The Smoking Mirror
A thrilling descent into Aztec mythology awaits! Twelve-year-old twins Carol and Johnny Garza's lives are forever changed when their mother mysteriously disappears. Shipped off to relatives in Mexico, they discover a shocking family secret: their mother is a nagual, a shapeshifter, and they've inherited her powers.
To rescue their mother, Carol and Johnny must journey into the Aztec underworld, Mictlan, facing dangerous creatures and powerful gods. Can they master their newfound abilities and overcome the trials that await them, or will they be trapped in the land of the dead forever?
Perfect for middle grade readers who love action-packed fantasy with a rich cultural twist. Winner of the American Library Association's 2016 Pura Belpré Author Honor.
David Bowles is a product of a Mexican-American family and has lived most of his life in deep South Texas, where he teaches at the University of Texas Río Grande Valley. Recipient of awards from the American Library Association, Texas Institute of Letters and Texas Associated Press, he has written several books, most significantly the ALA Pura Belpré Honor Book, The Smoking Mirror. Additionally, his work has been published in venues including Rattle, Strange Horizons, Apex Magazine, Metamorphoses, Translation Review, Concho River Review, Huizache, Journal of Children’s Literature, Asymptote, Eye to the Telescope and Newfound.
