Exclusive Cover Reveal: Do I Belong Here? / ¿Es Este Mi Lugar? by René Colato Laínez; Illustrated by Fabricio Vanden Broeck

Latinx in Publishing is pleased to exclusively reveal the cover for DO I BELONG HERE? / ¿ES ESTE MI LUGAR? written by René Colato Laínez and illustrated by Fabricio Vanden Broeck; publishing May 31, 2023 from Piñata Books. Read on for the official book synopsis and to view the gorgeous cover!

The experiences of newcomer students in schools are portrayed in this winning, bilingual picture book.

Cover illustration: Fabricio Vanden Broeck

Design Credits: Bryan Dechter

An immigrant boy stands “in the middle of a whirlwind of children,” and wonders where is he supposed to go. Finally, a woman speaks to him in a language that he doesn’t understand and takes him to his classroom. A boy named Carlos helps orient him, but later when he reads aloud,
everyone laughs at him. And when he gets an “F” on an assignment, he is sure “I do not belong here.”

But gradually the boy begins to learn English. He works hard. He always pays attention, finishes his homework and—most importantly—never gives up. He begins to recognize words. “I
understand now. Open is abrir, books are libros and page is página.” And when the kids invite him to play soccer, he thinks, “Maybe I belong here.” As the boy’s grades improve and he makes friends, he realizes, “I belong here.” And when he sees a girl looking lost, sure she doesn’t belong, but he can now say with certainty: “Not yet. But you will.”

Award-winning children’s book author René Colato Laínez teams up again with illustrator Fabricio Vanden Broeck to explore the experiences of newcomers in schools and affirm that yes, they do belong! With beautiful acrylic-on-wood illustrations depicting children at school, this bilingual kids’ book by a Salvadoran immigrant tells an important story that will resonate with all the kids who want nothing more than to belong.

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René Colato Laínez is the author of numerous picture books for children, including My Shoes and I / Mis zapatos y yo (Piñata Books, 2019), Mamá the Alien / Mamá la extraterrestre (Lee & Low Books, 2016), From North to South / Del norte al sur (Children’s Book Press, 2013),  René Has Two Last Names / René tiene dos apellidos (Arte Público Press, 2009) and I Am René, the Boy / Soy René, el niño (Arte Público Press, 2005). He is an elementary school teacher in Los Angeles, California.

Fabricio Vanden Broeck is a designer, illustrator, painter and professor of design at the Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Azcapotzalco in Mexico City. He illustrated My Shoes and I / Mis zapatos y yo (Piñata Books, 2019).

Book Review: The People Who Report More Stress by Alejandro Varela

Following his debut novel, The Town of Babylon, a 2022 National Book Award Fiction finalist, Alejandro Varela’s first short story collection, in its refined handling of complex subjects, appears to be on the cusp of similar success. Across thirteen loosely interconnected stories, Varela explores topics that both cause and relieve anxiety, which become particularly resonant for the Latinx reader, whose experience is explored in multitudes. The People Who Report More Stress primarily follows Eduardo, a New York-based Salvadoran-Colombian health researcher, his husband, Gus, and their two sons. Readers follow Eduardo through various stages of his life, from being a young boy on family trips in the 1980’s to an older man returning to the dating pool. The majority of the collection, however, follows Eduardo as he navigates a midlife standstill in his romantic, familial and personal lives.

The collection’s narrative style can be disorienting as readers follow Eduardo across time and location. However, this occasional absence of temporal and geographic stability mirrors the fluctuating nature of one of the book’s largest constants: Eduardo and Gus’ relationship. The opening story “An Other Man,” introduces Eduardo as he simultaneously acknowledges the certain beauties of married life and the possibilities that lie outside of it. In “The Six Times of Alan,” we sit with Eduardo as he articulates, in therapy sessions, the challenges of having a white partner and his desire for someone “who would inspire [him] to be a better human, someone who questioned power structures, someone to shake [him] out of [his] complacency.” We see how much of an ask that might be as Varela shifts to Gus’ perspective in “Waiting.” In this story, Gus reveals his side, admitting he is often “disarmed by Eduardo’s honesty and curiosity.” It is a complex marriage for readers to follow, and has one analyzing class and racial dynamics along with the individual characters themselves.

As the title suggests, stress is a prominent character in the book, but New York City proves to be another. Varela paints an accurate picture of a rapidly-gentrifying Brooklyn, as well as the new generation of upper-middle class, queer, and BIPOC residents living there. In the story, “She and Her Kid and Me and Mine,” Eduardo reflects on what it’s like to raise his son, Julio, in a predominantly white neighborhood. The gap between their upbringings is “vast and vertigo inducing,” and Eduardo is hyper aware of his son’s worldview and sense of self-worth as Julio predominantly plays with white children. This mindset and context has Eduardo thinking about his proximity to privilege too. He views the structural divisions of the neighborhood from the back seat of a cab in “The Great Potato Famine,” but also thinks about how people in the city view him (a prospective date tells him that they are “a sucker for Latinos.”). While Eduardo’s consistent, and often intense, questioning of societal failings is occasionally off-putting to other characters, it confirms he’s still on his own journey of self-discovery. It’s not defeat that causes Eduardo to think he “succumbed to the constructed order of things”—it’s his understanding that, as he begins to benefit from newfound advantages, he’s being complicit in the up-keep of some of these systems.

