Book Review: The Worry Balloon by Monica Mancillas, Illustrated by Betty C. Tang

The Worry Balloon is written by Monica Mancillas with beautiful illustrations done by Betty C. Tang. The book follows Isla who is experiencing anxiety about her first day of school. The big “what if” questions plague her mind as the first day looms closer, but fortunately, her mom is there to help. Her mother teaches Isla a trick, or a coping mechanism, to calm her worried thoughts. She is a beacon of comfort as she validates her daughter’s concerns. At the end of the book, additional coping mechanisms are provided along with a beautifully written author’s note that goes on to explain why the book was written.

““The Worry Balloon” is the type of book that I wish was available to me as a young girl. . . Mancillas is doing a service not just for children, but for anyone who is seeking coping mechanisms for their worries or concerns.”

The Worry Balloon is the type of book that I wish was available to me as a young girl. At a young age, I changed schools and this resource would have given me the skills that I needed to be brave, just like Isla. Mancillas is doing a service not just for children, but for anyone who is seeking coping mechanisms for their worries or concerns. This book is especially important for the Latinx community because mental health is a topic that is rarely talked about, in our community, and can even be even seen as taboo. This book creates mental health awareness, while opening the door for conversations to be held, in a gentle and validating manner.

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MÓNICA MANCILLAS writes picture books, along with middle-grade nonfiction and fiction, that center on identity, culture, and mental health. She was born in Ensenada, Baja California, and then moved to the United States at the age of two. She is an alumna of the San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts and has a B.A. in Anthropology from the University of California, Berkeley. 

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

April 2023 Latinx Releases

ON SALE APRIL 1

Hollow Beasts by Alisa Lynn Valdés | ADULT FICTION

After a long stint in academia, Jodi Luna leaves Boston for the wilds of New Mexico to start a new life as a game warden. Jodi is no stranger to the wilderness; her family has lived here for generations. Determined to protect her homeland, she nabs a poacher in her first week on the job.

But when he retaliates by stalking Jodi and her teenage daughter, a cat and mouse game leads Jodi to a white supremacist group deep in the mountains. She learns that new recruits are kidnapping women of color to prove their mettle to the organization's leader.

When the local sheriff refuses to assist, Jodi joins up with young deputy Ashley Romero. Together, they set out to take down a terrorist network that will test not just their skills as investigators but also their knowledge of the land and commitment to its people.

But will Jodi's fierce resolve to protect the voiceless put her loved ones in harm's way?

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ON SALE APRIL 4

The Ghosts of Rancho Espanto by Adrianna Cuevas | MIDDLE GRADE

Rafa would rather live in the world of The Forgotten Age, his favorite role-playing game, than face his father's increasing restrictions and his mother's fading presence. But when Rafa and his friends decide to take the game out into the real world and steal their school cafeteria's slushie machine, his dad concocts a punishment Rafa never could've imagined—a month working on a ranch in New Mexico, far away from his friends, their game, and his mom's quesitos in Miami.

Life at Rancho Espanto isn't as bad as Rafa initially expected, mostly due to Jennie, a new friend with similarly strong snack opinions, and Marcus, the veteran barn manager who's not as gruff as he appears. But when Rafa's work at the ranch is inexplicably sabotaged by a man who may not be what he seems, Rafa and Jennie explore what's behind the strange events at Rancho Espanto—and discover that the greatest mystery may have been with Rafa all along.

This Is Not Miami by Fernanda Melchor | Translated by Sophie Hughes | SHORT STORIES

Set in and around the Mexican city of Veracruz, This Is Not Miami delivers a series of devastating stories—spiraling from real events—that bleed together reportage and the author's rich and rigorous imagination. These narrative nonfiction pieces probe deeply into the motivations of murderers and misfits, into their desires and circumstances, forcing us to understand them—and even empathize—despite our wish to simply label them monsters. As in her hugely acclaimed novels Hurricane Season and Paradais, Fernanda Melchor's masterful stories show how the violent and shocking aberrations that make the headlines are only the surface ruptures of a society on the brink of chaos.

Ana María and the Fox by Liana De La Rosa | ADULT FICTION

Ana María Luna Valdés has strived to be the perfect daughter, the perfect niece, and the perfect representative of the powerful Luna family. So when Ana María is secretly sent to London with her sisters to seek refuge from the French occupation of Mexico, she experiences her first taste of freedom far from the judgmental eyes of her domineering father. If only she could ignore the piercing looks she receives across ballroom floors from the austere Mr. Fox.

Gideon Fox elevated himself from the London gutters by chasing his burning desire for more: more opportunities, more choices. For everyone. Now, as a member of Parliament, Gideon is on the cusp of securing the votes he needs to put forth a measure to abolish the Atlantic slave trade once and for all—a cause that is close to his heart as the grandson of a formerly enslaved woman. The charmingly vexing Ana María is a distraction he must ignore.

