Charlie Hernandez & the League of Shadows

Charlie Hernandez & the League of Shadows
Ryan Calejo
Aladdin/Simon & Schuster, 2018 312 pages
Grades 4-7
Fantasy/Mythology/Adventure

Something strange is happening to Charlie Hernandez. He starts sprouting horns and feathers and then, if that is not enough, a claw emerges from where his hand should be. It’s not like he can ask his parents for help. They disappeared in a house fire (no remains were found) and now Charlie resides with a kind, yet doddering foster mother. He does not feel comfortable confiding in his best friend. Instead, he finds himself thrown together with popular girl, Violet, an inspiring investigative reporter with nerves of steel, and the two new partners become determined to get to the bottom of this miraculous situation. The trail leads them to a spooky graveyard at night with a secret bunker and creatures straight out of Charlie's abuela's stories. Are these mythical characters from Spanish folklore come to life? It seems that Charlie has a secret power and it is up to him to save the world from unknown spiritual forces. Is he up to the challenge? The cause of the mysterious transformation happening to Charlie, as well as the secret behind Charlie's parent's disappearance, among other mysteries will be revealed as this exciting story unfolds.

The Lightning Thief gone Latino, Calejo dishes up a delicious tale of mythological adventure in this first in a new series. Released this week, a month after the Latin American installment in the new Rick Riordan Presents series, Charlie Hernandez should never-the-less find an audience. Following the same format as Riordan, Calejo plugs in a south Florida setting and Latin American Gods unfamiliar to much of the American audience. I enjoyed this fresh crop of mythical heroes and villains and how the author presented them in a modern way. Spanish words and terms are sprinkled throughout, yet the meanings are deductible from the text. A glossary in the back lists the mythical creatures with descriptions, which was helpful because I kept forgetting who was who. Kids with fresher minds than me may well remember the distinctively eccentric characters from first meeting and not need the glossary. The action never stops and chapters lead from one to the next, making the book tough to put down. All of the plot arcs are resolved, yet Calejo introduces a new conflict right at the end to invite the reader to the next installment in the series, yet to be released. Mythology from places beyond Europe and North America is finally getting its moment in the spotlight and its time is way overdue. Welcome to Charlie Hernandez and all of his mythological friends!