“A collection for readers who understand the protagonist’s plight and who can see themselves in his journey. Through Eduardo, we are allowed to feel everything, and understand that it’s okay. ”

Eduardo’s excavation for the truth is the most consistent part of the collection. Whether he is noticing his white husband being able to hail cabs, while drivers speed past him, or directly stating the frustration of having partners who are unable to recognize microaggressions, Eduardo is constantly searching for a place where he can be heard. We see him grow from the child in “Midtown-West Side Story,” where he witnesses his parents struggle to keep their family afloat, his father, Jorge, “[maintaining] the air of someone who might have done more if he’d had more opportunities.” We see his perception of his relatives in “The Caretakers,” where he begins to realize the standards that his aunt was held to as a woman, mother and sister, only when she’s on her deathbed. Through this, Eduardo subconsciously provides an intimate look into the Latinx family unit: the expectations from elders and the intergenerational trauma of leaving the homeland, but also the loyalty and perseverance that is firmly rooted within. Readers can see that while Eduardo notes where some of his anxiety may have originated, his loved ones are a reason he continues his fight forward.

Eduardo’s racing thoughts on queer parenthood, political and moral shortcomings, and the trials of intersectional identities may come off as heavy-handed, however, their overwhelming nature is its magic. It’s difficult to orient oneself when balancing numerous factors that may or may not be working against you. It’s emotionally-taxing to be a parent, to be in a relationship, to be a brown body in a white world. Varela is astute in his observations of these complexities and approaches them with honesty that shines on the page. The result is a collection for readers who understand the protagonist’s plight and who can see themselves in his journey. Through Eduardo, we are allowed to feel everything, and understand that it’s okay.

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Alejandro Varela (he/him) is a writer based in New York. His debut novel, The Town of Babylon (2022), was published by Astra House and was a finalist for the National Book Award. His work has appeared in the Point Magazine, Georgia Review, Boston Review, Harper’s, and the Offing, among others outlets. Varela is an editor-at-large of Apogee Journal. His graduate studies were in public health. Access his work at alejandrovarela.work. You can also find him on Twitter and IG: @drovarela.

Carly Tagen-Dye is a Guatemalan-American writer and editor based in New York City. Her fiction and nonfiction have appeared in The Augment Review, NY Press, Alma and The Sock Drawer, among other outlets, and her novel, All That You Can See, was a finalist for CRAFT's 2022 First Chapters Prize. She has previously worked in publishing at Sterling Lord Literistic and Catapult Book Group. You can visit her website at www.carlytagendye.com.

The Lost Dreamer: Cover Art

One of the best parts about illustrating a book cover is imagining how written characters and places could appear. This is exactly the opportunity that fell into my hands with Lizz Huerta’s title The Lost Dreamer. The book is a gripping YA fantasy debut inspired by ancient Mesoamerica where we are introduced to a lineage of seers defiantly resisting the patriarchal state that would see them destroyed.

Something that Huerta and I share in common is colorful and surreal articulation, so when I read the text, there was so much inspiration to draw from. On top of that, I am a student of history and so bringing someone from Pre-Columbian times into a contemporary lens was an honor. The main character, Indir, is depicted on the cover. She’s a Dreamer, someone able to see beyond reality, with the rare gift of Dreaming truth. It wasn’t hard to figure out what Indir's face would look like since Native people are still all around us, the challenge was more in her historic outfit, hair and context. 

There are two variants of the cover, one is the hardcover edition and the other is paperback. My favorite is the paperback since it has neon inks and I’m a fan of bright colors. However I do enjoy the mysterious mood of the hardcover and how it sets the character in the context of a forest canopy. I had to adjust the artwork specific to each edition since the tones and color of a person changes depending on the background.

I am so grateful to have worked on this book and I hope that there are readers out there who feel seen when they encounter the cover.

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Samuel Rodriguez (born March 16, 1981) is an Abstract Portrait Illustrator based out of San José California. His work spans across public art, advertising, tech, commerce and media publications. As a youth, he dedicated most of his time to Painting Graffiti until he later pursued a BFA at California College of the Arts in San Francisco. He has since built his career as a portrait illustrator, developing a style that blends facial features, lettering, and abstract shapes to formulate distinct visual narratives.

Follow Samuel on Instagram and Subscribe to his YouTube channel.

Book Review: Decoding Despacito: An Oral History of Latin American Music by Leila Cobo

“This is a great time capsule of latinx music from 1970 all the way to 2018. ”

Decoding Despacito analyzes the impact of 19 songs from Latin American artists. It analyzes songs from “Feliz Navidad” by José Feliciano (1970) to “Malamente” by Rosalia (2018). Lelia Cobo breaks down who is involved with the song and sheds light of the hard work and impact each song has had from multiple perspectives. Each chapter is compiled from interviews from the artist or producer themselves but also family members of the artists. I loved how going into each song all the players involved did not anticipate the song to become as popularized as it did.

As an avid music listener, I loved learning about the history of the song and how confident a lot of the musicians were in their song. They often wanted to prove how songs sung in Spanish have the power to deliver their message even when some listeners don’t speak the language. For instance, Carlos Santana is mentioned for his song “Smooth”. Santana is not a singer, instead as a guitar player, "Smooth” has become an anthem for latinx community through his guitar skills. As soon as you hear the guitar introduction to the song, you know it’s Carlos Santana and you know it’s “Smooth.” Not only do the vocals represent the latinx community but the video was shot in Spanish Harlem that serves as a visual reference as well. There is so much thought that went into this legendary song and explains how it was the #1 song of the 1990s.

