Thea and the Mischief Makers

by Tracy Badua

In this magical adventure that's perfect for fans of Lisa Yee and Erin Entrada Kelly, star athlete Thea must face her worst fears when two mischievous duwendes, Filipino goblins, threaten to wreak havoc on her life—and destroy her town.

Thea gets a chance to begin anew at Pacific Academy. There, she’s a star athlete, someone with friends and popularity.

But disaster strikes at Junior Stunt Warrior summer camp with her new friends: Her extremely uncool former best friend, Evan, shows up too, and she discovers that stunt class is the one activity she’s not good at. Actually, it’s something she’s terrified of. It all reminds Thea of the shy, invisible version of herself she’s determined to leave behind.

Then, in the midst of building a practice obstacle course, Thea wrecks a tree that a pair of grumpy duwendes—Filipino goblins—call home. She’s shocked that not only are duwendes real, but the two in her backyard want revenge.

Now Thea must team up with friends new and old to fend off the duwendes before they destroy her entire neighborhood. But can she pull it off while saving her cool-girl image, too?

Genres: Middle Grade, Fantasy, Mythology

240 pages, Hardcover

Published October 15, 2024

About the author

Tracy Badua is an award-winning Filipino American author of books about young people with sunny hearts in a sometimes stormy world. By day, she is an attorney who works in national housing policy, and by night, she squeezes in writing, family time, and bites of her secret candy stash. She lives in San Diego, California.

Reviews

[Margaret · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fun contemporary fantasy with Philipino folklore. Thea was a bit of an outcaste at her old school, and only had one friend, Evan. She now attends a different middle school than Evan, and her skill at Brazilian jiu jitzu, an activity she did with her now deceased grandfather, set her apart at her new school in a good way. Everyone thinks she's a star athlete and admire her, including two new friends.

It's summer now and she's attending a Junior Stunt Warrior Camp with her two new friends and, as it turns out, Evan. But Evan is a bit of a dork, and he keeps embarrassing her. She wants to continue pretending to be cool, and he's making it hard. Plus, she's scared of heights, which is making the camp difficult.

But all of that is child's play compared to her real stressor: she cut a branch from a tree in the backyard to make a practice stunt course, and now the duwendes, Filipino goblins, who lived there are demanding a sincere apology, or else they'll destroy her home and town. Her parents don't believe her when she explains about the duwende. How will she find help?

Great, realistic interpersonal relationships, and I enjoyed the Filipino folklore. I didn't love aspects of the ending, but I know kids will have a lot of fun reading this.

[USOM · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)

Thea and the Mischief Makers should be required reading for all middle grade readers. It's a story that is universal in its exploration of friendship. For these middle grade readers, and for anyone going through a change, we aren't sure how to balance these new friends. What kind of person do we want to be and how do we treat the ones around us? When we change, go to a new school, make a different decision, we have the opportunity to decide what kind of friend and what kind of person we are. Thea and the Mischief Makers is about exactly that.

[Pauline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, the awkwardness of trying to be popular and still be friends with people you grew up with. I love that at least it all worked out here (with the help of duendes).

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

From the author of The Cookie Crumbles comes her latest book, Thea and the Mischief Makers, a story filled with hijinks, mischief, and Filipino folklore. I adored how the emphasis of the story was on being genuine and that to truly apologize means more than just saying the words, that the person that you're apologizing to has to feel it. Thea makes numerous mistakes in her interactions with Dante and Dora, the biggest when she taunts them by saying that there isn't anything worse that they can do to her than what they've already done to her room. It takes her quite a while to figure out how she will make amends and understanding why a true apology is so important. I liked how the more Thea and Evan began to hang out together, laughing and joking around, Thea begins to see remnants of their past friendship and even questioned what things she had to give up in order to be liked. Was excluding Evan and making him feel unwelcome the kind of person she wanted to be?

