Dancing in Life’s Stages: ‘Merci Suárez Can’t Dance’ by Meg Medina

Growing up requires constant change, as author Meg Medina demonstrates it in Merci Suárez Can’t Dance. This middle-grade book is the second installment in the Merci Suárez verse, following Cuban-American Merci Suárez as she cruises through the seventh grade. Mercedes “Merci” Suárez is a young girl who is trying to keep everything as it’s always been within her family and friends—from tía Inés’s routine at the bakery to her friendship trio with Hannah and Lena. This moving middle-grade novel is not only about life’s inevitable change; it invites young readers to explore business smarts, love, selflessness, cultural education, socio-economic status, confidence, and standing up for oneself. Everything changes for Merci Suárez and she must learn to dance to the changing beat of growth.

Taking place in South Florida, Merci begins seventh grade assigned as a business manager to the school store, The Ram Depot, with new student, Wilson Bellevue. They’re expected to work together as a team to “hone their business and math skills and get real-world experience”, according to Miss McDaniels. Merci immediately demonstrates superb sales and critical-thinking skills, necessary in business. Merci’s abilities have the potential to motivate young readers to learn more about the professional world at a deeper level, outside of their regular classes. “Fix your mistakes in style. Two-for-one erasers! Wile supplies last! (See? An eraser would have helped!),” Merci writes on a sign for the store with the commerce goal to sell erasers for her school.

Credit: Yvonne Tapia

Initially, Merci is hesitant to work alongside a seventh grade boy, considering her distasteful experience with “annoying jokes about farting” and similar shenanigans from other male peers. However, when she starts feeling shy and embarrassed about anything that has to do with Wilson Bellevue, Merci begins to wonder why that is so. While her reactions to people’s comments on their relationship may not show her best character, young readers will be satisfied with this (possible) realistic context about discovering young love.

Mercedes may be family-dedicated and a hard-working student, but sometimes that can be overwhelming for her when her family members pull her in different directions simultaneously. Besides her schoolwork, Merci is expected to help take care of her twin cousins, Axel and Tomás, who are as energetic as kids can be, while emotionally affected by her grandfather’s Alzheimer’s, and, processing her tía Inés’s new love life. But when Merci tries to find out more about her tía’s personal life, they tell her not to get involved. To this, Merci thinks, “People ask me private stuff all the time. What I want to be. If I have a boyfriend. Nobody seems to mind their invasion of my privacy.” Moreover, when she sees that her older brother, Roli, is different to how she remembers him before he went to college, Merci says, “Nobody is the way they’re supposed to be.” Medina offers a deep and pragmatic view about what many emerging young adults are anticipated to handle, that may often be overlooked.

Credit: Candlewick Press

The author expertly encourages themes of self-confidence through Merci’s school rival, Edna Santos, and dancing. In Merci’s point-of-view, Edna is her total opposite; Edna knows French and attends ballet lessons, while Merci helps her father figure out job bids and write ad copy, and certainly can’t dance. She also makes Merci feel as if her best friend, Hannah, would rather hang out with Edna with each passing day. Edna does her fair share of verbal bullying as she tries to boss Merci around. As young readers rotate pages, they’ll encounter a poignant scenario—Edna and Merci are paired as science lab partners, and when Edna tries to verbally put her down, Merci must be willing to use the power within her to stand up for herself.

Merci’s determined attempts to avoid dancing are humorously engaging. Dancing is first tied to Merci’s lifestyle when the school’s famous Valentine’s Day Heart Ball takes place, and Merci is not having it, she says, “It’s like smearing cod liver oil all over my favorite candy bar. I can’t get past it.” Yet, she is ironically invited by Edna to participate in an unexpected way. Later on, her tía Inés decides to open up her own Latin dance school, and Merci is challenged to help it be a success. Merci’s narration, filled with humor and sass, will make the journey enjoyable and illuminating for young readers.

Meg Medina delivers an authentic middle-grade experience on every level—from school’s demands to family events—that young readers can relate to. Merci Suárez Can’t Dance is a stellar sequel that welcomes readers to embrace change, and shows them how to find their own dancing beat. This is an essential read for young students and their families, and should have a place in each classroom, library, bookstore, and personal shelf.