The section on Shakira’s “Whenever Wherever” was also iconic as Shakira was already succeeding in the latinx community. She broke out of her mold by releasing an English-language album as a latinx artist. Shakira was very involved with her music as she knew she wanted to record with a flutist from Argentina. She worked closely with the flutist to ensure that they were executing the melody Shakira had pictured in her head. Shakira came up with the lyrics while she was driving home from a late night. She first recorded the song in Spanish and then received help to record it in English. Shakira was known for being extremely intelligent and had attention to detail. She would bring a yellow notepad with her and take copious notes. I especially love her attention to making her iconic music video. She wanted to feel elemental and primary, which is why she is seen dancing barefoot with her hair down. She is embodying the music that she feels, which quickly became an iconic way of signing and dancing.

Of course, “Despacito” is covered and all the songs leading up to “Despacito” explain how the stage was built for it to take off and become as popularized as it became. “Despacito” is recognized as a catalyst that did not have to rely on the English language. Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee had created the song in Spanish and were already receiving a lot of attention from the latinx community. However, when Justin Bieber heard the song in a club in Colombia, he wanted to be involved in a remix. Bieber learned to sing in Spanish and honor the message of the song. There was some backlash on Bieber “appropriating” the Spanish language but Andres Torres, a co-producer, states that Justin Bieber is singing a song in Spanish and it happens to be #1. Mauricio Rengifo, another coproducer, stated that the effort that Bieber took to sing in Spanish is a symbolic gesture of respect toward the latinx culture and language.

This is a great time capsule of latinx music from 1970 all the way to 2018. In the author’s note Cobo states that she is interested in writing a sequel in the future and I really hope she does so I can learn more about latinx musicians and their history!

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Leila Cobo is the vice president and Latin industry lead at Billboard and heads the Billboard Latin Music Conference. She has published two novels and three books about Latin music, including a top-selling biography of the late Jenni Rivera.

Mariana Felix-Kim (she/her) lives in Washington, D.C. with her lovely cat, Leo. When she is not working in the environmental science field, Mariana is constantly reading. Her favorite genres include non-fiction, thrillers, and contemporary romances. Mariana is half Mexican and half Korean. You can find her on Instagram: @mariana.reads.books

Exclusive Cover Reveal: The Flower in the Skull by Kathleen Alcalá

Latinx in Publishing is pleased to exclusively reveal the cover for THE FLOWER IN THE SKULL written by Kathleen Alcalá; publishing May 25, 2023 from Raven Chronicles Press. Read on for the official book synopsis and to view the gorgeous cover!

Inspired by the author’s research into her own family history, The Flower in the Skull illuminates the importance of a connection to ancestors—a connection that survives colonial violence and generational trauma.

Alfredo Arreguín, Tucson, 1998, oil on canvas

A riveting novel from acclaimed author Kathleen Alcalá, this second edition of The Flower in the Skull, from Raven Chronicles Press, begins in the Sonoran Desert in the late 19th century, where an Ópata village is attacked by Mexican soldiers. Her family scattered, Concha makes her way to Tucson, where the stories she tells her daughter lead to Shelly-a troubled Latina in modern-day Los Angeles, increasingly fascinated by her ancestry. A powerful tale of heritage, loss, and acculturation, Alcalá spins her most lyrical and moving work yet.

The second part of a planned trilogy that began with Spirits of the Ordinary (1997), The Flower in the Skull spans more than a century in offering a view of three women linked by Indian blood and their dreams, and seared by the violent transgressions of men. Childhood comforts in her Ópata village in Sonoran Mexico cease for Concha when her father is seized by Mexican soldiers and never seen again. First abandoning home with the remainder of her family, then herself abandoned by her mother, Concha walks in a daze across the desert to Tucson, where she's taken in as a nanny by a prospering Mexican family. A measure of peace returns to her. But when she's raped by an Anglo and bears his child, nothing can ever be the same. A brief marriage to the family doctor fails to produce more children, so her husband abandons her for someone else, leaving Concha and daughter Rosa to fend for themselves.

Over the years, Rosa picks up the burden when her mother grows too weak to continue the dawn-to-dusk housecleaning work that has sustained them, but then Rosa catches the eye of a young minister and receives Concha's blessing to marry him just before Concha dies.

Busy starting her own family and keeping her own house, Rosa still wonders about her mother's past-Ópata and the father she never knew. Two generations forward, Shelly, an editorial assistant for an L.A. publisher, jumps at the chance to escape her stalking, harassing boss by going on a research trip to Tucson, where she finds not only a mystery involving her mother's family and her people in a broader sense, but also the will to survive the horror waiting for her when she returns to Los Angeles.

Like her previous novel Spirits of the Ordinary, The Flower in the Skull is set along the Mexican/U.S. border and deals with three generations of Ópata Indian women—ranging from the turn of the century to the present day. All are based on members of Kathleen's family, the book recreating both the magic and hard work of survival. The story is heartbreaking in places, but the prose is even more gorgeous, and there is a richness to Alcalá's characterization and settings that invite re-reading passages, simply to re-experience their resonance.

Praise for The Flower in the Skull

“Kathleen Alcalá is one of America’s best writers. The clarity and depth of her work allow us to see and treasure the many untold stories about our indigenous ancestors in a territory always influenced by both Mexican and American history.” —Gabriella Gutiérrez y Muhs, author of How Many Indians Can We Be? ¿Cuántos indios podemos ser? and The Runaway Poems

“Alcala’s timely endeavor to reclaim, research, write and honor the ‘old stories’ of her Ópata great-grandmother is an utterly glorious achievement.” —Penina Ava Taesali, author of Sourcing Siapo

“A book of deep connections, one that bridges the Old Ways with modern life, the Mexican-American culture with its Native roots, and the unrelenting grind of reality with the triumph of spirit.” —Anita Endrezze, author of Butterfly Moon

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Kathleen Alcalá was born in Compton, California, to Mexican parents and grew up in San Bernardino. She is the author of six award-winning books that include a collection of stories, three novels, a book of essays, and The Deepest Roots: Finding Food and Community on a Pacific Northwest Island, from the University of Washington Press. A member of the Ópata Nation, Kathleen makes her home on Suquamish territory.