But when Ana María finds herself in the crosshairs of a nefarious nobleman with his own political agenda, Gideon knows he must offer his hand as protection . . . but will this Mexican heiress win his heart as well?

The Apprentice Tourist by Mário de Andrade |Translated by Flora Thomson-Deveaux | ADULT NONFICTION

A Brazilian masterpiece, now in English for the first time: a playfully profound chronicle of an urban sophisticate's misadventures in the Amazon.

"My life's done a somersault," wrote Mário de Andrade in a letter, on the verge of taking a leap. After years of dreaming about Amazonia, and almost fifty years before Bruce Chatwin ventured into one of the most remote regions of South America in In Patagonia, Andrade, the queer mixed-race "pope" of Brazilian modernism and author of the epic novel Macunaíma, finally embarks on a three-month steamboat voyage up the great river and into one of the most dangerous and breathtakingly beautiful corners of the world. Rife with shrewd observations and sparkling wit, and featuring more than a dozen photographs, The Apprentice Tourist not only offers an awed and awe-inspiring fish-out-of-water account of the Indigenous peoples and now-endangered landscapes of Brazil that he encounters (and, comically, sometimes fails to reach), but also traces his internal metamorphosis: The trip prompts him to rethink his ingrained Eurocentrism, challenges his received narratives about the Amazon, and alters the way he understands his motherland and the vast diversity of cultures found within it.

The People Who Report More Stress by Alejandro Varela | SHORT STORIES

A collection of humorous, sexy, and highly neurotic tales about parenting, long-term relationships, systemic and interpersonal racism, and class conflict from the author of The Town of Babylon, The People Who Report More Stress deftly and poignantly expresses the frustration of knowing the problems and solutions to our society's inequities but being unable to do anything about them.

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ON SALE APRIL 11

The Making of Yolanda la Bruja by Lorraine Avila | YOUNG ADULT

Yolanda Alvarez is having a good year. She's starting to feel at home at Julia De Burgos High, her school in the Bronx. She has her best friend Victory, and maybe something with José, a senior boy she's getting to know. She's confident her initiation into her family's bruja tradition will happen soon.

But then a white boy, the son of a politician, appears at Julia De Burgos High, and his vibes are off. And Yolanda's initiation begins with a series of troubling visions of the violence this boy threatens. How can Yolanda protect her community, in a world that doesn't listen? Only with the wisdom and love of her family, friends, and community—and the Brujas Diosas, her ancestors and guides.

The Making of Yolanda La Bruja is the book this country, struggling with the plague of gun violence, so desperately needs, but which few could write. Here Lorraine Avila brings a story born from the intersection of race, justice, education, and spirituality that will capture readers everywhere.

Plátanos Are Love by Alyssa Reynoso-Morris | Illustrated by Mariyah Rahman | PICTURE BOOK

A delicious picture book about the ways plantains shape Latinx culture, community, and family, told through a young girl's experiences in the kitchen with her abuela.

With every pop of the tostones, mash of the mangú, and sizzle of the maduros, a little girl learns that plátanos are her history, they are her culture, and—most importantly—they are love.

Viva Lola Espinoza by Ella Cerón | YOUNG ADULT

Lola Espinoza is cursed in love. Well, maybe not actually cursed—magic isn't real, is it? When Lola goes to spend the summer with her grandmother in Mexico City and meets handsome, flirtatious Rio, she discovers the unbelievable truth: Magic is very real, and what she'd always written off as bad luck is actually, truly . . . a curse. If Lola ever wants to fall in love without suffering the consequences, she'll have to break the curse. She finds an unlikely curse-breaking companion in Javi, a seemingly stoic boy she meets while working in her cousin's restaurant. Javi is willing to help Lola look into this family curse of hers, and Lola needs all the help she can get. Over the course of one summer—filled with food, family, and two very different boys—Lola explores Mexico City while learning about herself, her heritage, and the magic around us all.

Our Roof Is Blue by Sara E. Echenique | Illustrated by Ashley Vargas | PICTURE BOOK

This heartfelt story of resilience follows two siblings as they work to recover and rebuild after Hurricane Maria destroys their home in Puerto Rico.

Before an intense hurricane hits their home in Puerto Rico, Antonio told his sister vibrant stories each night. During the storm, they huddled with their parents in a closet and hear the storm blow the roof right off their home. After the storm, their family uses a temporary blue tarp for a roof, and Antonio stops speaking. Gradually the siblings imagine their blue roof playfully—as the ocean above them or a parachute helping them fall from the sky. As the narrator helps her little brother feel safe once more—and after the family and community build a new roof—the little boy begins to speak again.

