Have you ever dealt with the supernatural? Middle schooler Freddie Ruiz has. Freddie vs. The Family Curse by Tracy Badua follows the adventures of Freddie, his cousin Sharkey, and an old amulet from the Philippines, as they try to destroy a curse that has been in their family for generations. The amulet contains the spirit of their stubborn uncle, Ramon, along with other, more sinister, spirits.
The protagonist is a Filipino-American named Freddie Ruiz, who wakes up to find the spirit of his deceased Uncle Ramon floating above one early morning. This is due to an amulet he found the day before. Freddie soon finds out that he woke up evil spirits, the same ones that caused his uncle’s death. These spirits will give Freddie an early demise in 13 days. Freddie’s grandma, Apong Rosing, and his cousin, Sharkey, find out about Ramon and join Freddie to help destroy the wicked spirits.
The spirits, however, don’t let the kids (and grandma) have it easy. In the school library, Sharkey trips and breaks her ankle. Apong Rosing falls and sprains her hip. Nonetheless, after a lot of planning, researching in the library, and a lot of phone calls, Freddie tracks down the only person who can break the curse: Domingo Agustin. He and his crew go to the Oasis Senior Center in Henderson, Nevada, where Domingo lives.
The author of this book, Tracy Badua, is a Filipino-American author who lives in San Diego, California. She is an attorney who works in national policy and programs, while also writing children's novels in her free time.
On a personal note, Freddie vs. The Family Curse is an amazing book that I highly recommend. Between supernatural events, magic, superstition, and more, there is sure to be something you’ll love! You can find it at any library near you.