Ghosts of the Rio Grande Valley is now available for pre-order! Part of the Haunted America series from The History Press, my latest book features seventeen harrowing hauntings from deep South Texas, each accompanied by illustrations by José Meléndez and photographs by Alexis Tran. Here’s the description: Tradition meets tragedy…
As I worked on A Kingdom Beneath the Waves, the second book of Garza Twins, I used music to help me get inside the heads of my two teen protagonists. Here are the playlists for each character:
Cindy Rodríguez over at Latin@s in Kid Lit graciously invited me to write a blog post about the Garza Twins series, the Pura Belpré Honor Award, etc. That post is up today, and you can read it here.
IFWG Publishing just dropped the cover of Garza Twins Book Two on their website. Kudos to Charlene for her incredible work on this.
The post below is mainly intended for students reading my Garza Twins series, but the information may be useful for others as well. Most societies in pre-Columbian Mexico (Aztec, Maya, Mixtec, etc.) used a complex system to keep track of dates. Basically there were two overlapping calendars in this system: a 365-day…
Here are some key facts about one of the protagonists of the Garza Twins series. Name: Carolina “Carol” Garza Birthday: August 10 Aztec day sign: Ce Ocelotl or “One Jaguar.” Note, however, that the twins were baptized on August 26, which falls under the sign Nahui Izcuintli or “Four Dog,”…
Here are some key facts about one of the protagonists of the Garza Twins series. Name: Juan Ángel “Johnny” Garza Birthday: August 10 Aztec day sign: Ce Ocelotl or “One Jaguar” Home town: Donna, Texas Interests: electronica music, old cartoons and comics, video games, architecture, social justice, drawing Play list:…
What is the most likely reason Carol wakes up in her back yard with a dead jackrabbit in her hands? How has the disappearance of the twins’ mother affected their family? Why is it ironic that Johnny says, “An animal? Maybe I am one, too” in Chapter 2? At the…
Here are a few resources than can be used by teachers in connection with The Smoking Mirror Glossary for The Smoking Mirror Related readings The Mayan Hero Twins story from the Popol Vuh Condensed version Newly translated and adapted version by David Bowles Description of the Aztec Underworld from the Florentine Codex 1978 translation…
Here is a list of mythological characters, objects, places and concepts mentioned or featured in The Smoking Mirror. Acolmiztli—A black puma who leads the Balamija in the second level of Mictlan Ahuiateteo—Gods of vice and excess. ahuitzotl—(pl. ahuitzomeh) “Water dog,” a sort of magical aquatic creature with a hand at…
