Omega Morales and the Legend of La Lechuza

Mexican 12-year-old Omega Morales feels like the odd one out in the small town of Noche Buena, and in her tight-knit magical family of empaths. While her cousin Carlitos is a natural at controlling his powers, Omega—who’s half human as opposed to fully magical—can barely keep her abilities from giving her a stomachache. When an ex-friend accuses Omega of being behind the recent disappearances of neighborhood cats, she wonders what could be stirring up trouble. Accompanied by Carlitos and their best friend Clau, a ghost from Venezuela, Omega digs deeper into the terrifying mystery behind folkloric witch La Lechuza, uncovering long-buried secrets about her own family, and her powers, along the way. Kemp (Heartbreak Symphony) skillfully follows even the most antagonistic characters’ interiority throughout, cultivating empathy and understanding around experiences contributing to their behavior. Silver linings balance emotionally fraught moments involving bullying, death and grief, and hate in this well-crafted tale that manages to both deliver scares and elicit laughs. Ages 8–12. Agent: Andrea Morrison, Writers House. (Sept.)