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ON SALE APRIL 18

Wings in the Wild by Margarita Engle | YOUNG ADULT

This gorgeously romantic contemporary novel-in-verse from award-winning author Margarita Engle tells the inspiring love story of two teens fighting for climate action and human rights.

Winged beings are meant to be free. And so are artists, but the Cuban government has criminalized any art that doesn't meet their approval. Soleida and her parents protest this injustice with their secret sculpture garden of chained birds. Then a hurricane exposes the illegal art, and her parents are arrested.

Soleida escapes to Central America alone, joining the thousands of Cuban refugees stranded in Costa Rica while seeking asylum elsewhere. There she meets Dariel, a Cuban American boy whose enigmatic music enchants birds and animals—and Soleida.

Together they work to protect the environment and bring attention to the imprisoned artists in Cuba. Soon they discover that love isn't about falling—it's about soaring together to new heights. But wings can be fragile, and Soleida and Dariel come from different worlds. They are fighting for a better future—and the chance to be together.

Manolo & the Unicorn by Jackie Azúa Kramer & Jonah Kramer | Illustrated by Zach Manbeck | PICTURE BOOK

A story about seeing and believing wholeheartedly in the extraordinary—unicorns and oneself

To Manolo the world is a magical place—a place where he searches for the most magical creature of all: a unicorn. Manolo loves unicorns. When the Wild Animal Parade is announced at school, and Manolo declares that he will come as his favorite animal, his classmates say there is no such thing as unicorns, making the world feel ordinary. That is, until Manolo meets a real unicorn—wild and graceful—and discovers that the world is truly extraordinary.

Felice and the Wailing Woman by Diana López | MIDDLE GRADE

When Felice learns that she's the daughter of La Llorona, she catches a ride to the magical town of Tres Leches, where her mother is said to be haunting the river. Growing up with her uncle Clem in Corpus Christi, Felice knew that she had been rescued from drowning—it's where her intense fear of water comes from—but she had no idea her mother remained trapped between worlds, looking for her. Guided by the magical town's eccentric mayor, Felice vows to help her mother make peace with the events that turned her into the most famous monstruo of US-Mexico border lore. Along the way, she meets the children of other monstruos, like La Lechuza and the Dancing Devil, and together they free Tres Leches from magical and metaphorical curses that have haunted its people for generations.

Tumble by Celia C. Pérez | MIDDLE GRADE

NOW IN PAPERBACK

Twelve-year-old Adela "Addie" Ramírez has a big decision to make when her stepfather proposes adoption. Addie loves Alex, the only father figure she's ever known, but with a new half brother due in a few months and a big school theater performance on her mind, everything suddenly feels like it's moving too fast. She has a million questions, and the first is about the young man in the photo she found hidden away in her mother's things.

Addie's sleuthing takes her to a New Mexico ranch, and her world expands to include the legendary Bravos: Rosie and Pancho, her paternal grandparents and former professional wrestlers; Eva and Maggie, her older identical twin cousins who love to spar in and out of the ring; Uncle Mateo, whose lucha couture and advice are unmatched; and Manny, her biological father, who's in the midst of a career comeback. As luchadores, the Bravos's legacy is strong. But being part of a family is so much harder—it's about showing up, taking off your mask, and working through challenges together.

The Haunting of Alejandra by V. Castro | ADULT FICTION

Alejandra no longer knows who she is. To her husband, she is a wife, and to her children, a mother. To her own adoptive mother, she is a daughter. But they cannot see who Alejandra has become: a woman struggling with a darkness that threatens to consume her.

Nor can they see what Alejandra sees. In times of despair, a ghostly vision appears to her, the apparition of a crying woman in a ragged white gown.

When Alejandra visits a therapist, she begins exploring her family's history, starting with the biological mother she never knew. As she goes deeper into the lives of the women in her family, she learns that heartbreak and tragedy are not the only things she has in common with her ancestors.

Because the crying woman was with them, too. She is La Llorona, the vengeful and murderous mother of Mexican legend. And she will not leave until Alejandra follows her mother, her grandmother, and all the women who came before her into the darkness.

But Alejandra has inherited more than just pain. She has inherited the strength and the courage of her foremothers—and she will have to summon everything they have given her to banish La Llorona forever.

The Fitful Sleep of Immigrants by Orlando Ortega-Medina | ADULT FICTION

Attorney Marc Mendes, the estranged son of a prominent rabbi and a burned-out lawyer with addiction issues, plots his exit from the big city to a more peaceful life in idyllic Napa Valley. But before realizing his dream, the US government summons his Salvadoran life partner Isaac Perez to immigration court, threatening him with deportation.

As Marc battles to save Isaac, his world is further upended by a dark and alluring client who aims to tempt him away from his messy life. Torn between his commitment to Isaac and the pain-numbing escapism offered by his client, Marc is forced to choose between the lesser of two evils while confronting his twin demons of past addiction and guilt over the death of his first lover.