Book Review: Chingona by Alma Zaragoza-Petty

Chingona: Owning Your Inner Badass for Healing Justice is the self help book that latinx women, non-binary, and female identifying people have needed. It weaves together the history of a derogatory term with lessons on how to unlock your inner badass to reclaim the term “chingona”.

Historically, “chingona” is a vulgar term that is used to degrade women for being too aggressive or out of control. This word highlights the juxtaposition of gender roles as the masculine version of this word, “chingon,” is actually a compliment for men that describes them as intelligent, cool, and even a badass. There has been a movement to reclaim “chingona” and reassign its meaning to a positive one.

Zaragoza-Petty provides context of this empowering self help journey by explaining chingona history. This valuable history lesson sets the stage by highlighting how far back gender roles date in history and the tie to colonialism. La Malinche was a Nahua woman and a prominent historical figure due to her role as Hernan Cortes’ translator. Zaragoza-Petty recognizes her as the first chingona. Although La Malinche was a valuable asset to the Spaniards because she was fluent in Maya-Yucaeca and Nahuatyl, which were the two major languages in the region at that time, she was gifted to Cortes. At this time Spainards were doing everything they could to destroy indigenous land and traditions and replace them with their own. So when La Malinche gave birth to her son, Martin Cortes, he inherited two new titles; mestizo and chingon. Mestizo is a label for people that are mixed race (Spanish and Indigenous) while chingon, in this context, means fatherless (similar to “bastard”). The roots of these words were labels that became verbal weapons to other people.

““Chingona: Owning Your Inner Badass for Healing Justice” is the self help book that latinx women, non-binary, and female identifying people have needed. It weaves together the history of a derogatory term with lessons on how to unlock your inner badass to reclaim the term “chingona”.”

There are consistent history lessons embedded into the book that provide context for the healing that one needs to have before unlocking their inner badass or chingona. My favorite part of the book is that Zaragoza-Petty closes a gap by directing the self help lessons towards the BIPOC community. This is done by acknowledging that labels such as chingona have a hurtful history that represents colonialism and racism from the past. This is different from many self help books as they typically are geared towards white populations. Therefore, the advice in these books are not relevant to BIPOC communities, which ultimately excludes a major population that are in need of healing and self help content.

As a Mexican cis woman, I related to this self help book so much. One of the most important and valuable messages Zaragoza-Petty delivered was the need to heal before working on yourself. There is generational trauma that gets passed down because our ancestors have had to survive to pave a path forward, during a time that was heavily based on colonialism, patriarchal norms, and racism. This is a battle that is still ongoing today and can be exhausting for BIPOC communities. Therefore, hearing that it’s okay and even necessary to heal before embarking a self help journey is extremely comforting. Zaragoza-Petty also acknowledges that anyone can be a chingona. In fact she claims that nonbinary, femme identifying, and queer folks are “some of the baddest chingonas; they’ve had to be.” I love the inclusivity of this statement because these are other populations that self help books tend to exclude, especially when discussing feminism.

The meat of this book are the lessons on how to be a chingona. These lessons are drilled in by repeating the phrase “To be a chingona means to be ____”. Zaragoza-Petty fills in the blanks with words like “authentic”, “finding another way to be a leader”, “noticing deep spiritual wounds from our childhood”, “reclaiming your roots by telling your own story”, and more. There are a wide range of lessons in this book that factor in healing and growth. 

Zaragoza-Petty is a talented chingona who was able to join a historic movement of reclaiming the term and changing the direction towards empowerment. This is a great book to read to start off the new year and a great guide on how to own your identity.

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Alma Zaragoza-Petty, PhD, is a Mexicana social justice advocate and scholar who teaches equity to create change. Born in Los Angeles but raised in Acapulco, Mexico, for much of her childhood, she is the daughter of immigrant parents and a first-generation high school and college graduate. Zaragoza-Petty has a master's degree in counseling and a doctorate in education and has worked in higher education for more than twenty years. She has served as an academic advisor, as a professor, and in research and evaluation for a nonprofit organization. She is co-founder of Prickly Pear Collective, a trauma-informed, faith-based community organization and cohost of The Red Couch Podcast with her partner, hip-hop artist Propaganda.

Mariana Felix-Kim (she/her) lives in Washington, D.C. with her lovely cat, Leo. When she is not working in the environmental science field, Mariana is constantly reading. Her favorite genres include non-fiction, thrillers, and contemporary romances. Mariana is half Mexican and half Korean. You can find her on Instagram: @mariana.reads.books

Book Review: The Neapolitan Sisters by Margo Candela

The Neapolitan Sisters by Margo Candela is a character study on how culture and trauma shapes women. A dissection into the strained but loving family dynamic between three adult sisters who have long grown apart, the women are brought together again for the youngest’s wedding. As they spend time together in their childhood home the sisters’ separate lives become more enmeshed, mirroring their girlhood. Candela excels at painting clear portraits of each protagonist, all of whom glow with unique voices, views, and spirits while maintaining the unified characteristics of sisters raised in the same bedroom.

