Monster Locker

Gr 4-8–Mesoamerican goddesses and monsters rampage through a middle school when a boy’s locker doubles as a portal to another world in this new middle grade series. Pablo Ortiz is a sixth grader who is afraid of ghost stories, which causes him to look silly at his sister’s quinceañera celebration, and in front of his former friend-turned-bully. But when he accidentally summons an Aztec goddess bent on destruction to the halls of Glenfield Middle School, he has to face his fears and save the world. Luckily, he has two friends by his side: new kid Takashi Rosenberg and field hockey outcast Maggie Murphy, who find themselves dragged into Pablo’s crisis. He also has his abuela, who has more experience with monsters than one may think. Filled with Mesoamerican cultural references and history, Aguirre and Martínez blend history and fantasy into an exciting story with a message on being good stewards to our planet. Back matter includes a pronunciation guide for the mythical creatures featured in the story.