Sweet Evan, I loved his attitude, he's not fazed by how other people feel about him. His concern was what Thea thought of him, and he's perfectly fine with not being considered cool. Geeky and clumsy are ok too. Overall, this was a fast read and I really enjoyed the messaging. This reads a little on the younger side because of the goblins but a lot of the friend dynamics and concerns about one's image and being popular track more middle grade. Still a very nice mix of fantasy, martial arts and adventure. ** A huge thank you to Books Forward for the E-ARC in exchange for an honest review**

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 4 out of 5]

E ARC Provided by Edelweiss Plus

Thea has transferred from her public middle school to the private Pacific Academy. She has enjoyed her new surroundings, and is known as a cool, fearless athlete for her success in Brazilian jiu jitzu. She misses her grandfather, who passed away two years ago, and who was a staunch supporter of her athletic endeavors. She's starting the summer taking a two week Stunt Warrior Camp, but is somewhat dismayed that her old best friend, Evan is there. Evan is geeky, outspoken, and has witnessed her fear of heights, that led to an embarrassing incident at her old school. Rex and Brooklyn from Pacific are at the summer camp as well, and she doesn't want to embarrass herself in front of them and ruin her reputation at school. When she finds out that her mother has planned to have Evan at camp AND to hang out at their house afterwards, she's not happy. She and Evan plan on building a mini obstacle course in the back yard. Her father earns her to be careful, especially of the calamansi trees in the backyard, because her grandfather always claimed there were duwendes, Filipino folklore goblins, that lived there. Thea pauses, but then decides it's ridiculous, and lops a branch off one of the trees. That night, she sees two duwendes in her room, and they crash her bookcase, saying that she has one week to make up for her disrespect of they will destroy her entire town. Thea apologizes, but duwendes Dante says an apology consists of authentic words, offering, and heart, and both he and his sister Dora agree that Thea is not sincere enough. Since the neighbors were also affected, Thea knows she needs to do something, but isn't quite sure what. When Evan sees the duwendes, he is excited, because there are similar beings in one of his video games, and he offers to help. The two give Dora some microwaveable Mac and cheese, and she softens up and forgives Thea. Dante still needs to, and Dora warns that he is a vengeful trickster who caused the destruction of an entire island, and that's why the two came to California. Dora is less thrilled by the gold earrings that Thea offers her, saying that Thea is stereotyping magical beings. At the camp, Thea is still figuring out how to deal with her fear of heights in some of the stunts that they try, and worrying that REx and Brooklyn think Evan is uncool. She starts to realize that maybe she isn't as nice to others at school as she should be. When Dora tells Thea that what Dante would really like is his solokot (hat) that was stolen from him at the port when they arrived, she and Evan discuss how to find it, and Evan brings Rex and Brooklyn into the discussion! Thea is mortified, but the four manage to find the hat being used at a candy dish in an office in Long Beach by looking at video camera pictures, and plan a way to take rental scooters to the dock. When they get there, however, they find that the office is in a secured area, and they have to use their stunt skills to break in. They get the hat, and narrowly escape when Evan distracts the guard with a pop-and-Mentos bomb! When Dante says that the hat is not enough, Dora steps in and tells him he needs to stop. They have a heart to heart about the purpose of duwendes and consequences of past actions, and Dante says he wants to go back to the Philippines and apologize, while Dora wants to stay and learn about humans... and eat their mac and cheese! Thea finally stands up to Rex and Brooklyn about how they treat Evan, and the two cool kids admit that they, too, have weaknesses. Thea tells them that it's "okay if you're not who everyone expects you to be", and the four are able to go forward as better friends and human beings.
Strengths: This was a particularly well paced tale, alternating between the stress of the duwendes and the problems at stunt camp, so that the more emotional philosophy is broken up by the comic relief provided by Dora. The friend drama is spot on, but I loved that Thea feels she IS cool at her new school. Nearly every middle grade fiction book is from the perspective of the downtrodden, geeky character, which gets old after a while. There's just enough about Thea's grandfather and her Filippino heritage to add another layer of interest. The other intriguing thing about this was that Evan didn't really care about what anyone else thought. That kind of character could be added to a lot more books. The rescue of the hat is a little improbable, but gives a nice heist feel to the book, and well as the very funny mental image of the four escaping on rental scooters! Teachers and librarians who are big on Social Emotional Learning will appreciate the unpacking at the end.
Weaknesses: Breaking into the office isn't a great idea, and seemed a little unlikely, but it is a really good scene. While the emotional issues are solidly middle school ones, I can see this being even more popular with fourth graders who want to read about older characters and are still a little more open to magical creatures. Eighth graders, who would enjoy the discussions of popularity, might not pick this up because of the duwendes. (Althought they should!)
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who enjoyed Ahn's A Spoonful of Time, Cuevas' The Ghosts of Ranch Espanto, Hackney's The Sisters of Luna Island, or Meriano's Love. Sugar. Magic. series. It's a nice mix of fantasy, adventure, and shoul searching.

