THE MYSTERY OF THE MISSING MEXICAN MOLÉ

What begins as curiosity about the meaning of a word—thanks to a chocolate bar with the word CHOCOLATL imprinted on it—becomes a journey of a lifetime.

Intrigued by the chocolate bar, MJ and Eddie rush to grab the Awesome Enchanted Book (AEB, as they call it) to look up the word’s origin. They learn that chocolatl is an ancient Aztec word, and soon enough the AEB spins its magic, transporting the duo away. MJ and Eddie wind up in vibrant Mexico, where a young girl named Rosa recruits them on a mission to help find her missing Abuelita. Only Abuelita knows the recipe for the special molé that will help Rosa’s family restaurant during Dia de los Muertos. The three young detectives, however, must move quickly. After all, the owner of a competing restaurant covets the molé recipe for himself. Following a series of riddles left behind by Abuelita, MJ, Eddie, and Rosa travel across Mexico—from Frida Kahlo’s La Casa Azul to the rainforests of Jalapa—to find Abuelita and obtain the secret recipe. A candy-flavored etymological romp through a kaleidoscope version of Mexico, this latest episode in the series keeps the word-happy spirit of its predecessor and manages to infuse a sunny strand of humor. Cultural exploration and lively artwork continue this series’ dedication to knowledge-seeking in the name of fun, with a small, diverse cast. (MJ appears Black and Eddie, White.)

Heart and molé.