About The Book

Rick Riordan meets R. L. Stine in this fast-paced debut middle grade horror packed with adventure about a Mexican American boy who starts hearing the voice of a haunted doll while visiting family in Mexico City.

Diego feels trapped. He’s confined in an arm cast, stuck with his tía and tío for a week in Mexico City, and smothered with the sickening fear that he’s the one who really caused his parents’ divorce. But most of all, he’s trapped in his own secret. Because ever since he got to Mexico City, he’s started having strange dreams of a doll calling his name.

Then Diego learns of La Isla de Muñecas, an island full of legendary magic that can make children’s wishes come true. If Diego can harness the power there, maybe he could fix everything that has gone wrong in his life.

So, with the help of two new friends, Diego takes a boat to the legendary island. From the moment the kids step ashore, nothing is as it seems—with dolls disappearing and reappearing in the blink of an eye. Suddenly, Diego is more trapped than ever before, and as the night goes on, he’s not sure he can escape.

About The Author

Photograph (c) 2025 by Timeless Moments by Robyn

Cassandra Ramos-Gomez is a Mexican American writer focused on creating middle grade and young adult fiction that centers Latinx experiences. She has a master’s degree in education and an undergraduate degree in art history and has taught middle school language arts and social studies. She currently lives in Texas with her husband and two kids. Her hobbies include painting, collecting animal bones, and playing Minecraft with her kids. She’s the author of the Doll Island middle grade series.

About The Reader

Product Details

  • Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio (August 26, 2025)
  • Runtime: 4 hours and 36 minutes
  • ISBN13: 9781668154458
  • Grades: 3 - 7
  • Ages: 8 - 12

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Raves and Reviews

"Lee Osorio’s youthful narration and precise pacing create a chilling listening experience in this middle-grade horror story. Diego is staying with his aunt and uncle in Mexico City while his parents go through a divorce, which he worries he caused. His new school’s field trip to La Isla de Muñecas (Doll Island), a magical island with a wish-granting doll, could be the perfect opportunity to fix his life. Osorio delivers Diego’s weighty experiences and conflicting emotions with authenticity, especially when Diego inwardly criticizes himself. Osorio’s voices for Diego’s new friends and other characters are easily differentiated by his tone and adjustment of their Spanish accents. And Osorio’s voice for the doll that speaks in Diego’s head is perfectly creepy as it implores Diego for attention."

AudioFile Magazine

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