Vanessa Morales – illustratör

It was the first day of school in Flower Bed Lake, and every little creature knew exactly where to go. Everyone, that is, except Axl. The fish, lizards, and frogs all headed to their own schools to learn how to glub glub and ribbit, but there was only one of Axl. Will he ever find where he belongs?From EGOT-winning songwriters Benj Pasek & Justin Paul, the songwriters behind The Greatest Showman and Dear Evan Hansen, and author JP Brammer comes a story of a brave and curious axolotl who is determined to find where he belongs. Brought to life by Vanessa Morales, this is a funny and affirming story about loving the things that make you unique and that finding the place you belong might look different than you expected. Complete with fascinating, kid-friendly facts about axolotls!

Twins coping with moving to a new city get swept back in time by a magical book in this first book in the Legendarios chapter book series that’s Magic Tree House meets Heroes in Training! Nine-year-old twins, Emma and Martín, couldn’t be more different in their personalities, interests, and even their looks. But one thing they absolutely agree on is that moving from Cuernavaca, Mexico, to Illinois is a terrible idea. Unfortunately, they’re not given a choice when their dad lands his dream job as a middle school principal in Chicago. To help the twins stay connected to their Mexican heritage, their abuela gifts them a book of Mexican legends. The book turns out to be more than a going away present…it’s a magical item that transports them directly into the legends! In the first legend, Emma and Martín encounter Tlaloc, the god of rain. Tlaloc is angry because his lightning bolt has been stolen, and his rage is manifesting as a torrential downpour over the ancient city of Texcoco. The rain won’t stop until the lightning bolt has been returned, so Emma and Martín set out to recover it. Will they find Tlaloc’s bolt in time to help the people of Texcoco save their home? Or will the wrath of the rain god mark the end of this legendary city?

Twins Emma and Martín get stuck at the beginning of time in this second book in the Legendarios chapter book series that’s Magic Tree House meets Heroes in Training! Emma and Martín are settling into their new home in Chicago and getting ready to start at their new school. When they learn they’ll be in separate classes for the first time, they aren’t sure they can face so much change alone. But when life gets stressful, the siblings now have the perfect escape—into the book of legends! They enter the creation story of when the giant Ometecuhtli made the world. As soon as they arrive, they realize they have a major problem: it takes a magical object to activate Emma’s necklace and open the portal home, but how can they find one when nothing exists yet?

Twins Emma and Martín help a potential king earn his throne in this third book in the Legendarios chapter book series that’s Magic Tree House meets Heroes in Training! Emma and Martín swap the cool Chicago fall for the hot jungles of the Puuc Hills when they dive into the myth of the Child King of Uxmal. There, they meet Nicte the healer. Nicte is determined to save her village from constant droughts and the burden of their ruthless king. She’s following rumors of a prophecy, which leads her to three strange items: a giant egg and a drum and rattle that will only play for the rightful king of Uxmal. Emma and Martín are eager to help Nicte follow the prophecy when they are yanked out of the jungle—and discover that there’s a page missing from their book! Can the twins find a way back into the legend to save Nicte’s village, or is this the end of the story?

Twins Emma and Martín defend a princess and her village in this fourth book in the Legendarios chapter book series that’s Magic Tree House meets Heroes in Training! It’s been a few months since Emma and Martín moved to Chicago. When they first arrived, their family thought outgoing Emma would adjust quickly and shy Martín might have a harder time making friends. But surprisingly, Martín is fitting in just fine, while Emma wants to go back to Mexico more than anything. She might not be able to go back to their previous home, but she can visit Mexico in the book of legends! And even better, this time the twins are joined by their abuela on the adventure. The book brings them into the story of Princess Hapunda and Lake Pátzcuaro. When an enemy tribe demands that Hapunda’s father hand her over to them, she faces a difficult choice: go with their enemies or refuse and risk her people’s safety. Can the twins find a way to help the princess out of the tricky situation, or is this a tale without a happy ending?