Chasing the Jaguar (Martika Galvez Mystery) (Hardcover)

~ Michele Dominguez Greene (Author)
Key Phrases: Tía Tellín, jaguar statue, Detective Guest, Ted Colton, Eddie Blasi (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 8 Up–An intriguing mystery by the L.A. Law actress and songwriter. While Mexican-American Martika prepares for her quinceañera in a tough section of Los Angeles, she begins to have vivid and frightening nightmares that always feature a jaguar. She also dreams about a rich girl who has been kidnapped by a shady art collector; Martika is able to experience what abducted Jennifer Colton feels. With crisp dialogue liberally sprinkled with Spanish words, Greene portrays the coming of age of an unusual teen. Martika discovers that she is one of a long line of Mayan curanderas, or witches. Her growing and unusually strong powers help her to eventually solve the kidnapping case. Los Angeles is vibrantly described, with its sharply divided communities, the prevalence of drugs, and a sly bit of commentary on the residents' often superficial priorities and morals. Martika's story combines a traditional mystery told from multiple perspectives, magical realism of the Mayan world, a girl's inherited powers, and a statement on value systems. While Martika's telekinetic and pyrokinetic powers add unusual flavor to the tale, she is in many ways a typical teen. Greene introduces the tale with information about the ancient and current Mayan cultures, and the importance of magic, talismans, and shape-shifters. This unusual mystery is sure to attract teens, and should encourage them to find out more about Mayan culture.–B. Allison Gray, John Jermain Library, Sag Harbor, NY
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Gr. 7-10. Martika begins having strange dreams about jungles and jaguars just before her quinceanera. Her mother brings her to Tia Tellin--the neighborhood bruja, or witch, to help sort out what she sees. Martika is astonished to learn that Tia Tellin is her great aunt and that they are both descended from a long line of Mayan healers, whose powers include psychic divination. When the daughter of her mother's client is kidnapped, Martika's visions help guide the search for the missing girl. Greene is an actress and a screenwriter, and her dramatic experience is clear in her debut novel's skillfully maintained suspense and her camera-ready scenes of rescuers and villains. Readers will be equally riveted by the second, more spiritual mystery: the source and extent of Martika's special powers. Particularly well drawn are the details of Mexican American life in Martika's L.A. neighborhood and the universal, coming-of-age aches--negotiating between separated parents, fighting with a best friend, and the terror and responsibility that can come with discovering one's talents. Readers will look forward to the promised sequels in the Martika Galvez series. Gillian Engberg
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: HarperTeen (May 30, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060763531
• ISBN-13: 978-0060763534
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.7 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,331,311 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Courtesy of Teens Read Too, October 22, 2006

By	TeensReadToo.com "Eat. Drink. Read. Be Merrier." (All Over the US & Canada) - See all my reviews

Martika Galvez is just a normal teenage girl. That is, until she turns fifteen and learns that her ancestors were Mayan curanderas and she's following in their footsteps! Her strange dreams apparently mean that she has psychic powers, passed down from her father's side of the family, that her parents have tried to ignore for fifteen years.

Now, though, Martika has to deal with learning about her powers from another curandera, Tia Tellin. She's learning about her ancestors, her powers, and how to use them. Martika is also dealing with the typical problems that come with being fifteen: friends, guys, and schoolwork! If that wouldn't be difficult enough, Martika is also involved in a mystery! Her mother has been working for a man whose teenage daughter is kidnapped--and Martika's powers could be the key to finding her before anything bad happens to Jennifer.

CHASING THE JAGUAR is a fast-paced, enjoyable book full of interesting bits of Spanish and stories about Martika's Mayan ancestors. Martika is just one of a cast of believable, likable characters in the story. This is a quick and entertaining read, written by an excellent new author. Michele Dominguez Greene's writing is great, and I certainly hope she's planning more books about Martika!

Reviewed by: Jocelyn Pearce

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A promising start to a new series!, June 19, 2006

By	Jennifer Robinson "Editor of Jen Robinson's B... (San Jose, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Chasing the Jaguar is the story of a 15-year-old Mexican-American girl, of Mayan descent, living in the barrio in Los Angles. Martika starts having strange dreams around the time of her quinceanera (a traditional 15th birthday celebration to celebrate a young girl becoming a woman).

When the wealthy daughter of her mother's employer is kidnapped, Martika sees images of the kidnapping, and of Jennifer held captive in an abandoned building. Martika learns from her mother that she is descended from a long line of curanderas (healers, or medicine women, with psychic powers). As she starts to learn about her gift, she had to balance this learning with helping to find Jennifer, restoring a precious Mayan artifact, keeping up with family responsibilities, staying on top of her schoolwork, and spending time with her best friend.

I was impressed by the thoroughness with which the Latin immigrant family lifestyle is portrayed. Martika's mother watches Spanish-language television, Martika grabs a quesadilla for lunch and eats tortillas for breakfast, and the book is sprinkled with Spanish phrases and Mexican traditions. Michele Dominguez Greene is clearly of Latin immigrant descent herself. She also knows Los Angles well. The book has an authenticity in both of these areas.

The text starts out with a bit too much brand-name dropping for my taste, and Martika is perhaps a little bit too good to be true. However, her struggle with her overprotective papi to assert her independence feels real. And the details of the Mayan history, and curandera powers, are fascinating. I also liked seeing a strong, smart heroine from a working class immigrant family. Overall, I think that it's a promising start to a new series, and I look forward to seeing what Martika will do next.

Michele Dominguez Greene is an Emmy-nominated actress who starred in L.A. Law for five years. She is also a singer/songwriter of Latin and folk music. Although this is her first book, she has written two award-winning short screenplays and has contributed feature articles to several magazines. She is a native of Los Angeles and is of Mexican/Nicaraguan and Irish background. Greene says that the Latin family in which she grew up is very different from what is usually portrayed in popular culture and the media. "I hope Martika and her friends will be positive role models for young girls and inspire them to dream bit," Greene explains. "When girls feel the future offers them many possibilities, they are more likely to avoid pifalls like teen pregnancy."

This book review was originally published on my blog, Jen Robinson's Book Page, on June 18th, 2006.

3.0 out of 5 stars Magical History, February 2, 2007

By	Butterscotch (USA) - See all my reviews

The book has a really appealing cover and might attract a lot of teen girls that way. The story of Martika (a Spanish-American girl from Los Angeles) is magical realism - she discovers she has psychic powers derived from her Mayan ancestors. Martika's powers are put to the test when a local girl is kidnapped and held for ransom - the ransom being an ancient statue of a jaguar. Martika and her friends - Lola and Ramon - spend the last few chapters of the book chasing down the kidnappers. The book started off really well, and intermingled a lot of Spanish/English phrases; the setting was well-described and you know the author has intimate knowledge of the community and area. But, towards the later part of the book the excitement just wasn't there and it was a struggle to finish. Teen girls might be able to relate to Martika on some levels, but overall it is an escapist read and not one that you can identify with. After all, how many of us are gifted with special Mayan powers.