Starred Review for Kirkus Reviews (Thu Apr 28 00:00:00 CDT 2022)

Freddie must work with the ghost of an ancestor to break his family's curse.Living a life filled with bad luck has made Freddie Ruiz the social outcast of seventh grade. It's not just run-of-the-mill misfortune, either; It's a curse that has afflicted the Ruiz family for generations. So when Freddie finds an old gold coin that his great-grandmother Apong Rosing calls an anting-anting, or lucky amulet, he believes that everything is about to change for the better. Unfortunately, as the amulet's magic starts to return, the ghost of Ramon, his great-granduncle, appears before him. Ramon warns Freddie that he's riled up the curse's spirits, meaning that things will only get worse, leading to Freddie's death and entrapment in the coin in 13 days' time. With the help of Ramon and Sharkey Mendoza, a cousin on the curse-free maternal side of his family, Freddie must find a way to save himself and his family. His hilarious narration pulls readers into his life, including his many embarrassing moments. This exciting fantasy is centered around Filipino folklore and superstition and includes themes of family, courage, and making your own luck. The Ruiz family will resonate with many as they consider their cultural heritage in the context of what they believe it means to be American. The relationship between the Philippines and the U.S. during World War II is seamlessly woven into the story.A spirited fantasy enriched with Filipino culture and history. (Fantasy. 8-12)

ALA Booklist (Thu Apr 28 00:00:00 CDT 2022)

Badua's debut contemporary fantasy is full of humor and high stakes. Freddie Ruiz has always been cursed s nickname is Faceplant Freddie, after all. He believes his luck is about to change for the better when he finds an amulet that has been in his Filipino American family for generations. But he realizes his mistake when he discovers the spirit of his great-granduncle, who died in the Philippines during WWII, trapped in the amulet. Freddie's luck changes for the worse and he must hang on for dear life. He has only thirteen days to break the curse or risk getting trapped in the amulet, too. The story's pace starts out slow, but it picks up and takes readers on an adventuresome ride with likable and funny characters who learn to make their own luck. Filipino American kids who appreciated the cultural representation in Erin Entrada Kelly's Hello, Universe (2017) and Mae Respicio's The House That Lou Built (2018) will find similar themes here, and fans of fantasy adventures will appreciate the high-stakes plot.

Horn Book (Thu Oct 03 00:00:00 CDT 2024)

Seventh grader Freddie is jinxed by a family curse. Bad luck follows him "like toilet paper stuck to my shoe," whether he's tripping over his own feet and falling flat on his face or losing his pants. One day, Freddie finds what looks like an ancient coin in his garage. It turns out to be a family heirloom in which the spirit of his great-granduncle Ramon is trapped. Determined to free Ramon, Freddie has just thirteen days to outsmart the evil spirits that have been casting misfortune on his life -- and that are now bent on trapping Freddie. Badua's intriguing and humorous debut novel integrates snippets of Filipino American history into the plot alongside elements of the supernatural and contemporary-kid life. Intergenerational conflicts arise between Freddie's parents and his lovable, superstitious grandma, Apong Rosing, leaving our protagonist and his quick-witted cousin, Sharkey, to defeat the Ruiz family curse once and for all. Weaving together mystery, folklore, history, magic, and intrigue, Freddie's adventures are an entertaining delight.

Kirkus Reviews (Fri Oct 04 00:00:00 CDT 2024)

Freddie must work with the ghost of an ancestor to break his family's curse.Living a life filled with bad luck has made Freddie Ruiz the social outcast of seventh grade. It's not just run-of-the-mill misfortune, either; It's a curse that has afflicted the Ruiz family for generations. So when Freddie finds an old gold coin that his great-grandmother Apong Rosing calls an anting-anting, or lucky amulet, he believes that everything is about to change for the better. Unfortunately, as the amulet's magic starts to return, the ghost of Ramon, his great-granduncle, appears before him. Ramon warns Freddie that he's riled up the curse's spirits, meaning that things will only get worse, leading to Freddie's death and entrapment in the coin in 13 days' time. With the help of Ramon and Sharkey Mendoza, a cousin on the curse-free maternal side of his family, Freddie must find a way to save himself and his family. His hilarious narration pulls readers into his life, including his many embarrassing moments. This exciting fantasy is centered around Filipino folklore and superstition and includes themes of family, courage, and making your own luck. The Ruiz family will resonate with many as they consider their cultural heritage in the context of what they believe it means to be American. The relationship between the Philippines and the U.S. during World War II is seamlessly woven into the story.A spirited fantasy enriched with Filipino culture and history. (Fantasy. 8-12)

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Twelve-year-old Filipino American Freddie Ruiz and his family have been plagued with bad luck, which they’ve dubbed the “Ruiz Family Curse,” for as long as they can remember. As a result, Freddie’s reputation for inadvertently courting misfortune precedes him, often ending friendships before they can begin. After Freddie uncovers an anting-anting, an amulet that grants its owner good luck, he believes he’s found the answer to his problems (“good luck—or heck, even nonbad luck—would be life-changing”). Instead, Freddie accidentally releases the ghost of his great-granduncle Ramon Ruiz, the amulet’s previous owner, who died at 17 during Imperial Japan’s invasion of the Philippines in WWII. When Ramon reveals that his summons also released vengeful spirits, Freddie and his curse-free cousin Sharkey Mendoza only have 13 days to save their family and break the Ruiz curse or risk trapping Ramon—and Freddie—in the amulet forever. Freddie, Sharkey, Ramon, and the rest of the Ruiz brood form an eclectic cast that feels loving and familiar. A madcap supernatural adventure infused with Filipino mythology, Badua’s debut highlights one Filipino American family’s experience navigating familial obligation, tradition, culture, and history. Ages 8–12. Agent: Natalie Lakosil, Bradford Literary. (May)