Word Travelers and the Missing Mexican Molé

Word Travelers #2

by Raj Haldar, Neha Rawat (Illustrator)

A new chapter book series from New York Times bestselling author Raj Haldar that explores etymology and world cultures in exciting, action-packed mystery stories! Go on an adventure with Eddie and MJ, as they solve a mystery in the midst of Mexico's Día de Muertos celebrations.

Eddie and Molly-Jean are whisked away to Mexico and find themselves in the middle of the Día de Muertos celebrations. There they learn all about the beautiful festivities—and that a secret mole recipe has been stolen! They must use their word skills to solve the mystery.

This new series will follow the two best friends as they discover the hidden stories behind common words. Using their Awesome Enchanted Book and a healthy dose of imagination, the daring duo transport themselves to exotic locales, always encountering new adventures and learning how different cultures have contributed to the English language along the way.

Content is vetted for language and reading level by Alycia Zimmerman, a Princeton graduate who has written for Netflix's Magic Schoolbus and is a contributing teacher for Scholastic, and former third grade teacher in NYC.

Genres: Fantasy, Adventure, Childrens, Mystery, Fiction, Chapter Books

160 pages, Paperback

Published January 4, 2022

About the author

Better known by his stage name Lushlife, Raj Haldar is an American rapper, composer, and producer from Philadelphia, PA.

Reviews

[Mary T · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy reading these aloud to my 8yo son even though they're incredibly far-fetched and a little contrived. I do like to learn new vocabulary in context, and this book is perfect for that! And I had no idea what "burrito" actually meant, but it makes sense!

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read the first in the series two months ago to my friend's son while visiting her. I figured I'd read the second just because.

I am still the wrong audience for this series. I was unimpressed with the rough transitions, jumping around of events (not quite the right description, but it captures the idea of my perceived flaw). I understand that the point of this series is to help kids understand and get interested in the etymology of words. However, there are better written chapter books for younger kids, such as The Magic Tree House Series.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Second book in this series by Haldar.
This time the two friends end up in Mexico and mistaken for detectives. They help Rosa locate her Abuelita and the missing mole' recipe. The three outwit the fellow restaurant owner trying to cheat his way to the best business. They also learn more about words etymology as they solve the riddles Rosa's Abuelita left her.
Shorter chapters for the mid-elementary level reader.

[Mar · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read both books in the series to my Grade 2/3 class and we love them! I'm compelled to drop a little warning though... the author's bio points readers towards his rapping career... and some of his tracks are definitely not child friendly. An interesting choice to include that in a children's book.

[Jennifer King · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one my kids struggled with the Spanish vocabulary. It ended up being a read aloud to them since they could not pronounce the words. The first book was easier and less intimidating to read. My kids read this when they were in 1st & 2nd grade. Though they still enjoyed the story and adventure between the two parallel worlds.

[Serena · Rating 5 out of 5]

My 6 yr old and I enjoyed this book! Clever and well written. We really enjoyed learning about another culture and the use of language (words) to solve mystery clues throughout the story. Highly recommend!!

[Jessica Geist · Rating 4 out of 5]

We enjoyed our introduction to the series, which we paired with a unit study of Mexico. The story was lively, but we enjoyed reviewing and learning a few new facts about Mexico, and we got curious enough to look up some of what was discussed.

[Andréa]

Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book through Edelweiss.

[Jill · Rating 1 out of 5]

Far fetched, rather incoherent, plot, annoying kids

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Join best friends, Eddie and MJ, as they magically travel to Mexico with their Awesome Enchanted Book, solving a mystery across several significant cities and landmarks! On their adventures, they always learn about new cultures and common words that originated elsewhere. This series is great for fans of the Magic Tree House and the Magic School Bus. Ideal for grades 1-3.