From fantasies to thrillers, these middle grade titles with Latinx characters are must-reads. Your kids won't want to miss them.

Córdova, Zoraida. Valentina Salazar Is Not a Monster Hunter. Scholastic. Jun. 2022. ISBN 9781338712711.
Valentina Salazar and her family protect creatures such as chupacabras and unicorns who come into our world from others. After losing their father, their mother decides to retire, and Valentina and her siblings no longer search for magical creatures. But when evidence of a magic egg appears in a video, Valentina convinces her siblings to help her find and save it—all while avoiding monster hunters who are also after the egg.

McCall, Guadalupe Garcia. The Keeper. HarperCollins. Jan. 2022. ISBN 9780063076921.
Fans of spine-tingling thrillers and tales based on true stories will be sure to love this middle grade title. James and his family move from Texas to Oregon into a seemingly ideal neighborhood. Until the letters start. Letters that let James know he and his sister Ava are being watched. Letters that may have ties to other missing children. It’s up to James and Ava to discover the truth behind the letters before it’s too late.

Ortega, Claribel. Witchlings. Scholastic. Mar. 2022. ISBN 9781338745528. Twelve-year-old Seven Salazar is excited to finally participate in the Black Moon Ceremony and be placed into a coven. When the time comes, however, Seven isn’t assigned a coven—she is assigned as a Spare—and even worse, the sealing she performs with the two other Spares fails, marking them as Witchlings who might never grow into their powers. The three decided to complete an impossible task in order to gain their powers. But will they be able to accomplish it?

Randall, Julian. Pilar Ramirez and the Escape from Zafa. Holt. Mar. 2022. ISBN 9781250774118.
Fans of adventure and stories inspired by myths will want to keep an eye out for this first book in a new middle grade duology series based on Dominican folktales. Pilar struggles with everyday life in her Chicago home and neighborhood, especially now that her sister has left for college. The tween wants to solve the mystery of a cousin's disappearance 50 years go during President Trujillo's dictatorship in Dominican Republic. When Pilar seeks out one of her sister’s professors who might be able to help investigate, she finds herself pulled into a world filled with mythical creatures.

Ryan, Pam Muñoz. Solimar: the Sword of the Monarchs. Disney-Hyperion. Feb. 2022. ISBN 9781484728352.
Solimar spends time visiting the monarch butterflies in the oyamel forest near her home. After one special visit, Solimar finds she is able to predict the future, and she is destined to protect the butterflies that make their home in the forest. When her village is attacked and only Solimar remains, she must act to save her village and the butterflies from those who would threaten them.