From the Pura Belpré Award–winning author of Lola comes an action-packed middle grade fantasy where Aztec mythology crashes into everyday life. When twelve-year old Diego discovers ancient gods are real, he must journey into a deadly labyrinth to stop a vengeful power before it destroys the world.
Diego never believed his abuelo's stories of gods and monsters and the ancient magic woven through Mexican history. Not until he finds himself sprinting down a dark hallway, chased by a creature straight out of lore—its fur as coarse as iron and five human hands clawing furiously at his throat.
Turns out, myths are real, and Diego is in real trouble. The family dog Cholo explains it all (because talking dogs are a real thing too). He warns of an ancient feud between gods: The ruthless Tezca is mustering an army of minions to destroy the human world, while his brother Quetzal, the great defender of humanity, has gone missing.
Diego wants no part of this, but it's hard to ignore the shadowy figures gathering outside abuelo's apartment or the dark magic crackling in the air. If he doesn't step in to save humanity from certain doom, who will? With the help of his friends Violeta and Cholo, a sassy rubber chicken, and a bloodthirsty kitten, he must journey to the heart of Quetzal's labyrinth for one last showdown. If he fails, well . . . let's just hope he doesn't fail.
KARLA ARENAS VALENTI is an award-winning author who writes stories for and about kids, taking readers on journeys steeped in magical realism and philosophical questions. Her storytelling is heavily influenced by her Mexican heritage and layered with ideas and concepts she's picked up in her many travels around the world. She currently resides in the Chicagoland area with her husband and three kids, two cats, and hundreds of books. Karla received the Pura Belpré Author Award for her middle grade novel, Lola, and three starred reviews for her debut, Loteria. She has also written several picture books including Esperanza Caramelo: The Star of Nochebuena.View titles by Karla Arenas Valenti
From the Pura Belpré Award–winning author of Lola comes an action-packed middle grade fantasy where Aztec mythology crashes into everyday life. When twelve-year old Diego discovers ancient gods are real, he must journey into a deadly labyrinth to stop a vengeful power before it destroys the world.
Diego never believed his abuelo's stories of gods and monsters and the ancient magic woven through Mexican history. Not until he finds himself sprinting down a dark hallway, chased by a creature straight out of lore—its fur as coarse as iron and five human hands clawing furiously at his throat.
Turns out, myths are real, and Diego is in real trouble. The family dog Cholo explains it all (because talking dogs are a real thing too). He warns of an ancient feud between gods: The ruthless Tezca is mustering an army of minions to destroy the human world, while his brother Quetzal, the great defender of humanity, has gone missing.
Diego wants no part of this, but it's hard to ignore the shadowy figures gathering outside abuelo's apartment or the dark magic crackling in the air. If he doesn't step in to save humanity from certain doom, who will? With the help of his friends Violeta and Cholo, a sassy rubber chicken, and a bloodthirsty kitten, he must journey to the heart of Quetzal's labyrinth for one last showdown. If he fails, well . . . let's just hope he doesn't fail.
Creators
KARLA ARENAS VALENTI is an award-winning author who writes stories for and about kids, taking readers on journeys steeped in magical realism and philosophical questions. Her storytelling is heavily influenced by her Mexican heritage and layered with ideas and concepts she's picked up in her many travels around the world. She currently resides in the Chicagoland area with her husband and three kids, two cats, and hundreds of books. Karla received the Pura Belpré Author Award for her middle grade novel, Lola, and three starred reviews for her debut, Loteria. She has also written several picture books including Esperanza Caramelo: The Star of Nochebuena.View titles by Karla Arenas Valenti
