Twins coping with moving to a new city get swept back in time by a magical book in this first book in the Legendarios chapter book series that’s Magic Tree House meets Heroes in Training! Nine-year-old twins, Emma and Martín, couldn’t be more different in their personalities, interests, and even their looks. But one thing they absolutely agree on is that moving from Cuernavaca, Mexico, to Illinois is a terrible idea. Unfortunately, they’re not given a choice when their dad lands his dream job as a middle school principal in Chicago. To help the twins stay connected to their Mexican heritage, their abuela gifts them a book of Mexican legends. The book turns out to be more than a going away present…it’s a magical item that transports them directly into the legends! In the first legend, Emma and Martín encounter Tlaloc, the god of rain. Tlaloc is angry because his lightning bolt has been stolen, and his rage is manifesting as a torrential downpour over the ancient city of Texcoco. The rain won’t stop until the lightning bolt has been returned, so Emma and Martín set out to recover it. Will they find Tlaloc’s bolt in time to help the people of Texcoco save their home? Or will the wrath of the rain god mark the end of this legendary city? "Valenti's adventurous premise will engage readers, while the plot and characters deftly introduce Mexican history and myths, astutely focusing on the unforgettable Tlaloc. The rapport between the twins adds levity, the movement of the characters between time and place aids with pacing, and the occasional black-and-white illustrations add appeal. A promising series starter featuring plenty of clever references to Indigenous Mexican food, history, and language." -- Booklist ― 03/01/2024 "A delightful mix of myth and modern-day struggles, this adventure will captivate young readers" -- School Library Journal ― 10/11/24 Karla Arenas Valenti grew up in Mexico, a land of great myths and many legends. From a very young age, she loved getting lost in stories (and, in fact, she considers herself the very first Legendario). As a grown-up, she still loves getting lost in stories and is now creating adventures for readers to do the same. In addition to chapter books, Karla is the author of many picture books and middle grade novels. She currently lives in the Chicagoland area with her husband, three kids, two cats, and hundreds of books. Vanessa Morales is a Mexican illustrator, kid lit artist, and concept artist with a deep love for portraying nature, fantasy, and daily life with a touch of magic. She has been working in different fields of illustration for almost ten years. A Mysterious Farewell Gift Chocolate and cinnamon burst onto Emma’s tongue as she took a sip of Abuela’s creamy hot chocolate. On the stool next to her, Martín crunched into a crispy churro, spilling sugar crystals all over his shirt. Emma rolled her eyes. “What?” Martín said, wiping crumbs onto the floor. Emma knew they were supposed to wait until after the big comida before eating their dessert. But Abuela had pulled them into the kitchen as soon as they arrived and placed mugs of chocolate caliente and a platter of churros in front of them. “I made these just for you,” she said, indicating the churros. What were they supposed to do? Break their abuela’s heart? Never! So Emma and Martín did the only reasonable thing they could and happily accepted the churros and chocolate. “Well…?” Abuela asked as she lifted the lid off a big ceramic pot on the stove. The smell of bubbling frijoles filled the kitchen. “How are you two feeling?” Emma didn’t know quite how to answer Abuela’s question. She was feeling a number of confusing and conflicting things. While Emma decided what to say, an orange butterfly drifted over to Emma and Martín and landed on the counter, opening and closing its wings before picking up a warm breeze. They all watched it fly out the window before Emma responded. “Fine,” she lied, taking another sip of chocolate. Martín said nothing, crunching into his churro instead. The rest of the family was out on the patio: tíos, tías, primos, primas, and even some of Abuela’s neighbors—all happily chatting and laughing as if this were just an ordinary Saturday gathering. “Come on now, be honest,” Abuela said, seeing right through Emma’s fake happiness and Martín’s avoidance tactics. “Honestly?” Martín asked. Abuela nodded. “This is a terrible party.” Under other circumstances, Emma would have nudged him. Don’t be rude, she would have said. But these were not ordinary circumstances. “This party is the worst,” Emma agreed. She knew it wasn’t a nice thing to say, but it was true. After all, this was a goodbye party. “It’s not fair that we have to move.” Martín took another bite, splattering churro sugar all over the place. “Yeah,” Emma said, wiping Martín’s crumbs off her pants. “Not fair
