Calejo, Ryan. Charlie Hernandez and the League of Shadows. Aladdin, 2018.

Charlie loves studying the mythology of his Latin American culture. He knows all the stories about all the different monsters and gods from all the countries in Central and South America. But when Charlie is teleported into the very mythological world he loves so much, he will have to keep his wits about him in order to save his family and the rest of the world.

This book is a perfect read-alike for the many Rick Riordan mythology stories, and as there are still scores of fans of these books, this will be an easy book to recommend. There is plenty of adventure and fantastical stories in this book, and the compelling, action-filled story will keep readers turning pages to find out what happens next. Recommended.

Recommended for: tweens
Red Flags: mild fantasy peril
Overall Rating: 4/5 stars

Read-Alikes: Aru Shah and the End of Time, The Storm Runner

I received a complimentary copy of this book through Edelweiss for the purpose of review.

I thought this middle school novel was clever, and culturally rich. Charlie is a well developed, relatable character who braves adventure and danger to discover his heritage and find his parents. I liked the usage of Latino mythology. An overall well written and entertaining novel.

This was completely beautiful and I really want to go a read the tales that were referenced in this book.

I'll be honest. The writing was bad. The exposition was hard to follow and not descriptive enough. The dialogue between characters was terrible. No kid talks like Charlie or Violet.

The saving grace of this book is the idea behind the book itself.

3.5 stars- even though this wasn’t my absolute favorite, middle school Percy Jackson fans will love it.

Along the same line of Percy Jackson and the Olympians, this is a great story of a unwitting hero and his friend who go on an unlikely quest to save everyone he loves. The story is fueled by Hispanic myths, and it was great to learn a lot along the way. A quick and light read for any age.

This book reminds me of Rick Riordan’s books but it incorporates Hispanic heritage. Riordan’s characters are all English speaking and though may have an ethnic heritage, are All-American. Calejo’s character brings that bridge between cultures with which many students can relate. Definitely a recommended read for the students in my area.
adventurous mysterious fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: No
adventurous funny lighthearted fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: No

This was so cute and has made me so happy

I’ve learned so much about Spanish mythology and like we’ve been SLEEPING on it! For real tho. Like Greek mythology doesn’t compare to the elaborate story telling of these legends and myths.

I know the first book I will be buying after Christmas is the sequel to this book because oh my gosh I miss Charlie and Violet already. I hope we get more of Alvin in book 2. I feel like he could be such a strong addition to their little group.

My heart is full and happy. That is all. Thank you ❤️