Book Review - ChupaCarter by George Lopez

 

ChupaCarter  by George Lopez is about a lonely boy named Jorge, who meets and befriends a magical creature named Carter. Twelve year old Jorge is upset that he is shipped off to live with his grandparents after an incident at school. His mom feels that she isn’t able to control him nor give him the discipline and structure he needs. Jorge struggles with containing his emotions and often loses his temper.

During his first day at the new school, things didn't go well either. He catches the attention of school bullies and an aggressive principal who likes hunting animals. They both have it out for Jorge after he stands up for a bullied classmate. The principal feels that there is something that Jorge is hiding. Jorge is desperate for a friend to have in his corner and to feel less lonely. 

Jorge was hanging out on his grandparents’ roof when he noticed someone or something hanging around in the trees. The next day his stash of junk food is depleted. Jorge decides to follow the trail of empty food wrappers and comes across a scary looking monster called chupacabra. Chupacabras are well known for their bloodthirst and the slaughtering of livestock. However, Carter is nothing like the lore. He is friendly, kind, and a good listener. Jorge is so excited to have a friend that he doesn’t even mind that Carter is a mythical creature because he feels that he is a good being. Not everyone feels the same way when some local cattle are slaughtered. Will Jorge be able to prove Carter’s innocence? 

I have read a few books by the co-author, Ryan Calejo, and have enjoyed his books. I am familiar with George Lopez and have enjoyed watching his shows. The novel was a quick and easy read. It had black and white illustrations and some funny moments. I did wish it had a little bit of humor that George and Ryan are known for. The book did have some Spanish words that were a nice inclusion for young readers to pick up a new language. I would read more books by the authors and thought this was an interesting collaboration.

Book Review - Codex Black: A Fire Among Clouds by Camilo Moncada Lozano and Angel De Santiago

 

Codex Black : A Fire Among Clouds by Camilo Moncada Lozano and Angel De Santiago is about a young Zapotec girl named Donaji, journeying to find her missing father. Donaji is known to be fearless and is a celebrated hero by her village. As she sets out to locate her father, she is accompanied by a god that lives in her poncho.

The poncho is a family heirloom that has been passed down by generations in her family. The god that resides in the poncho blesses the wearer with super strength. He also serves as a guardian and mentor to Donaji.

As she journeys to a village where her father was last spotted, she crosses paths with a young Mexica warrior with wings named Itzcacalotl. They formed a temporary partnership when they encountered a terrifying and dangerous bat monster that was terrorizing an entire village. As the duo spends more time together, their partnership blossoms into a budding friendship.

The graphic novel was colorful and well done. I enjoyed reading Donaji and Itzcacalotl’s adventures and seeing them transform into strangers thrusted into battle together, and then into good friends. I like that the footnotes explain some details about Aztec culture. The book had humor sprinkled with adventure and it’s perfect for young readers. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.

Book Review - The Ghost Tree by Christina Henry

 

Smiths Hollow is a small quiet town. So, when two bodies of girls are found torn to shreds, Lauren is surprised. She feels that the police will never find the killer because her father's murder went unsolved. A year before, her beloved father was found dead with his heart missing. Everyone has been able to move on including, her mother. Lauren has a hard time coming to terms with her father's death and she struggles when her best friend, Miranda, is starting to move on too. Miranda and Lauren used to be two peas in a pod but, now Miranda wants to spend more time with boys than hanging out by the old ghost tree, like when they were kids.

One day, Lauren has a vision of a monster dragging the remains of the slain girls through the woods. She knows that she can't just sit there like everyone else and do nothing. She is determined to find the killer. As Lauren tries to find clues, she realizes someone is keeping a dark deadly secret. Will Lauren be able to solve the mystery behind the missing girls before it's too late?

I have read several books by the author and have enjoyed them. I thought the plot of this book was a unique and interesting. However, I don't think the book should have been so long. I felt like that there was unnecessarily long because the "plot" behind the murders was pretty straightforward. For example, when Lauren's grandmother told her story, the author spends pages where Lauren doesn't believe it. Even when, Lauren herself keeps mentioning evidence that her grandmother might be telling the truth. I felt like there could have been more action in the middle of the book because it was a bit slow action wise. Overall, it was a good book and I would read more books by the author.

Book Review - Estranged by Ethan M. Aldridge

Photo Credit - Amazon

Changeling Edmund and the Human Childe were swapped at birth. Edmund lives in secret among the humans in the World Above. He keeps his powers a secret from his parents and older sister, Alexis. Childe lives in the World Below among the changelings. In the World Below, being a human makes him a curiosity in the royal palace. When a dark force descends on the palace and an evil sorceress Hawthorne takes the throne, Edmund and the Child will have to work together to stop her.

The book had a very basic storyline of two "brothers" fighting for their family. The graphic novel had themes of friendship, family, and loyalty weaved throughout the book. I found it to be a fun read and a good starting point of the next adventure of Edmund and the Childe. I wasn't fond of the washed-out artwork but, it started growing on me. I can't wait for the next book in the series.

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