Do you or a young person you know love Encanto? Do we have the books for you! If you want to read about magical families, long-kept secrets, powerful friendships, amazing gifts, and magical destinies all set in colorful and interesting settings by Latinx authors, look no further because here is your guide!
Leonora’s family runs a popular bakery in Texas and their biggest day of the year is coming up: the Day of the Dead Festival. Everyone in town wants to buy their pan de muerto, sugar skulls, and sweet conchas. Leo’s older sisters get to leave school early to help with the orders, but Leo has never been allowed to help, and she begins to wonder why. She soon discovers that her family comes from a line of brujas and bake a little magic into their treats. Without telling her family, Leo decides to practice her own magical craft, but without their guidance, unruly magic can be a risky business.
Something magical happens each night when Sandy goes to bed. Tiny stars twinkle in her dark room and Sandy catches them and transforms them into little creatures. When she awakes, she draws them, creating beautiful art by day. Her strict school does not approve of her doodling, but her drawings catch the eyes of a mysterious new girl, called Morfie. It soon becomes clear to Sandy that Morfie’s fascination with her drawings may be malicious. Sandy’s drawings and her ability to create become juxtaposed with a monstrous creature’s malevolent need to consume. This middle grade graphic novel mirrors the color, vibrancy, and magic of Encanto. Its cute and detailed pictures cover full pages, and are sure to enchant readers.
Paola Santiago and the River of Tears by Tehlor Kay Mejia
j.Paola Santiago is fascinated by space and science and relies on hard facts to form her opinions. Her superstitious mother, however, warns her about the river, specifically about La Llorona, a spirit she says wanders the Gila river at night searching for children to drag under. Paola does not believe any of that, and besides, when she and her friends get to use a nice telescope to stargaze, she won't discount that the best spot to see the stars without the blur or the city lights is near the river. Even though Paola doesn’t believe in legends, she knows the river can be dangerous, especially since a classmate drowned there. When she sees a shadowy figure lurking in the waters, she wonders if maybe her mom could be right.
Cece Rios and the Desert of Souls by Kaela Rivera
Cece lives in the desert town of Tierra del Sol, isolated and dangerous during the criatura months, a time when malevolent spirits roam the landscape. Only brujas can control the criaturas, but brujería is forbidden by law. When a dark and powerful criatura, El Sombrerón, takes Cece’s sister, Cece may need to resort to her own brujería to save her. This will take Cece on a magical desert adventure with a helpful criatura called Coyote as they embark into the mysterious Devil's Alley to save her sister.
AfterCassie gives her friends words of encouragement, her friend becomes famous after an audition video of hers goes viral. As extraordinary as this is, Cassie soon learns this is because she is a muse, one of the nine muses of Greek mythology. Soon she must learn how to use her new power to inspire in order to protect humanity. She, along with the Muse Squad, soon are assigned to aid one of Cassie’s fellow students, Maya, who is plagued by Sirens threatening to curse her destiny in which she is fated to save the world. This story explores friendships new and old, family dynamics, and complex feelings like grief, envy, and love.
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