Ghost Squad

Praise for Ghost Squad:

One of NPR's Best Books of 2020

A Good Morning America Summer Reading Squad pick

Ghost Squad is a charming adventure full of girl power and heart. Young readers will want to be best friends with Lucely, Syd, and Chunk! --Zoraida Cordova, author of The Way to Rio Luna and the Brooklyn Brujas series

Ghost Squad manages to be both creepy and heartwarming, fulfilling a need for stories that are both deeply relatable and culturally specific. Highly recommended for kids looking for a spooky read, a whole lot of feelings, and a story they'll not soon forget. --Mark Oshiro, author of Anger is a Gift and The Insiders

Dark humor, mystical vibes, and pop-culture references abound in this action-packed ghost hunt featuring... enchanted books, cryptic catacombs, and a coven of cats who are more than they appear. Shoutouts to Ghostbusters, Hocus Pocus, The Goonies, and the like crop up continually as debut author Ortega expertly weaves a feel-good, phantasmagorical adventure that readers won't want to miss. --Booklist

While it's undeniably a ghost story, Lucely's love for her family, both corporeal and spirit, carries the narrative, giving it warmth and depth. Readers will root for Lucely and Syd as they try to save St. Augustine and Lucely's cucuyos. A warmly spooky middle-grade debut. --Kirkus Reviews

A fast-paced adventure rooted in Dominican mythology and packed with action, humor, and originality. Lucely and Syd's adventure gives readers paranormal thrills akin to Ghostbusters and The Goonies, from a refreshingly different cultural perspective. --School Library Journal

A high energy yarn, interwoven with Dominican culture and mythology, that is pleasantly spooky with a Ghostbusters vibe that rarely falters. Readers will appreciate this lively entree to supernatural literature. --Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

Ortega takes Hispanic folk traditions and weaves them into an artful narrative set in modern times. A recommended read for those who like ghostly adventures. --School Library Connection

Ghost Squad is a charming adventure full of girl power and heart. Young readers will want to be best friends with Lucely, Syd, and Chunk! -- Zoraida Cordova, author of The Way to Rio Luna and the Brooklyn Brujas seriesGhost Squad manages to be both creepy and heartwarming, fulfilling a need for stories that are both deeply relatable and culturally specific. Highly recommended for kids looking for a spooky read, a whole lot of feelings, and a story they'll not soon forget. -- Mark Oshiro, author of Anger is a Gift and The InsidersDark humor, mystical vibes, and pop-culture references abound in this action-packed ghost hunt featuring... enchanted books, cryptic catacombs, and a coven of cats who are more than they appear. Shoutouts to Harry Potter, Ghostbusters, Hocus Pocus, The Goonies, and the like crop up continually as debut author Ortega expertly weaves a feel-good, phantasmagorical adventure that readers won't want to miss. -- Booklist While it's undeniably a ghost story, Lucely's love for her family, both corporeal and spirit, carries the narrative, giving it warmth and depth. Readers will root for Lucely and Syd as they try to save St. Augustine and Lucely's cucuyos. A warmly spooky middle-grade debut. -- Kirkus ReviewsA fast-paced adventure rooted in Dominican mythology and packed with action, humor, and originality. Lucely and Syd's adventure gives readers paranormal thrills akin to Ghostbusters and The Goonies, from a refreshingly different cultural perspective. -- School Library JournalA high energy yarn, interwoven with Dominican culture and mythology, that is pleasantly spooky with a Ghostbusters vibe that rarely falters. Readers will appreciate this lively entree to supernatural literature. -- Bulletin of the Center for Children's BooksOrtega takes Hispanic folk traditions and weaves them into an artful narrative set in modern times. A recommended read for those who like ghostly adventures. -- School Library Connection