Koolura is off to Mexico for her father’s wedding with pal Leila. At a Mayan architectural dig, the girls uncover a mysterious device that hurtles them 2000 years back in time.
The Mayans need a goddess powerful enough to save them from alien taskmasters. Is Koolura up to the job?
Koolura and best friend Leila travel to Oaxaca, Mexico for a wedding. The girls visit a Mayan archeological site. There they are mysteriously transported back in time to the Mayan era. Koolura and Leila are imprisoned, used as a sacrificial lamb to a Mayan god, become food fodder for a monstrous snake, and chased by alien teens bent on exploiting Koolura’s gifts. During their thrilling exploits the girls wonder if the Aquarians are planning to take over Earth? And can they stop them in time?
Excerpt
Chapter 1
Teleportation
Twelve-year-old Koolura Akopyan stood in the middle of her bedroom, staring at the open suitcase on her bed. She looked at what she had already packed. “Okay, I think I have everything. Laptop and books are in the backpack. Clothes and bridesmaid’s dress in the suitcase.” She paused and flopped onto the bed. “Gosh, I can’t believe Daddy and Terri are finally getting married.”
Koolura took a deep breath and stared out her window. Under a cloudless sky palm tree fronds swayed in a gentle Southern California breeze. Her room was decorated in a seaside motif with navy blue pillows pressed against the headboard and resting on a turquoise comforter. The ceiling was dotted with billowy white clouds she had painted during a boring winter vacation.
“Enough daydreaming, time to go.” After all, there was a wedding to attend in beautiful Oaxaca, Mexico, followed by a parade with a mariachi band and Mayan dancers and then a big wedding reception and party afterward.
She stood up and latched shut her suitcase. Then she slung her backpack over one shoulder and picked up her suitcase with her other hand. She thought of the weekend trip she and her dad took to visit her BFF Leila and her parents a few months ago. The drive to Marin County had been seven hours of boredom.
This will be a lot quicker.
Then, focusing on the memory of BFFL Leila’s bedroom, Koolura evaporated into a burst of white light reappearing instantly at a doorway on the second floor home across the bay from San Francisco.
“I did it!” She grinned just as Leila poked her head out of the bathroom and jumped.
“Oh! You frightened me.”
“Sorry. Didn’t mean to,” Koolura signed in American Sign Language (ASL). “The good news is that I’m hitting the bulls eye more often now when teleporting.”
Leila giggled. “The last time we teleported together you missed the boat and we had to swim 100 yards.” She wrapped her arms around her friend and gave Koolura a warm hug.
Koolura hugged back and then stepped into Leila’s room. “Huge improvement,” she signed, wide-eyed. Lavender drapes covered the windows looking out at the Golden Gate Bridge in the distant background. Wallpaper on one wall showed large black and gold circles floating into each other.
Koolura plopped onto the loveseat taking it all in. “Sure beats my marina bedroom by a nautical mile.”
Leila’s freckled cheeks swelled into a grin. “Thanks. So fill me in. What’s the plan with this trip?”
“Simple. My dad bought us tickets to Oaxaca, Mexico, where he’ll meet us at the airport.”
“Oh, so we’re flying?”
“Not exactly.” Koolura’s eyes twinkled with mischief. “I’ve cashed in our tickets to Oaxaca for pocket money. We’ll fly back to California with Dad and Terri, so we’ll keep those. I’ll teleport us straight to the hotel in Oaxaca. I’ll tell Dad we arrived early and grabbed a shuttle from the airport to save him time.”
Leila shook her head, but was grinning. “Don’t you mind lying to your dad?”
“I hate it,” Koolura signed. “But Dad doesn’t know I can teleport, fly, and heal the sick. All he knows is that I have the power of telekinesis.”
“Moving objects with your mind?” Leila signed.
“Yeah. That scares him enough. I don’t want to freak him out any more than I have to.”
Leila nodded knowingly. When Koolura first revealed her powers to Leila at Camp Saddleback, she had thought Koolura was an alien from a far away star.
“Where are your rents?” Koolura asked.
“R-E-N-T-S?” Leila fingerspelled.
“Yeah! Short for parents.”
Leila laughed. “Makes sense. They do pay the rent.” Then she signed, “My rents went on an archaeological dig in Guatemala.”
Koolura recalled several chats they had about Leila’s parents. The Marvies were archaeologists specializing in pre-Columbian culture.
Leila sat on the bed opposite the loveseat. “I’m really excited about actually seeing Mayan ruins. They’re all over the Oaxaca area.”
“We’ll have a few days to kill before the wedding, so can go and visit a few sites,” Koolura signed.
“Wonderful! My mom taught me to read and speak some Mayan, so perhaps I’ll have the chance to check out the ancient hieroglyphic writings and talk to one of the natives.”
“That would be cool, but your hearing is bad. Will you understand what they’re saying?”
Leila saw concern etched on her friend’s face. She tapped her hearing aides. “These are new and even more powerful than the last pair. So I’m hoping.”
“Me too,” Koolura signed. “Ready to go?”
Leila nodded and reached for her bags.
Koolura put on her backpack, picked up her suitcase with one hand and took Leila’s hand with the other. She closed her eyes and concentrated on the stucco façade of Casa Antigua, the hotel they’d be staying at for two weeks.
In the next instant, the girls stood on a cobblestone street lined with colorful buildings. The scent of spicy sauces wafted through the air. As Leila’s eyes widened, Koolura’s chest swelled with pride. “Bulls-eye,” she thought to herself.
Then the ground rumbled and a screeching noise forced a yelp out of Leila. Koolura turned to see a truck barreling down the hill right at them.
Professional Reviews
Tons of Sci-Fi
There is tons of science fiction in this middle grade story, and that's right up my alley! Koolura and her friend travel not just by teleporting all over Earth, but also to another planet several light-years away! Plus, they transcend thousands of years of history! If that doesn't grab you, what will?
Throw in a revered ancient civilization, the Mayan empire of present-day Mexico, and you have enough ingredients for this snappy story to bubble over.
Thal does not disappoint with the third book in the series
I've read all of the Koolura stories and as usual, Mr. Thal does not disappoint with the third book in the series. Once again, twelve year old Koolura, and her friend, Leila, are up to their necks in hot water.
While visiting Mexico the two girls, through special powers, pop into an ancient pyramid. Nosing around Leila stumbles across something that terrifies Koolura. It's a.....No - I don't do spoilers! They are blipped back to an ancient Mayan Village that is in big trouble. Steps are in motion that could change civilization as we know it. If things are changed, present day earth could be doomed. Can two young girls fix things and more to the point - how do they get back?
Michael Thal is such a wonderful storyteller! This is a great story for the tween in your life (or any age). Highly recommended!
Wonderfully Entertaining
This is my kind of book. I love paranormal anything and especially YA. The author weaves a wonderful tale which includes a bit of a history lesson on the Mayans. The protagonist, Koolura, is a twelve year old girl who posses psychic abilities. Koolura and her friend, Leila, are sent back in time through teleportation to help the Mayan people against an invading alien race.
As a side note, I know the author is deaf and I love the way he wove American sign language into the plot.
The pace is good and the story is well thought out. Two thumbs up!
In book four of the Megan Martin series, Megan, May, and Brianna set off for a distant planet on Christmas Eve. There they find a young alien woman about to lose her life to a prehistoric animal, which they must save. This woman is much too intelli
