A thrilling follow-up to Felice and the Wailing Woman by Diana López that explores the Texas-Mexico border myth of the Dancing Devil.The magical town of Tres Leches, home to the figures of Texas–Mexico border lore, has been through a lot. Most recently, the town was released from a curse that kept La Llorona, the wailing woman, haunting the shores of their river. But just when the townsfolk were preparing to return to sunny riverside picnics and barbecues, the children of Tres Leches mysteriously began to go missing. The town suspects another monstruo, the Dancing Devil, is luring kids to El Camarón Dance Hall & Arcade. The Dancing Devil’s son, Rooster, who has a foot in both the human and monster worlds, feels compelled to lead the search for the missing children with the help of his friends, Ava (the daughter of La Lechuza) and Felice (the daughter of La Llorona). Their journey takes them to an old gothic mansion with a twisted family history and a pull so powerful that it’s nearly impossible to resist.
Picking up where
Felice and the Wailing Woman left off,
Rooster and the Dancing Diablo brims with magic, adventure, and Mexican folklore, and is perfect for fans of fantasy adventure series like Paola Santiago by Tehlor Kay Mejia and the Jumbies by Tracey Baptiste.
On sale: May 7, 2024
Age: 8-12 years
Grade: Grades 3-7
Page count: 256 Pages
ISBN: 9780593326527
Reading level: Lexile: 740L | Fountas/Pinnell: W
Diana López is the author of the adult novella
Sofia's Saints as well as of numerous middle grade novels, including
Confetti Girl,
Nothing Up My Sleeve,
Lucky Luna, and
Los Monstruos: Felice and the Wailing Woman, and the picture book
Sing With Me: The Story of Selena Quintanilla. She also wrote the novel adaptation for the Disney/Pixar film
Coco. Diana retired after a twenty-eight-year career in education at both the middle grade and college levels, but she still enjoys meeting with students when she visits schools to chat about books and writing. She lives in her hometown of Corpus Christi, Texas. Many of her books are available in English and Spanish, and you can learn more at DianaLopezBooks.com.
Praise for Los Monstruos: Rooster and the Dancing Diablo by Diana López
"A quick-paced,
magical mystery."
—
Kirkus Reviews
Praise for Los Monstruos: Felice and the Wailing Woman
“A
bewitching adventure.”
—
Booklist“A
fresh, feminist take on Mexican folktales rooted in family, belonging, and acceptance.”
—
Kirkus Reviews“A story as
sweet and layered as the perfect tres leches cake.”
—Celia C. Pérez, award-winning author of
The First Rule of Punk