For more updates on her latest works, follow author Meg Medina on:

Twitter: @Meg_Medina

Instagram: @megmedinabooks

Website: http://www.megmedina.com/

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Yvonne Tapia is a Mexican-American professional from East Harlem, New York. She earned a BA in Media Studies and Psychology from Hunter College. Additionally, she has worked in the educational and media fields through various outlets. With a long-term enthusiasm for children’s media, she has been involved at Housing Works Bookstore and Latinx in Publishing. She currently works on the Marketing and Publicity team at Levine Querido. Yvonne is excited about the power of storytelling, and to engage content awareness in underrepresented communities.

Meet our 2021 Writing Mentorship Program Mentors!

The Latinx in Publishing Writers Mentorship Program is a volunteer-based initiative that offers the opportunity for unpublished and/or unagented writers who identify as Latinx (mentees) to strengthen their craft, gain first-hand industry knowledge, and expand their professional connections through work with experienced published authors (mentors).

Be sure to check out Latinx in Pub’s Bookshop for a list of our mentor’s publications! And read below to learn more about our wonderful mentors!

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Alana Viramontes Albertson is a Latina bestselling romance author (her book Badass hit #3 in entire Amazon paid store, she has had multiple novels in the top 100 paid store, and her Se7en Deadly SEALs romantic thriller serial has over one million views on the Radish fiction app). She has over thirty books published and recently signed a three-book, six-figure deal with Berkley Publishing for the upcoming Latinx romantic comedy series, Spicy Rich Tacos. Alana Albertson holds a Masters of Education from Harvard University and a Bachelor of Arts in English from Stanford University. She’s a paid social media influencer and the former President of Romance Writers of America’s Contemporary Romance, Young Adult, and Chick Lit chapters. She’s the founder of the non-profit dog rescue, Pugs N Roses.™ She lives in San Diego, California, with her husband, two young sons, and six dogs.

Juan Alvarado Valdivia was born in Guadalajara, Mexico to Peruvian parents and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. He is the author of ¡Cancerlandia!: A Memoir and Ballad of a Slopsucker, which was a 2020 International Latino Book Award finalist for Best Collection of Short Stories – English or Bilingual and was chosen as Best Short Story Collection for the 2019 Latinidad List. His fiction and nonfiction have been published in Prairie Schooner, The Acentos Review, Black Heart Magazine, The Cortland Review, Label Me Latina/o, Mount Hope, Origins Journal, Somos en escrito, and Thread. 

Katrina Carrasco is queer and Latinx, with roots in Southern California and home in Seattle, WA. Katrina received her MFA in Fiction in 2015, and has had stories and essays published by Witness, Literary Hub, CrimeReads, and other outlets. Her debut novel, The Best Bad Things (MCD/Farrar, Straus and Giroux), won a 2018 Shamus Award and was a Lambda Literary Award and Washington State Book Award finalist. She is working on a new novel.

Pablo Cartaya is the author of the critically acclaimed middle-grade novels: The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora, Marcus Vega Doesn’t Speak Spanish, and Each Tiny Spark. His novels center around the themes of family, culture, community, and the cross-section of the Latinx experience in the United States. Pablo has worked as an actor, notably co starring on NBC’s “Will & Grace” and Telemundo’s “Los Beltran”. Pre-pandemic he was giving performative talks around the country on writing, reading, and identity. Now he’s home working on his next novels and speaking to students, educators, and readers around the world in a virtual format. He calls Miami home and Cuban-American his cultura. Awards and Honors include: 2020 Schneider Family Book Award Honor, 2019 ALSC Notable Book, 2018 American Library Association’s Pura Belpré Honor, 2018 Audie Award Finalist for Middle Grade Audiobook of the Year (for narration and title).

Joe Cepeda received his BFA in Illustration from California State University, Long Beach. He is the illustrator of award-winning picture books such as What a Truly Cool World (Scholastic), Nappy Hair (Knopf), Mice and Beans (Scholastic), and The Swing (Arthur A. Levine Books), which he wrote as well as illustrated. Mr. Cepeda has illustrated books written by numerous notable authors including Gary Soto, Pam Muñoz Ryan, Arnold Adoff, Monica Brown, Julius Lester and Toni Morrison. He’s also illustrated book jackets for several titles, including Esperanza Rising and the Newbery Medal winner Merci Suarez Changes Gears. Mr. Cepeda received a 2002 ALA Pura Belpré Honor and the Recognition of Merit Award for 2000 from the George G. Stone Center for Children’s Books. Joe was awarded a Capstone Fellowship for 2016. In addition to his illustrative work, Mr. Cepeda is sought after as a public speaker to schools and other groups. He is the president of the Society of Illustrators of Los Angeles. He lives in Southern California.