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ON SALE APRIL 25

Doodles from the Boogie Down by Stephanie Rodriguez | MIDDLE GRADE

A young Dominican girl navigates middle school, her strict mother, shifting friendships, and her dream of being an artist in this debut coming-of-age graphic novel inspired by the author's tween years.

Eighth grade in New York City means one thing: It's time to start applying to high schools! While her friends are looking at school catalogs and studying for entrance exams, Steph is doodling in her notebook and waiting for art class to begin. When her art teacher tells her about LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, Steph desperately wants to apply. But she's in the Bronx, and LaGuardia is a public school in Manhattan—which her mom would not approve of. Steph comes up with a plan that includes lying to her mom, friends, and teachers. Keeping secrets isn't easy, and Steph must decide how far she'll go to get what she wants.

Borderless by Jennifer de Leon | YOUNG ADULT

Caught in the crosshairs of gang violence, a teen girl and her mother set off on a perilous journey from Guatemala City to the US border in this heart-wrenching young adult novel from the author of Don't Ask Me Where I'm From.

For seventeen-year-old Maya, trashion is her passion, and her talent for making clothing out of unusual objects landed her a scholarship to Guatemala City's most prestigious art school and a finalist spot in the school's fashion show. Mamá is her biggest supporter, taking on extra jobs to pay for what the scholarship doesn't cover, and she might be even more excited than Maya about what the fashion show could do for her future career.

So when Mamá doesn't come to the show, Maya doesn't know what to think. But the truth is worse than she could have imagined. The gang threats in their neighborhood have walked in their front door—with a boy Maya considered a friend, or maybe more, among them. After barely making their escape, Maya and her mom have no choice but to continue their desperate flight all the way through Guatemala and Mexico in hopes of crossing the US border.

Interview with Margo Candela author of The Neapolitan Sisters

Latinx In Publishing had the opportunity to ask Margo Candela a few questions about The Neapolitan Sisters: A Novel of Heritage and Home.

Latinx In Publishing (LxP): Where did the inspiration for the novel come from?

Margo Candela (MC): Writers are like memory magpies, constantly collecting random bits and pieces of life that might not make sense in the moment, but are too interesting to ignore or forget. When the idea for The Neapolitan Sisters came to me, it already had its beginning, middle and end. Although it was fiction, the story and characters were familiar to me in a way that I still have a hard time explaining. While the inspiration for The Neapolitan Sisters came both from my imagination and from being observant, what really set this novel apart from my previous work was my intention for writing it. I wanted to challenge myself as a writer, but I also wanted to allow my characters to be flawed, difficult and complicated without excuse or apology. 

LxP: One of the primary themes within the story are the types of relationships that exist within families, but also outside of them. Can you talk a bit about the importance for you to highlight that?

MC: It's important, sometimes more so, for my characters to have an identity that’s not based on being a son or daughter, sister or brother, husband or wife, mother or father. How they function separately from those roles is one I like to explore because a lot of times, Latina and Latino characters don’t get to move away from that primary identifier of who and what they are. When they're navigating life in a larger social circle and away from family, they find themselves relating to friends, partners, workmates with the same skill set that either serves them or keeps them from moving beyond dysfunctional dynamics.

LxP: The sisters dealt with a lot of trauma that they all dealt with in their own various ways. Can you speak on your writing process, how you decided on each of the sisters' journeys, and how they would complement each other?

MC: Having three main characters who told their story in first person was a natural way to delve into how Dulcina, Claudia and Maritza would each be affected individually by their shared trauma. Even though they spent their childhood and teens together, they don't interpret that period of their lives in the same way, but they are strongly bonded because of it. Knowing this about them meant I had to let each sister go where she needed to go, even if it made me uncomfortable or took me by surprise. Once I allowed myself to just write what felt right for each sister, I was able to give all three of them added depth and humanity by accepting their flaws as part of who they needed to be. I really love these sisters and it was such a joy, even if sometimes a painful one, to get to know them and bring them to life.

LxP: What can readers expect to gain from reading The Neapolitan Sisters?

MC: The Neapolitan Sisters is about finding compassion and love not only for others, but for oneself. Dulcina, Claudia and Maritza’s acceptance of who they are to each other is the greatest gift they can both give and receive. Compassion, love, and acceptance are essential components to intimate relationships and the Bernal sisters are, to different degrees, able to realize this by the end of the novel. Once they do, they’re able to move forward with their lives, and also be in each other’s lives. This doesn’t always happen in real life, but it can in books which is why I’m so grateful that The Neapolitan Sisters was published after so many years of waiting for me to be brave enough to write it as best as I could.

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.

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.