Our Shadows Have Claws: 15 Latin American Monster Stories

From zombies to cannibals to star-crossed, shapeshifting lovers, this cross-genre anthology written by superstar YA authors from across the Latin American diaspora offers bold new thrills for every monster fan.

In these fifteen original short stories, bloodthirsty vampires are hunted by a quick-witted slayer; children are taken from their beds by "el Viejo de la Bolsa" while a military dictator steals their parents; and anyone you love might be a monster waiting to strike. The sinister worlds of these narratives are also magical ones, where supernatural beings can be avatars for justice, vengeance, sisterhood, and empowerment. Some monsters need to be slain; others should be embraced.

So, step into the darkness. See what you find.

* "This bloodcurdling anthology soars."
--Kirkus Reviews, starred review

Full contributor list: Chantel Acevedo, Courtney Alameda, Julia Alvarez, Ann Dávila Cardinal, M. García Peña, Racquel Marie, Gabriela Martins, Yamile Saied Méndez, Maika Moulite and Maritza Moulite, Claribel A. Ortega, Amparo Ortiz, Lilliam Rivera, Jenny Torres Sanchez, Ari Tison, and Alexandra Villasante.

About the Author

Yamile Saied Méndez is the author of many books for young readers, including Furia, a Reese's YA Book Club selection and the inaugural winner of the YA Pura Belpré Award. She was born and raised in Rosario, Argentina. A Walter Dean Myers Grant recipient, she is a graduate of the Vermont College of Fine Arts and a founding member of Las Musas, a marketing collective of Latine authors.

Amparo Ortiz is the author of Blazewrath Games and Dragonblood Ring. She was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and currently lives on the island's northeastern coast. When she's not teaching ESL, she's streaming K-pop videos, vlogging for her eponymous YouTube channel, and writing about worlds both contemporary and fantastical.