[Pine Reads Review · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Being mean isn’t always pushes and shoves. It can be words or, in some cases, the complete lack of them.”

Tracy Badua’s Thea and the Mischief Makers follows twelve-year-old Thea during her summer at Junior Stunt Warrior Camp, where she will be able to prove her athletic capabilities to her cool new friends. When she arrives at camp she learns, much to her dismay, that her nerdy friend, Evan, is also there—and even worse, that her mother planned for them to spend every day together after camp. While trying to navigate the complexities of fitting in, appearing cool, and hiding her closeness with her socially awkward friend, she awakens little mischievous goblins in her backyard called Duwendes. Duwendes are a part of Filipino mythology, and to Thea’s surprise, they’re real! After destroying the Duwendes’ home, a series of unfortunate events ensues. To amend her mistakes, she must apologize with words, offerings, and her heart.

What stood out to me most in Thea and the Mischief Makers was the diverse and lovable cast of characters, especially Evan. Evan is a wonderful example of a child who doesn’t quite fit in, and teaches readers to treat those who may not have as much social awareness with kindness and patience. With a combination of Filipino mythology and culture, as well as Evan’s Hispanic heritage, these characters provide excellent representation to young readers. One of my favorite aspects of this book was the inclusion of the Duwendes. These small, fuzzy creatures protect the tree in Thea’s backyard and help teach Thea a lesson on the power of words for both good and bad. While at times the writing and message can be on the nose by stating the lesson of the book outright, I think this book will connect with young readers, especially those who have been at either end of verbal bullying. This book handles the topics of grief, truth, bullying, and the importance of sincere apologies, all while being a fast paced and action-packed read. I recommend this book to any reader struggling with fitting in or trying too hard to be something they’re not.

Thea and the Mischief Makers releases on October 15, 2024.

Pine Reads Review would like to thank Books Forward and HarperCollins for sending us an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change before final publication.

Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and Facebook @pinereadsreview, and check out our website at www.pinereadsreview.com for reviews, author interviews, blogs, podcast episodes, and more!

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book. Thea is such a real and relatable middle school protagonist. Her insecurities about her new friends and identity at her new school paired with her intense cringing and guilt in regards to her old best friend Evan resonated with my students when I read the first chapter out loud. I appreciate what a well-rounded protagonist that Thea is. There are things she says and does early on that are frustrating, and it'd be easy for her to come across as an unlikeable character if there wasn't enough depth. The relationship she had with her grandpa and now much she misses him is so poignant and reminds the reader that The a is just a tween trying her best and figuring out what kind of person she wants to be…while goblins might be about to destroy the world because of her.

I loved learning about duwendes (and how they appear in more than just Filipino folklore!). This is a great amount of fantasy for kids who aren’t sure how they feel about the genre. So much is rooted in the real world/a world the reader recognizes.

Also, after I did my read of the first.chapter, there were multiple students who were so excited that I said the word “duwende,” and one student even asked me to show the book to their parents. It’s so wonderful to see those kind of experiences and connections with kids, and Tracy Badua does this time and time again in her books.
I’m also a fan of how Badua lays out the elements of a true, meaningful apology/reparations.

