The Enchanted Life of Valentina Mejía

Vale’s dad is a folklorist and her mom a geoscientist. Although Vale, 12, enjoys Papi’s stories, trekking near their Colombian home with him and her younger brother, Julián, in search of a patasola, a one-legged woman who sucks her victims’ blood (“Kind of like a vampire, but cooler”) isn’t her idea of a good time even before an earthquake strikes and Papi is injured.

Evergreen

The list of things that frighten a young squirrel named Evergreen is long: “Afraid of loud noises. Afraid of meeting someone new. Afraid of heights, afraid of swimming, afraid of germs. And thunderstorms–her very worst fear was thunderstorms.”