Vincent Ventura, monster fighter extraordinaire, wakes up in the middle of the night to see an odd sight: a school bus with five kids at the house across the street. More alarming is the ghost train about to plow into it! Both the bus and the train disappear upon what should have been impact, but one boy remains in the driveway and he’s looking directly at Vincent with a sign that says, “Help us.” And then Vincent sees a hooded figure with glowing red eyes holding a wiggling burlap sack.
At school the next day, Vincent’s cousin Michelle recommends a trip to the library—as usual—to research the mystery. They learn the disturbing demon is known as a cucuy in Latin America; some people call it a coco or chaneque. With help from the librarian, the kids find a newspaper dated December 2, 1958, which carries the story of a bus hit by a train. It turns out the haunted train tracks are quite well-known in the area, and other people have seen the same boy Vincent saw. The mysterious child seems to be harmless, but the red-eyed figure in a hood is a different story. Legend has it that el cucuy stuffs children into a burlap bag—and then eats their souls!
Soon, a plan to save the five children and capture the evil spirit is created and put into place. Unfortunately, things don’t go as expected and the monster fighters will have to use all their skills to get out alive! This seventh volume in Garza’s acclaimed, bilingual Monster Fighter Mystery series contains the author’s black and white illustrations of the creepy creature and will once again thrill his young fans, all while sharing Latino folklore.
Praise for Xavier Garza’s Monster Fighter Mystery series:
“Garza successfully continues his thrilling series with his signature humor, kid-centric themes, and quick pace. His illustrations also bring home the scary aspects of the narrative while making the novel more accessible. It will keep readers intrigued for the next entry. Each of the volumes stand alone, but familiarity with the previous books adds to the enjoyment.”—School Library Journal on Vincent Ventura and the Curse of the Dancing Devil / Vincent Ventura y la maldición del diablo bailarín
“This installment in the ‘Vincent Ventura’ series is full of fun and surprises, with fast-paced chapters and a mystery that is sure to intrigue fans of Latin American folklore. The dual English and Spanish format makes this an excellent choice for youth bilingual and Spanish collections, and the bold artwork interspersed among the chapters is eye-catching and provides an intriguing close-up of the characters. VERDICT: Highly recommended for collections for youth and for readers of retellings, adventure, and fantasy.”—School Library Journal on Vincent Ventura and the Curse of the Weeping Woman / Vincent Ventura y la maldición de La Llorona
“Multifaceted portrayals of legendary spirits add depth to a narrative that is enhanced by dramatic black-and-white art… Nuanced folklore shines in this thrilling beginning chapter book.”—Kirkus Reviews on Vincent Ventura and the Curse of the Weeping Woman / Vincent Ventura y la maldición de La Llorona
“Monster fighter extraordinaire Vincent Ventura battles his latest foe: the dreadful duende! Book 3 in Garza’s Monster Fighter Mystery series adds a little psychological horror to Vincent’s newest adventure, and this installment [is] a cohesive story centered on friendship and, more importantly, kicking monster butt. A case of lighthearted fun during the witching hour.”—Kirkus Reviews on Vincent Ventura and the Diabolical Duendes / Vincent Ventura y los duendes diabólicos
“This fun, illustrated Spanish/English short chapter book has enough Mexican folklore and American teen angst to keep middle grade and reluctant readers interested in the otherworldly adventures of the monster-fighter extraordinaire.”—School Library Journal on Vincent Ventura and the Mystery of the Witch Owl / Vincent Ventura y el mistero de la bruja lechuza
“Garza’s cool series sequel offers a little mystery, a little action, and a lot of fun. A breezy read, Vincent’s latest adventure packs folkloric elements in a fast-paced tale that’s sure to entice reluctant readers. Similar to its predecessor, this bilingual novel contains both English and Baeza Ventura’s Spanish versions, with the latter being superior in readability. A real hoot.”—Kirkus Reviews on Vincent Ventura and the Mystery of the Witch Owl / Vincent Ventura y el mistero de la bruja lechuza
“Garza delves into Spanish folklore and adds action, horror, and mystery to create a wonderfully exciting book. This illustrated series-starter is formatted as a bilingual flipbook, with the Spanish text occupying one half of the book, and English the other. The descriptive Spanish and high vocabulary make it a strong addition to both elementary and middle school mystery sections.”—Booklist on Vincent Ventura and the Mystery of the Chupacabras / Vincent Ventura y el misterio del chupacabras
XAVIER GARZA is the author of numerous award-winning books for young people, including Racing at Devil’s Bridge and Other Stories / Carreras en El Puente del Diablo y otros cuentos (Piñata Books, 2024) and six volumes in the Monster Fighter Mystery series / Serie Exterminador de monstruos. He lives with his family in San Antonio, Texas.
ALAÍDE VENTURA MEDINA is a Mexican writer and translator. She is the author of three novels: Como caracol (SM), winner of the Gran Angular Award); Entre los rotos (Random House), winner of the Mauricio Achar Prize, translated into four languages and adapted to theater, and Autofagia (Random House). She is currently completing a PhD in Creative Writing in Spanish at the University of Houston.