The novel opens on the youngest Maritza, on the cusp of 30 and determined to be married to her disinterested finance. Strong willed and opinionated, Maritza’s life working at a beverage company and living with her parents is contrasted by that of middle sister Claudia. The most successful of her family, Claudia is a movie producer buckling under the weight of her relationships, newly emerging health issues, and role as the surrogate head of the family. Claudia convinces their flighty and untethered eldest sister Ducina to travel in from San Francisco for the wedding, despite Ducina’s tense relationship with the family. Now a recovered alcoholic, Ducina sets out on a road trip home, intent on proving herself a newly self-sustainable woman.

The novel explores themes of renewal, with each sister having to contend and break out of the preconceived judgements they hold against each other as they begin to see one another in new light. The chapters alternate between their perspectives, which strengthen their identities as well-rounded characters. In comparison the novel’s extended cast, such as the sister’s parents, Claduia’s boyfriend, and Maritza’s fiance and his family, feel one dimensional in view of the protagonists. Often the side characters function as caricatured hurdles for the sisters to overcome—an overbearing mother, a jealous mother-in-law, a slimy finance—then as characters with internal lives and struggles. As a consequence, more morally ambiguous actions made by the protagonists are often left unmarred by deeper criticism by anyone but the sisters, causing their world to feel condensed to only their judgments and opinions.

While the sisters do contend with relationships outside of the ones they have with each other, the true love story of the novel is between the three women, whose distinct and often contrasting personalities find refuge in their unconditional love. The novel is at its best when the sisters are all together, capturing the wonderful playfulness of adult siblings’ habit of age regressing when together. Scenes of Maritza, Claudia, and Ducina crowded in their childhood bedroom as adults shine the brightest.

Overall, The Neapolitan Sisters succeeds as a love letter to sisterhood, womanhood, and the journey of breaking out of familial expectation. Biting and funny, it’s carried by its main trio of complex and unapologetic women.

“Overall, “The Neapolitan Sisters” succeeds as a love letter to sisterhood, womanhood, and the journey of breaking out of familial expectation. Biting and funny, it’s carried by its main trio of complex and unapologetic women.”

Access the book club kit here.

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Margo Candela was born and raised in Los Angeles and began her writing career when she joined Glendale Community College’s student newspaper. She transferred to San Francisco State University as a journalism major, and upon graduation began writing for websites and magazines before writing her first two novels, Underneath It All and Life Over Easy. She returned to Los Angeles to raise her son and wrote More Than This and Good-bye to All That. The Neapolitan Sisters is her fifth novel and her first after a decade-long hiatus from writing. She now lives in San Francisco. Learn more at MargoCandela.com.

Nikkia Rivera is a writer living in Brooklyn, New York. She has previously been published in Thriller Magazine and Scarlet Leaf Magazine.

March 2023 Latinx Releases

ON SALE MARCH 7

Jovita Wore Pants: The Story of a Mexican Freedom Fighter by Aida Salazar; Illustrator Molly Mendoza| PICTURE BOOK

Jovita dreamed of wearing pants! She hated the big skirts Abuela made her wear. She wanted to scale the tallest mesquite tree on her rancho, ride her horse, and feel the wind curl her face into a smile

When her father and brothers joined the Cristero War to fight for religious freedom, Jovita wanted to go, too. Forbidden, she defied her father's rules—and society's—and found a clever way to become a trailblazing revolutionary, wearing pants!

What Happened to Ruthy Ramirez by Claire Jimenez | FICTION

The Ramirez women of Staten Island orbit around absence. When thirteen-year-old middle child Ruthy disappeared after track practice without a trace, it left the family scarred and scrambling. One night, twelve years later, oldest sister Jessica spots a woman on her TV screen in Catfight, a raunchy reality show. She rushes to tell her younger sister, Nina: This woman's hair is dyed red, and she calls herself Ruby, but the beauty mark under her left eye is instantly recognizable. Could it be Ruthy, after all this time?

The years since Ruthy's disappearance haven't been easy on the Ramirez family. It's 2008, and their mother, Dolores, still struggles with the loss, Jessica juggles a newborn baby with her hospital job, and Nina, after four successful years at college, has returned home to medical school rejections and is forced to work in the mall folding tiny bedazzled thongs at the lingerie store.

After seeing maybe-Ruthy on their screen, Jessica and Nina hatch a plan to drive to where the show is filmed in search of their long-lost sister. When Dolores catches wind of their scheme, she insists on joining, along with her pot-stirring holy roller best friend, Irene. What follows is a family road trip and reckoning that will force the Ramirez women to finally face the past and look toward a future—with or without Ruthy in it.

ON SALE MARCH 14

Amcient Night by David Bowles; Illustrator David Alvarez | PICTURE BOOK

Ancient Night is a twist on two Nahuatl traditions: the rabbit which the Feathered Serpent placed on the moon, and Yaushu, the Lord Opossum who ruled the earth before humans came, and who stole fire from the gods to create the sun. David Bowles displays his immense talent with full-color illustrations for the first time.

