MARI AND THE CURSE OF EL COCODRILO

A Cuban American girl who’s ashamed of her heritage contends with a curse—and a gift—from her ancestral land.

Twelve-year-old Maricela Feijoo just wants to be a normal sixth grader and avoid the scorn of her racist white bully neighbor, Mykenzye. But her family’s “ridiculous traditions” are constant sources of shame. On New Year’s Eve, when they “reach Peak Cubanity” and the time comes to burn the effigy representing last year’s bad luck, Mari spots Mykenzye recording her and pockets the doll instead. Later, a painful black crocodile-shaped mark appears on Mari’s arm and with it, all manner of bad luck and scary visions befall her: Maggots infest her food, her pencils turn into worms, and a creeping black shadow writes ominous messages. The curse jeopardizes her upcoming mariachi audition; worse, her best friend, Keisha, develops the same mark, imperiling her shot at the elite fencing team. When Mari accidentally summons the ghosts of dead relatives, she learns she has the family gift of magic. By learning about her ancestors, Mari realizes that only by embracing her Cubanity—and her family, past and present—will she be able to break the curse. Dynamic action scenes rendered in vivid detail bring Cuevas’ imaginative (and terrifying) interpretation of Cuban cultural traditions to life, while Mari’s relationships provide a rich emotional backdrop. Strong plotting, high stakes, and the curse’s evolving rules of engagement make this a satisfying page-turner.

A delightful horror novel with emotional and cultural resonance.