INFANTILES Y JUVENILES

Si crees que los monstruos no existen, tienes que hablar con Theodora Hendrix. La primera entrega de una nueva serie middle grade ideal para los lectores de El Libro del Cementerio de Neil Gaiman. La primera regla de la Montruosa Liga de los Monstruos es: manten a los monstruos escondidos de los humanos. Pero cuando el zombie Georgie y Bandido, su inseparable gato, encuentran a un bebe abandonado, no pueden dejarlo a su suerte ya que sería devorado por los trasgos. Así que se llevan a la pequeña a casa, donde rápidamente se vuelve parte de la familia. Han pasado diez años desde aquel día, y la joven Theodora no parece vivir asustada aun habiendo sido criada por monstruos. Pero ahora, una serie de cartas anónimas sugieren que alguien está a punto de revelar el secreto.

Wilhelmina Hart is part of the infamous class of 2020. Her high school years began with a shocking presidential election and ended with a pandemic. In the midst of this global turmoil, she also lost one of her beloved aunts, a loss she still feels keenly. Having deferred college, Wilhelmina now lives in a limbo she can see no way out of, like so many of her peers. Wilhelmina’s personal darkness would be unbearable (especially with another monumental election looming) but for the inexplicable and seemingly magical clues that have begun to intrude on her life—flashes of bizarre, ecstatic whimsy that seem to add up to a message she can’t quite grasp. But something tells her she should follow their lead. Maybe a trail of elephants, birds, angels, and stale doughnuts will lead Wilhelmina to a door?

Emma loves music. She loves the boom boom boom of a good bass beat. She loves the stomp stomp stomp her feet make when she dances. She loves to rock out with her mom, her dad, and her little sister. And she loves to twang, strum, and thrum on her guitar. So when the sign-up sheet for the school talent show is posted, she adds her name right away! But the more Emma hears about the amazing talents her classmates will bring, the more nervous she gets. What if her guitar playing is more of a plink, plonk, squeak? She’s suffering from a bad case of stage fright, and it’s up to her family to show her that performing can be fun too, and that she’s already a star.

I’m not who you think I am. My transformation from a poor, orphaned scullery maid into the enchantingly mysterious lady who snagged the heart of the prince did not happen as the rumors insisted in a magical metamorphosis of pumpkins and glass slippers. On the first evening of the ball, I didn’t meekly help my “evil” stepmother and stepsisters primp and preen or watch forlornly out the window as their carriage rolled off toward the palace. I had other preparations to make. My stepsisters and I had been trained for this to be the cleverest in the room, to be quick with our hands and quicker with our lies. We were taught how to get everything we wanted in this world, everything men always kept for themselves: power, wealth, and prestige. And with a touchingly tragic past and the help of some highly illegal spells, I would become a princess, secure our fortunes, and we would all live happily ever after. But there’s always more to the story. With my magic running out, war looming, and a handsome hostage prince the wrong prince distracting me from my true purpose with his magnetic charm and forbidden flirtations, I’m in danger of losing control of the delicate balance I’ve created . . . and that could prove fatal. There’s so much more riding on this than a crown.

After their high school graduation, former best friends Cass and Syd are gearing up for their futures. Cass has planned to go to college to become an engineer, while Syd—despite the fact that her family thinks she’s messed up her whole life—has lined up a sound internship at a historic music venue.   But Cass is keeping secrets. Though his dad has forbidden it, Cass has been playing music, taking trips to San Francisco BART stations to play and make money. Somehow, it’s become a way for Cass to connect with his mother—who was also a musician—who died in a drunk driving accident on the way back from a gig when he was one.   But after Syd catches Cass playing at the BART station, and Cass finds out his mom’s old band the Darlas is going on a reunion tour, everything changes. On impulse, Cass invites Syd to the first Darlas show, and without telling anyone, they make a break for it. Turning one show into a cross-country journey, the two former friends throw away all their plans for the future and embark on a life-altering road trip following the tour, keeping it a secret from their friends and family.   Along the way, they’ll untangle the messy threads of how they became “ex”-best friends, experience the power of nature and music, and decide what they really want their lives to be. Maybe, through it all, Cass and Syd can find a way back to each other, too.