by Adrianna Cuevas
Submitted by Stefanie M.
Have you ever wished that you could speak to your pets? If you answered yes, then I’ve got the book for you. Nestor Lopez and his mom just moved in with his abuela after his dad was deployed to Afghanistan. Things are already a little weird when he arrives--some mysterious creature in the forest is disappearing all of the town’s beloved animals--and some of his neighbors think his abuela is guilty after seeing her traipsing around the woods one night. Oh yeah, and Nestor has a gift of communicating with animals, but he’s always kept it a secret. When Nestor, and his friends (including a gang of woodland creatures) figure out that the creature is a witch, and not just any witch, a tule vieja--a witch that can absorb an animal’s power just by biting it during a solar eclipse, it’s up to them to figure out how to save the town, before the impending eclipse just around the corner!
A little scary, a little magical, and very heartwarming, this book is perfect for fans of Each Tiny Spark, Upside-Down Magic, Dragons in a Bag, or Sal and Gabi Break the Universe.
Recommended for Grades 4+