Will also be available in Spanish: Noche Antigua [9781646142545]

Aniana Del Mar Jumps In by Jasminne Mendez | MIDDLE GRADE

Aniana del Mar belongs in the water like a dolphin belongs to the sea. But she and Papi keep her swim practices and meets hidden from Mami, who has never recovered from losing someone she loves to the water years ago. That is, until the day Ani's stiffness and swollen joints mean she can no longer get out of bed, and Ani is forced to reveal just how important swimming is to her. Mami forbids her from returning to the water but Ani and her doctor believe that swimming along with medication will help Ani manage her disease. What follows is the journey of a girl who must grieve who she once was in order to rise like the tide and become the young woman she is meant to be. Aniana Del Mar Jumps In is a poignant story about chronic illness and disability, the secrets between mothers and daughters, the harm we do to the ones we love the most--and all the triumphs, big and small, that keep us afloat.

ON SALE MARCH 21

Lucha of the Night Forest by Tehlor Kay Mejia | YOUNG ADULT

A scorned god.
A mysterious acolyte.
A forgetting drug.
A dangerous forest.

One girl caught between the freedom she always wanted and a sister she can't bear to leave behind.

An edge-of-your-seat fantasy about a girl who will do anything to protect her sister—even if it means striking a dangerous bargain. Dark forces, forgotten magic, and a heart-stopping queer romance.

The Witch and the Vampire by Francesca Flores | YOUNG ADULT

A queer Rapunzel retelling. Ava and Kaye used to be best friends. Until one night two years ago, vampires broke through the magical barrier protecting their town, and in the ensuing attack, Kaye’s mother was killed, and Ava was turned into a vampire. Since then, Ava has been trapped in her house. Her mother Eugenia needs her: Ava still has her witch powers, and Eugenia must take them in order to hide that she's a vampire as well. Desperate to escape her confinement and stop her mother's plans to destroy the town, Ava must break out, flee to the forest, and seek help from the vampires who live there. When there is another attack, she sees her opportunity and escapes.

Kaye, now at the end of her training as a Flame witch, is ready to fulfill her duty of killing any vampires that threaten the town, including Ava. On the night that Ava escapes, Kaye follows her and convinces her to travel together into the forest, while secretly planning to turn her in. Ava agrees, hoping to rekindle their old friendship, and the romantic feelings she'd started to have for Kaye before that terrible night.

But with monstrous trees that devour humans whole, vampires who attack from above, and Ava’s stepfather tracking her, the woods are full of danger. As they travel deeper into the forest, Kaye questions everything she thought she knew. The two are each other's greatest threat―and also their only hope, if they want to make it through the forest unscathed.

Too Soon for Adiós by Annette Chavez Macias | ADULT

No one expects to meet their father at their mother's funeral. But for Gabby Medina, that's exactly what happens. Her dad abandoned her when she was a baby, and now he's back.

And he wants to give her a house.

Gabby doesn't want the house—or him. But she could use the money. So Gabby agrees to take it under two conditions: First, she can sell the house whenever she wants. Second, accepting it doesn't mean she accepts him.

After they strike a deal, Gabby hires a contractor in preparation for a quick sale. But as she gets to know the town and these two new men in her life, she learns more about herself than she ever dared to think possible.

But is she ready to open herself up to the truth of what happened—and the promise of what could be?

Brighter Than the Sun by Daniel Aleman | YOUNG ADULT

Every morning, sixteen-year-old Sol wakes up at the break of dawn in her hometown of Tijuana, Mexico and makes the trip across the border to go to school in the United States. Though the commute is exhausting, this is the best way to achieve her dream: becoming the first person in her family to go to college.

When her family's restaurant starts struggling, Sol must find a part-time job in San Diego to help her dad put food on the table and pay the bills. But her complicated school and work schedules on the US side of the border mean moving in with her best friend and leaving her family behind.
With her life divided by an international border, Sol must come to terms with the loneliness she hides, the pressure she feels to succeed for her family, and the fact that the future she once dreamt of is starting to seem unattainable. Mostly, she'll have to grapple with a secret she's kept even from herself: that maybe she's relieved to have escaped her difficult home life, and a part of her may never want to return.

ON SALE MARCH 28

Into the Light by Mark Oshiro | YOUNG ADULT

It's been one year since Manny was cast out of his family and driven into the wilderness of the American Southwest. Since then, Manny lives by self-taught rules that keep him moving and keep him alive. Now, he's taking a chance on a traveling situation with the Varela family, whose attractive but surly son, Carlos, seems to promise a new future.

Eli abides by the rules of his family, living in a secluded community that raised him to believe his obedience will be rewarded. But an unsettling question slowly eats away at Eli's once unwavering faith in Reconciliation: Why can't he remember his past?

But the reported discovery of an unidentified body in the hills of Idyllwild, California, will draw both of these young men into facing their biggest fears and confronting their own identity and who they are allowed to be.

Last Sunrise in Eterna by Amparo Ortiz | YOUNG ADULT

Seventeen-year-old goth Sevim Burgos hates elves. Everyone else on earth loves the elves (especially their handsome princes) and would give anything to participate in Eterna's annual Exchange, where three teens can trade their dreams for a week of elven magic.

But Sevim knows things most people don't. She can see through the illusions the elves use to conceal their crimes. Ever since elves killed her father, Sevim has longed for revenge. So to help support her single mother, she has been selling abandoned elf corpses on the black market.

But it turns out that the elf prince Aro has noticed Sevim bodysnatching, so he kidnaps her mother in retaliation. To get her mother back, Sevim must participate in the Exchange.

In the home of the elves, Sevim will have to surrender her dreams and put her trust in the charming prince who took the last family member she has in order to master the art of elf magic. And in working with him, she will discover how the royal elves might be more tied to her own history than she ever suspected.

Saints of the Household by Ari Tison | YOUNG ADULT

Max and Jay have always depended on one another for their survival. Growing up with a physically abusive father, the two Bribri American brothers have learned that the only way to protect themselves and their mother is to stick to a schedule and keep their heads down.