Rosalie Morales Kearns, a writer of Puerto Rican and Pennsylvania Dutch descent, is the founder of Shade Mountain Press. Her novel Kingdom of Women (Jaded Ibis, 2017), about a female Roman Catholic priest in a slightly alternate near-future, was described in Kirkus Reviews as a “daring critique of today’s patriarchy [that] never feels didactic or forced” and praised by U.S. Catholic as a “deeply felt and richly imagined rendering of what the upending of patriarchy might look like.” Her fabulist/speculative story collection Virgins and Tricksters (Aqueous, 2012) was described by Marge Piercy as “succinct, smart tales rooted in a female-centered spirituality.” Kearns has an MFA in creative writing from the University of Illinois and has taught creative writing at the University of Illinois, the University at Albany, and adult education venues.

Diana López is the author of the adult novella, Sofia's Saints, and numerous middle grade novels, including CONFETTI GIRL, NOTHING UP MY SLEEVE, and LUCKY LUNA. Her picture book biography, SING WITH ME: THE STORY OF SELENA QUINTANILLA, will be released in April to celebrate what would have been Selena's 50th birthday. Diana recently retired from the University of Houston-Victoria. Her "second act" day job is helping her husband in his physical therapy clinic, FYZICAL Therapy & Balance Center, located in her hometown of Corpus Christi, Texas.

Jose Nateras is an L.A. based Actor & Writer from Chicago. A graduate of Loyola University Chicago, he also has his MFA in Writing from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC). A screenwriter and playwright, Jose is also a contributor for The Gamer, The A.V. Club, and elsewhere. His debut novel, Testament, was released by Ninestar Press and his original feature-length horror screenplay, Departing Seniors, is currently in pre-production. Follow him on Twitter: @JoseNateras & Instagram: @JLorca13

Luis Alejandro Ordóñez (1973) is a Venezuelan writer born in Boston, MA. He obtained a Political Science degree from Universidad Central de Venezuela, and he was a professor of Political Communication at the Journalism School of the Universidad Católica Andrés Bello. He moved to the United States in 2008. He has worked as editor, copywriter, proofreader, translator, Spanish teacher, and bookseller between Chicago and Miami. In 2018 he published El último New York Times (Suburbano Ediciones), and in 2020 its translation into English, The Last New York Times (Katakana Editores, translated by José Ángel Navejas.) He also has published a short stories collection titled Play (Ars Communis, 2015). He has been part of anthologies of writers who live in the United States and write in Spanish, such as Diáspora (Vaso Roto), Pertenencia and Trasfondos (both of Ars Communis), and Escritorxs Salvajes (Hypermedia). In 2014 he won the II Literary Prize in Spanish from Northeastern Illinois University for the story “Doble Negación.” With “Librero,” he won the Severo Ochoa Micro-Story Contest of the Cervantes Institute library in Chicago.

Iván Pérez-Zayas is a poet, scholar, and a trainee acquisitions editor working in the university press field. His first poetry chapbook, Para restarse, was published the summer of 2019. He is now writing a doctoral dissertation about representations of identity in Latin American graphic novels while working as the Mellon Diversity Fellow at Northwestern University Press. Originally from San Juan, Puerto Rico, he is now based out of Chicago, Illinois.

Francisco X. Stork emigrated from Mexico at the age of nine with his mother and his adoptive father. He is the author of nine novels including: Marcelo in the Real World, recipient of the Schneider Family Book Award, The Last Summer of the Death Warriors, which received the Elizabeth Walden Award, The Memory of Light, recipient of the Tomás Rivera Award and Disappeared, which received the Young Adult Award from the Texas Institute of Letters and was a Walter Dean Myers Award Honor Book. On the Hook will be published in May of 2021.

SalaSundays with Toni Kirkpatrick!

This week, we’re hosting #SalaSundays on our blog. Read below to get to know all about Senior Acquisitions Editor, Toni Kirkpatrick, with Crooked Lane Books!

Latinx in Publishing (LxP): What do you do?

