The Hills of Estrella Roja

Eighteen-year-old Marisol Castillo abruptly wakes from a haunting dream—involving desperate cries for help from disembodied voices—to discover that something is wrong with her abuela, prompting her, her younger sister, and their mother to return to their Estrella Roja, Tex., hometown, which they haven’t visited in years. Meanwhile, 19-year-old Kat Fields, a paranormal podcaster, is also making her way to Estrella Roja after receiving an anonymous tip about the town’s supernatural secrets. The citizens aren’t thrilled about either of these events: Mari’s relatives give her a suspiciously wide berth, while residents staunchly avoid Kat’s prying questions. When the two teens meet, Kat persuades Mari to join her investigation, in the process uncovering strange secrets about Mari’s family that have dangerous implications. Psychedelic full-color pages burst with intricate detail and dynamic panel configurations. Equally careful attention is paid to the arid Texas backdrop, the characters’ expressions and gestures, and the pulse-pounding horror elements. Franklin (Fruiting Bodies, for adults) expertly captures the spirit of campy paranormal mysteries in this queer supernatural graphic novel interpretation of Latinx folklore. Mari is Latinx and Kat is portrayed with tan skin. Ages 14–up. Agent: Maria Vicente, P.S. Literary. (Aug.)