I’m grateful for the advanced copy I got from NetGalley, and I’m so glad to have this book in my classroom library.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Tracy Badua’s THEA AND THE MISCHIEF MAKERS, Thea is attending a Junior Stunt Warrior Camp and struggling more than she’d like to admit with the camp’s challenging obstacles. She’s recently moved to a new school and has found herself part of the cool crowd, so she’s a little disappointed to find her decidedly uncool friend from her old school at the camp with her, worrying that he might damage her newfound reputation. Looking for more practice opportunities to maintain her standing with her new friends, Thea cuts down a tree branch to use in an obstacle course in her own backyard, unknowingly unleashing the fury of Dante and Dora, the duwendes who reside in the tree. The only way to stop the goblins from destroying her town is to sincerely apologize—and they give her a week to figure out how to do that. Thea tries to satisfy the apology requirements on her own, but as the pranks and damage from the duwendes continue to escalate, eventually she needs to draw Evan in for assistance, causing her to reconsider her feelings about their friendship.

As Thea struggles to balance maintaining her sporty image with her new friends, hiding her fear of some of the stunts at camp, and solving the duwende problem, she’s forced to consider both what it means to be herself and what kind of person she wants to be, even if that means sacrificing being seen as cool. Filipino folklore, friendship, and forgiveness merge here in a fast-paced story filled with humor and adventure.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sharing an eARC of the book with me.

[SOYAMRG · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thea is spending a couple weeks of summer vacation attending Junior Stunt Warrior day camp with her popular friends from her new school, Pacific Academy. But at camp, her popular reputation is being threatened by the presence of her nerdy former best friend, Evan, and her fear of heights. Thea and Evan build an obstacle course in her back yard to practice for camp, and Thea cuts a branch off of the tree her grandfather brought from the Philippines. That night, duwendes–Filipino goblins–demand that she apologize for cutting off the branch with “words, heart, and offering.” In the meantime, they cause lots of low level destruction around her house and neighborhood, and Thea works hard to figure out how to appease them. She makes quick progress with Dora, the duwende who is easily persuaded with mac & cheese and chicken nuggets. Her brother, Dante, requires a more elaborate apology which takes Thea and her friends, new and old, on a bonding adventure to find his lost sulakot (Fillipino hat). In the process, Thea learns that it’s more important to be true to herself than popular.

This book is a sweet and fun read for grades 2-4.

D.B.
Ret. YS Librarian

[The Page Ladies Book Club · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun middle grade read full of adventure, folklore and diverse and lovable characters. I loved learning about the Duwendes and seeing how they helped Thea! The book talks about grief, bullying, struggling to fit in, the power of words and much more! The kids will have no problem connecting with these characters, learning some valuable lessons along the way all the while following ong with a fast paced adventure! Thank you Books Forward and Tracy Badua for sharing this book with me!

[Earl · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's hard trying to maintain a popular reputation when your uncool friend you've kind of ditched when moving to a new school ends up taking the same summer camp as you and your new friends. Not to mention you've managed to anger some vengeful duwendes (Filipino goblins) out to ruin your social life and your entire town unless you find the right way to make amends. A fun middle grade novel navigating friendship with a dash of Filipino folklore.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved learning about the duendes and Filipino folklore. More so, I loved the perspective of Thea as a girl with some newfound popularity, stuck somewhere between who her new friends see her as and who she actually is, while navigating her old friendships at the same time. It’s not a role we see often in middle grade lit, but I can see this hitting home for many kiddos.

[Ricki · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF/skim
-parents out of touch and tech-obsessed
-the first-person writing style is too complex for the age group; reads almost like an adult novel although the protagonist is around twelve or thirteen
-overall just okay

[Erica Schimmel · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Nikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was cute! And I learned about a new mythological creature! AND I loved the lessons taught in this one too. I think tweens will love this! Real review to come to my blog.

[Hayley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was really cute! I love the message of being yourself and not caring what anyone else thinks.

[Kristy · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

Something about this didn't quite work for me, but I'm not entirely sure what it was.

[Evelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think a better name would have been 'Tough Nuggets', but overall, a really good book.