Toni Kirkpatrick (TK): I am a Senior Acquisitions Editor at Crooked Lane Books, where I acquire all subgenres of crime fiction, from traditional mysteries to thrillers. I'm also acquiring book club fiction (think commercial women's fiction) for our new-ish imprint Alcove Press! We accept unagented submissions. Go to the Contact page on our website to find the submission email address, and be sure to address your email to me! 

LxP: How did you get started?

TK: I attended the Denver Publishing Institute the summer after my college graduation, then got my Masters in Creative Writing at USC, and then finally took the plunge and moved to New York City. After three months of job hunting and a disastrous 2-day stint as a temp, I was fortunate to land a job as an Editorial Assistant at Thomas Dunne Books/St. Martin's Press assisting Ruth Cavin, an elderly, very sweet “firecracker” who published mostly mysteries. I built my own list and eventually became an Editor.

LxP: What do you wish you knew before getting into the industry?

TK: I could say the low pay, the high cost of living in NYC, the time commitment, all the aspects that have nothing to do with reading or editing, the very low number of POC working in the industry...but the truth is I sort of knew about these beforehand and pursued this career regardless. I’m very practical that way! And getting free books evens it all out. But seriously, there’s nothing that really compares to finding a manuscript you love, being the one to present it to your colleagues, and helping to make it into a real live book. I’ve now been working in the industry in one form or another for… 17 years!

LxP: What book are you currently working on or reading?

TK: I am reading Eat the Mouth That Feeds You by Carribean Fragoza, which is very special to me because I know Carribean. She is from South El Monte, my hometown. It’s a working-class, largely Mexican-American suburb of Los Angeles. Carribean is also the co-editor of East of East and the Editor in Chief of Vicious Ladies, an online journal of cultural criticism. She has long been doing important cultural and community work, and I am thrilled that we now have her beautiful story collection out in the world.

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Toni Kirkpatrick began her career at St. Martin's Press, where she worked for nearly 11 years acquiring literary and commercial fiction. She now acquires fiction for Crooked Lane Books, a small, NYC-based publisher distributed by Penguin Random House. Born and raised in Los Angeles County, Toni is the daughter of a Mexican immigrant mother and white father. Under the name Toni Margarita Plummer, she is the author of the story collection The Bolero of Andi Rowe and a contributor to the anthologies East of East: The Making of Greater El Monte and Latina Outsiders Remaking Latina Identity. In 2020 she was a finalist for the inaugural Tomás Rivera Book Prize. Toni lives with her literary agent husband and their son in the Hudson Valley.

Toni Kirkpatrick interviews Jennifer De Leon

Read below for an exclusive Q&A between Toni Kirkpatrick and WHITE SPACE author, Jennifer De Leon!

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Pictured: author Jennifer De Leon

Toni Kirkpatrick (TK): When did you first start writing these essays and how did they evolve into the manuscript that would win the Juniper Prize for Creative Nonfiction?

Jennifer De Leon (JDL): The ‘oldest’ essay in the collection is one I wrote when I was nineteen years old and published in Ms. Magazine, shortly after I had interned there while in college, and the ‘youngest’ essay is one I wrote maybe three years ago. All told, I wrote and revised these essays over the last decade. The writing process continues to be mysterious and magical to me because I did not set out to write an essay collection; I really didn’t. Instead, I wrote one essay at a time. But I also worked on several drafts at a time, like many pots on a stove, I guess. I began submitting essays to contests and literary journals, and over the years, many of them were published. “The White Space” won the Fourth Genre Michael Steinberg Essay Prize in 2012. Winning this contest felt like winning a brand-new car at a state fair or something, in the sense that it was that unbelievable. I will always be grateful to Ryan Van Meter for selecting my essay. At the time, I was very much still getting my sea legs in the world of writing and publishing and so this win really inspired me to submit more and more. Eventually, I realized I had a collection. Maybe? So I showed the manuscript to trusted readers. Took out some pieces. Added a few. Showed it to my writing group once more. Then clicked submit. 

TK: You grew up in Massachusetts, are a longtime instructor at GrubStreet, and now an Assistant Professor at Framingham State University. A story of yours was chosen as the One City, One Story for the Boston Book Festival. Now the University of Massachusetts has published your first book for adults, a book about your life. It looks like you and your home state are in a love-love relationship! Can you tell us about that relationship?

JDL: What a great question! Yes, I guess we are in a love-love relationship! I was born in Boston, raised in a suburb of the city, traveled around the world (Nigeria, France, Vietnam, Guatemala, and more) and even lived in California for a few years, all to land just ten minutes from my childhood home. Maybe it’s true, that saying about all roads leading home. Like many writers, I find inspiration from place and coming of age and family. I see many more stories and books set in Massachusetts, for sure! 