But when they hear a classmate in trouble in the woods, instinct takes over and they intervene, breaking up a fight and beating their high school's star soccer player to a pulp. This act of violence threatens the brothers' dreams for the future and their beliefs about who they are. As the true details of that fateful afternoon unfold over the course of the novel, Max and Jay grapple with the weight of their actions, their shifting relationship as brothers, and the realization that they may be more like their father than they thought. They'll have to reach back to their Bribri roots to find their way forward.

Cool Green: Amazing, Remarkable Trees by Lulu Delacre | PICTURE BOOK

As he works with his young granddaughter to nurture a potted sapling, a Latino landscaper shares his love and admiration of trees. From the extraordinary rainbow gum tree to the mighty, towering redwood, each of the thirteen specimens he tells of is a miracle of the natural world—and some are strange beyond the wildest imagining. Brimming with exuberance and color, this ode to trees of the world—and the vast knowledge of landscapers and gardeners—offers a feast for the eyes.

Right Girl, Wrong Side by Ginny Baird | ADULT

Busy flower shop manager Evita Machado can't wait to get to Nantucket. With a bad breakup behind her, relaxing at the shore with her folks and her brothers and their families sounds like the sure cure for heartache, and their vacation destination looks like an amazing place! But when they arrive at the quaint rose-covered cottage, another group has already put down stakes: the Hatfields.

Ryan Hatfield was Evita's former crush from high school, but their business rival moms refused to let them date. Now history professor Ryan is here for a week with his parents, who won them this oceanfront rental in a society silent auction. Once it's clear there's been a double-booking due to a bidding mistake, Ryan's mom digs in her heels, meaning to stay. When Evita's mom won't back down either, both sides tepidly agree to share the luxury accommodations by dividing the cozy space.

With the boisterous Machados livening things up and the strait-laced Hatfields tamping them down, can Evita and Ryan keep the peace between the warring factions while fostering a growing chemistry between the two of them?

Calling the Moon: 16 Period Stories from Bipoc Authors Edited by Aida Salazar and Yamile Saied Mendez | MIDDLE GRADE

An essential, highly relatable collection of short fiction and poems around the topic of menstruation, written exclusively by authors who are Black, Indigenous, and/or people of color

For Angela, it came on the basketball court—while playing on the boys' team. For Penny, it came on a lakeside field trip, inspiring some cringeworthy moments of humor. And to Layla's disappointment, it came at the start of her first fasting Ramadan, mandating that she take a "holiday." Whether their period's coming spurs silence or celebration, whether they are well prepared for it or totally in the dark, the young people in these sixteen stories find that getting a period brings not only changes to their bodies, but also joy, sorrow, and self-discovery. Featuring BIPOC contributors who are some of today's most talented authors in middle-grade fiction, from funny to heartbreaking to powerful, all of them reassuring readers that they are not alone in their period journey.

Review and Excerpt: Our Ancestors Did Not Breathe This Air: A Collection of Poems

Note: The review and poems associated with this post majorly focus on author Ayse Guvenilir

Our Ancestors Did Not Breathe This Air is an anthology written by six Muslim women and it is about how they view culture, identity, womanhood, and so much more. Afeefah Khazi-Syed, Aleena Shabbir, Ayse Guvenilir, Maisha M. Prome, Mariam Dogar, and Marwa Abdulhai are a dynamic group of women of various backgrounds who met as undergrads at MIT. Not only do they share a love of STEM, but they also have a passion for poetry. Aside from their studies, they spent their days discussing their shared love of the art form and that love proved to be strong as even COVID-19 couldn’t deter them from continuing what they dub their “grounding medium.” 

The poems “when i think sunshine” and “comb through from root to end” are written by Ayse Guvenilir. Ayse Guvenilir was born in Austin, Texas to a Venezuelan mother and a Turkish father. When I read her poems, I found them to be relatable and very interactive, which added to the experience of her serene and powerful writing. On their website, Ayse says that she sees poetry as, “a form of writing that can surpass the bounds of what words are expected to be.” I truly believe readers will find that sentiment in her entries as well as in the poems of Afeefah, Aleena, Maisha, Mariam, and Marwa.

Reading “when i think sunshine” felt like I was reading about almost every memory I have of enjoying the summertime when I was a kid. Remembering those feelings of running around with my siblings and many cousins, enjoying the hot weather, and feeling like stress didn’t even exist during summer. With being written in haibun, a combination of prose and haiku, there was that added emphasis on those endless summer days that always ended as quickly as they started. Ayse perfectly captured that with the haiku at the conclusion, which only further showcases her strong writing style.

I found “comb through from root to end” to be another powerful entry, not just because of the message but also because of its format. Some lines are written to the left, some to the right, with the last few lines placed in the middle. It felt like I was moving my head back and forth between a conversation of people giving their perceived notions of a person, how they think someone should present themselves based on their identity (or identities), and almost making that person feel less than in terms of who they are. When the format ended in the middle, it felt like a powerful stop to the side comments. Like going in the middle and forging your own path in terms of who you are and who you want to be.

There are many other entries that are uniquely written in terms of format and various poetry styles, making them incredibly immersive. What’s also noteworthy about this collection is that some of the poems come with notes containing extra information, personal and not, about the entry. The additional knowledge makes them even more captivating because readers get to see the inspiration behind the story.

