Charlie Hernández has always been proud of his Latin American heritage. He loves the culture, the art, and especially the myths. Thanks to his abuela’s stories, Charlie possesses an almost encyclopedic knowledge of the monsters and ghouls who have spent the last five hundred years haunting the imaginations of children all across the Iberian Peninsula, as well as Central and South America. And even though his grandmother sometimes hinted that the tales might be more than mere myth, Charlie’s always been a pragmatist. Even barely out of diapers, he knew the stories were just make-believe—nothing more than intricately woven fables meant to keep little kids from misbehaving.
But when Charlie begins to experience freaky bodily manifestations—ones all too similar to those described by his grandma in his favorite legend—he is suddenly swept up in a world where the mythical beings he’s spent his entire life hearing about seem to be walking straight out of the pages of Hispanic folklore and into his life. And even stranger, they seem to know more about him than he knows about himself.
Soon, Charlie finds himself in the middle of an ancient battle between La Liga, a secret society of legendary mythological beings sworn to protect the Land of the Living, and La Mano Negra (a.k.a. the Black Hand), a cabal of evil spirits determined to rule mankind. With only the help of his lifelong crush, Violet Rey, and his grandmother’s stories to guide him, Charlie must navigate a world where monsters and brujas rule and things he couldn’t possibly imagine go bump in the night. That is, if he has any hope of discovering what’s happening to him and saving his missing parents (oh, and maybe even the world).
No pressure, muchacho.
About Ryan:
Ryan Calejo was born and raised in south Florida. He graduated from the University of Miami with a BA. He’s been invited to join both the National Society of Collegiate Scholars and the Golden Key International Honour Society. He teaches swimming to elementary school students, chess to middle school students, and writing to high school students. Having been born into a family of immigrants and growing up in the so-called “Capital of Latin America,” Ryan knows the importance of diversity in our communities and is passionate about writing books that children of all ethnicities can relate to. His first novel was Charlie Hernández & the League of Shadows.
This sounds like a great book for my granddaughter to read.
I think my daughter would love to read this one!
Looks like a cute book.
We love the Rick Riordan spin-offs…hope to read this one soon!
yvie recently posted…Race to the Sun + Navajo Mythology
It looks like an interesting read.
I would love to share this with our kids !
This book sounds intriguing. My kids would love reading it.