Valentina Salazar Is Not a Monster Hunter

An Ecuadorian tween from a family of former monster protectors embarks on one final mission in Córdova's (The Way to Rio Luna) rewarding on-the-road fantasy. During "the worst summer of my whole eleven-and-a-half-year-old life," Valentina Salazar longs to return to the Before Times--an era before school bullies, nightly homework, busy older siblings, and most importantly, the death of her beloved father. Now settled in Missing Mountain, N.Y., after a lifetime of camping and homeschooling, Valentina searches with little luck for a case that will help her family get back to normal--and back into their 1965 Ford Falcon camper. When Valentina sees video footage of a boy showcasing an egg that belongs to a rare monster--the same rare monster that killed her father--she and her elder siblings undertake a road trip to retrieve it, encountering a double-headed scorpion and large winged cats, among other creatures. With a gutsy, lionhearted protagonist ("By the way, weirdos make the world a better place!"), an inventive cryptid menagerie, and a sensitive portrayal of grief's effect on individuals and familial dynamics as seen through young eyes, Córdova's narrative comes aglow as it unfolds, radiating warmth, humor, and a love of the fantasy genre on each and every page. Ages 8-12. Agent: Suzie Townsend, New Leaf Literary & Media. (June)