Valentina Salazar is not a Monster Hunter

April 15, 2022
Three siblings go on a road trip to find a mythical creature. Eleven-and-a-half-year-old Valentina Alexander Salazar is the youngest sibling in a family that used to be monster protectors, rescuing creatures who cross over from another dimension and sending them back before they are killed by monster hunters. But since Val's father's untimely death during a mission gone wrong, her mother has taken the family off the road and settled into a more normal (and in Val's honest opinion, dull) life. While her older siblings seem to be fully adapted to their new reality, Val struggles to fit in and secretly continues to track magical creatures. When the egg of a mythical being appears on her radar, she manages to convince her older siblings Rome and Lola to join her in finding and protecting it (deep inside hoping she can convince them to carry on with the family's mission). This entertaining adventure novel is full of surprising twists and features a nice blend of science-fiction and fantasy worldbuilding. Ostensibly a story about monsters and how to deal with them, at its heart is the close-knit Salazar family, whose bonds are fraying at the edges of their shared grief, and their youngest child, who helps them with her fierce, earnest advocacy to remember who they truly are. The Salazars are originally from Ecuador, and most of the cast is brown-skinned. Fun and heartwarming. (Fantasy. 8-12)

COPYRIGHT(2022) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Starred review from May 9, 2022
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.

Starred review from September 2, 2022

Gr 3-7-The heart of this middle grade novel is a family that begins to fray after a father's death. The pain and loss lead all of the children to react in varying ways that further divide them. Andromeda abandons her family's motto and purpose of saving magical creatures-in fact, she joins forces with her villainous uncle to hunt down and destroy them. Rome retreats into a world of silence rooted in misguided guilt over his father's loss. Lola leans into academics and cheerleading, spending every possible minute away from the home. And Valentina, the youngest, clings to the family's motto of Protect, Valor, Heart. When everyone tells her to stop searching for monsters, she disobeys. This disobedience alienates her from kids at school as well as her own family. But her rebellious spirit is a force to be reckoned with. Equal parts goofy and courageous, Valentina helps guide her family back to healing while also unraveling the truth about their father. Valentina's infectious can-do attitude is a uniting force. Not only does this young hero reassemble her fragmented family, she also weaves together a motley ensemble of believers in magic and monsters to help save the magical creatures. Young readers will especially love Brixie, a fairy and satellite character to Valentina who delivers pleasing comic relief. VERDICT Put this stellar magical family novel on both fantasy and adventure shelves.-Stephanie Creamer

Copyright 2022 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from May 1, 2022
Grades 4-6 *Starred Review* It is the last day of school before summer vacation, and 11-(and-a-half!)-year-old Valentina Salazar still can't seem to stay out of trouble. Unable to gel with the other kids at school, Valentina spends her school days reminiscing about the "Before Times," when her family went on monster-rescuing adventures--and her dad was still alive. After hearing of monsters roaming around, Valentina makes it her mission to get back to monster saving; however, her mom, brother, and sister want nothing more than to move on with their lives. An unexpected, ominous visit from their estranged uncle, Rafael (a monster hunter), sends chills down everyone's backs. Upon learning that a rare orü puma egg is in danger of being destroyed by monster hunters, Valentina determines to continue her father's work--even though it was an orü puma that killed him--by saving the egg and, hopefully, reuniting her family. From the author who created the Brooklyn Brujas trilogy, C�rdova brings a new fantastical adventure to younger readers. C�rdova crafts an adventure story to explain a standard lesson that monsters (like humans) are not all bad and can be misunderstood. A wonderful read that shows people should never underestimate the power of family--or their youngest siblings!

COPYRIGHT(2022) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.