Magical Happenings and Adventures in 2 Chapter Books for Middle Elementary Readers

Fans of the Los Monstruos series will be excited to see the final adventure that will appear in your favorite bookstore on October 7, 2025. Texas-Mexican history and folklore are again part of the adventure. Magical happenings are part of the adventure. Diana Lopez's final conclusion of the series Ava and the Owl Witch delivers with its magic and fascinating folklore.

The town of Tres Leches is home to the feared monstruos of Tejas. The witch La Llorona haunted the river in the town until she was set free by her daughter in an earlier adventure. La Lechuza is a magical witch who changes shapes and is known as the owl witch. She captures any troublemaker from the street and drops them into a mud pit. Ava is the daughter of La Lechuza and not very popular in the town because of her mother's behavior. La Lechuza's vindictive behavior began when her sister was killed in an accident and Ava tries to understand her mother as the owl witch. Ava discovers a family secret in the final events of the story.

Ava and the Owl Witch is recommended for ages 8-10. It was published by Kokila, a division of Penguin/Random House. It has an ISBN of 979-8-217-11038-4.

Young readers who are fans of graphic novels will want to choose Sophie Escabass's adventurous Taxi Ghost as a fun read for Halloween.

Adele will become the new medium in her family and will she see ghosts as all of the other members of her family see? She is on the way to the library when she sees her first ghost in the taxi. She hears a voice but does not see anyone. She discovers that she actually has the family gift of being a medium after telling about this encounter with the ghost. The adventures travel throughout the story as Adele attempts to help the ghost with a problem. Fans of mysteries will find Taxi Ghost to be a page-turner to discover Adele's success as a medium and with her mystery ghost.

Taxi Ghost is recommended for ages 8-10+. It was published by Random House Graphic. It has an ISBN of 978-0-593-56597-1.

Teachers who teach in later elementary grades will want to add these two magical adventures to their classroom library. Both are fun reads for older readers for the Halloween season. The final conclusion of the Los Monstruos series presents the opportunity for students to learn more about Texas-Mexican heritage and the folklore of this heritage. Taxi Ghost presents a fun read about a medium who sees ghosts and must help ghost with a problem.

*Assign Ava and the Owl Witch as a book to be read individually. Students may want to read the previous books in the series if they have not read them. Felice and the Wailing Woman and Rooster and the Dancing Diablo are the first two books in the series.

*Provide additional resources for students to learn about Texas-Mexican heritage with the myths and folklore. Assign a creative writing activity for students to choose a myth from the folklore that they like and the reasons that they find this myth exciting.

*Assign Taxi Ghost as a book to be read individually. Assign a creative writing activity for students to write their own version of how Adele should help the ghost.

*Engage students in a discussion of believing in ghosts. How many students believe in ghosts?

Diana Lopez is the author of several middle grade novels. She is also the author of the novel adaptation for Disney/Pixar film Coco. Diana is a retired educator but still enjoys meeting students in schools that she visits to discuss books and writing. Her books are available in both English and Spanish.

Lopez is proud of her heritage and she is proud to display this heritage in her books. She writes in her author's note in Ava and the Owl Witch that she is aware of the current restrictions on some books in school and in libraries and is proud to support the Freedom to Read for our children.