Our Ancestors Did Not Breathe This Air has many poems written by Ayse and her fellow co-authors that are incredibly immersive, captivating, and beautiful to read. They are multi-layered and there is always something to take away from their writing. It is a wonderful collection that contains their experiences and explorations into the many facets of their identity.

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Enough

Ayse Guvenilir

I have never been where

I will never go stuck

in this house with a heavy ceiling

reaching for the truth of what

I was trying to do

with you when I said

that I had to go

book the next flight out

would they ever trust me

a gringa—as Abuela dutifully reminds me—

otherwise?

Not that

given the current state of affairs

they would ever trust anyone

outside of whom could fix

every one of their problems bringing

them light

in the middle of the night

it’s so hot

they can hear

their brain sweating feel

their sense slipping waiting

hours upon hours for gas shifts switching

in a car that is going to burn

anyways

the ground beneath my feet has never

felt more unstable than it feels right now

kids in CAGES the world AVOIDING

the humanitarian CRISIS—

like they avoid every crisis—

does anyone hear their cries into the echo

of the storage building

is it real? Does it matter?

How can I be

and not be saving

my home once-removed y

gente who I feel are my gente

bonded by lengua y risas y cultura

rooted in over exaggerations y bendiciones y

Dios te cuide y no te amo te adoro y

seemingly excessive abrazos y besos

that keep us whole.

Will I ever be enough

to save them all?

Enough: The two crises referenced are the immigration deportation and detainment along the border in the United States, and the continued political and economic hardships faced by many in Venezuela.

Excerpted from “Our Ancestors Did Not Breathe This Air: A Collection of Poems,” used with permission from Beltway Editions. (c) Ayse Guvenilir.

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Ayse Angela Guvenilir was born in Austin into a family with a Turkish father, a Venezuelan mother, and three older brothers. Growing up in Texas, France, and various parts of upstate New York, Ayse has always used reading and writing for connection, reflection, and relaxation as she moved from place to place. She sees poetry in particular as a form of writing that can surpass the bounds of what words are expected to be, in turn connecting her with others. Ayse got her bachelor’s degree in biological engineering with a minor in creative writing from MIT and is currently a master’s student in the Biomechatronics Group at the MIT Media Lab. Through her work, Ayse aims to empathize, educate, and inspire, the way that the works of others have always done for her.

Melissa Gonzalez (she/her) is a UCLA graduate with a major in American Literature & Culture and a minor in Chicana/o & Central American Studies. She loves boba, horror movies, and reading. You can spot her in the fiction, horror/mystery/thriller, and young adult sections of bookstores. Though she is short, she feels as tall as her TBR pile. You can find Melissa on her book Instagram: @floralchapters

Book Review: Secret Identity by Alex Segura

“This book spans genres and has something for every type of reader: historical fiction, mystery, romance, and murder, all interwoven in Segura’s fast-paced and electric style.”

Secret Identity by Alex Segura is definitely one of the most interesting books I have read in a long time. This book spans genres and has something for every type of reader: historical fiction, mystery, romance, and murder, all interwoven in Segura’s fast-paced and electric style.

Set in 1970s New York City, Carmen Valdez is just an assistant at the low-budget and struggling Triumph Comics, but she has dreams of becoming more. She has loved comics since she was a kid in Miami, and is in New York to make something of herself. When she finally gets a chance to co-write a female superhero, the Lethal Lynx, with her coworker Harvey, he is murdered before giving her any of the credit. Carmen starts on a quest to find out what happened to Harvey and trying to save the Lynx from being put in the hands of lesser writers while being haunted by the life she left in Miami. Segura keeps readers hooked from every angle. Will Carmen get the credit she deserves with the Lynx? Will she clear her name in Harvey’s murder case? What made Carmen leave Miami so quickly?

As someone with a moderate interest in Marvel and other superhero franchises, it was interesting to learn so much comic industry history in this book. The comic strips between chapters were unique and added an extra layer to the story, with the Lynx’s struggles coinciding with Carmen’s journey throughout the book.  

If you are looking for a page-turning read that will keep you hooked until the very last page, Secret Identity by Alex Segura is the pick for you.

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Alex Segura is the bestselling and award-winning author of Secret Identity, which The New York Times called “wittily original” and named an Editor’s Choice. NPR described the novel as “masterful,” and it received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Kirkus, and Booklist. It was also listed as one of the Best Mysteries of the Year by NPR, Kirkus, Booklist, LitReactor, Gizmodo, BOLO Books, and the South Florida Sun Sentinel.

His upcoming work includes the YA superhero adventure Araña/Spider-Man 2099: Dark Tomorrow, the spiritual sequel to Secret Identity, Alter Ego, and the sci-fi/espionage thriller, Dark Space (with Rob Hart). Alex is also the author of Star Wars Poe Dameron: Free Fall, the Anthony Award-nominated Pete Fernandez Miami Mystery series, and a number of comic books – including The Mysterious Micro-Face (in partnership with NPR), The Black Ghost, The Archies, The Dusk, The Awakened, Mara Llave – Keeper of Time, Blood Oath, stories featuring Marvel heroes Sunspot, White Tiger, Spider-Man and DC’s Superman and The Question, to name a few. His short story, “90 Miles” was included in The Best American Mystery and Suspense Stories for 2021 and won the Anthony Award for Best Short Story. Another short story,“Red Zone,” won the 2020 Anthony Award for Best Short Story.

A Miami native, he lives in New York with his wife and children.

Sabrina Moorer (she/her) is a senior at Towson University double majoring in English and Mass Communications. Even though she works at the library, she still spends all her free time there, searching for the next 5-star read to obsess over.