TK: Your parents immigrated from Guatemala and in this book you write about returning there. How has your relationship with Guatemala changed since you were a child? What kind of a relationship would you like for your own children to have with Guatemala?

JDL: I was fascinated by Guatemala when I was younger—on a visceral level. I was nine years old the first time my parents and sisters and I visited the country. The smell of firewood burning, the mountain air, the tortillas cooked over an open fire, the endless cousins offering to braid my hair and teach me how to play avion along the dirt-paths or paved courtyards…it was all so vivid and sensory and remains so in my memory. I have returned to Guatemala many times, and each visit I get to know the country in a more profound way, but it will always be rooted in the senses. 

As an adult, my relationship with Guatemala definitely evolved. When I was 28 years old, I moved to Quetzaltenango, in the Western Highlands, far from relatives living in the capital. I wanted to experience Guatemala on my own, and in my own way. I also wanted to write a novel and improve my Spanish and learn more about the country’s rich history. A few years later, my husband and I were married in Antigua Guatemala, the old cobblestone capital. We both want our young sons to embrace Guatemala in ways we have, but also in their own ways—to create their own relationships with this country. 

TK: You signed my copy of WHITE SPACE “Take up space!” What does “taking up space” mean for you? Has this been something easy or difficult for you to do in your life, and in what ways do you think you have made strides to take up space?

JDL: Yes, to taking up space in life and on the page! For so long, I remained quiet in writing workshops or dutifully took notes, while thinking about ways I was going to quit the class. I’m serious. The doubt was real. Heavy as a cloak. So, I think the notion of taking up space –whether in a writing workshop or on the page—is related to whether or not we see ourselves and our stories as valuable, worthy. I write about this much more in my essay, “Work.” But, yes, taking up space is something I’ve had to learn to do, and to do so unapologetically. 

TK: What advice do you have for Latinx writers who are struggling to find an agent or publish their work?

JDL: Do not take rejection personally. I wish I had known this, really internalized it, early on in my career. I could have saved myself from many moments of even more self-doubt, of paralysis, and fear. Keep it movin’ would be another piece of advice. Wasn’t there some statistic that showed how men receive rejections and that same day will send out more work? But women wait weeks, sometimes months to do so. As a woman of color, I know that many times in my life I have wrestled with insecurity, second-guessing, etc., but I also know that there are times when I have conquered the self-critic on my shoulder, hit ‘mute’ on that chatty station in my mind, and so there’s that, too. 

TK: What are you currently writing? Do you find working in different genres to be more challenging or freeing?

I always have a couple essays cooking on the stove. Some on a low-burner, as I do now. One is about my time working at the GAP and how, among other things, a manager would mistakenly call me Maria. But I also recently signed a two-book contract with my amazing editor, Caitlyn Dlouhy, at Simon & Schuster, so I’m focused on revising my next Young Adult novel, Maya, which tells the story of a 16-year-old aspiring fashion designer in Guatemala who must flee the country with her mother after gangs threaten to take their lives, leaving them with an unimaginable choice to make at the Mexico/U.S. border. It is scheduled for publication in 2022. I would also love to write another essay collection, or perhaps a memoir. A YA memoir? Or all. ¿Por qué no?   

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Jennifer De Leon is author of the YA novel Don’t Ask Me Where I’m From (Simon & Schuster), editor of the anthology Wise Latinas: Writers on Higher Education (University of Nebraska Press), and most recently, the essay collection White Space: Essays on Culture, Race, & Writing (UMass Press). She is Assistant Professor of Creative Writing at Framingham State University and faculty member in the MFA in Creative Nonfiction program at Bay Path University. Connect with her @jdeleonwriter on Instagram and Twitter or at her website: www.jenniferdeleonauthor.com 

Toni Kirkpatrick is a Senior Acquisitions Editor at Crooked Lane Books, acquiring crime and book club fiction. Originally from the Los Angeles area, she now lives in the Hudson Valley. You can find her on Twitter @tmargaritaplum.

Recap: Gabriela Garcia & Roxane Gay Reading

APRIL 1ST, 2021: Gabriela Garcia & Roxane Gay Reading with WordUp Community Bookshop

On Thursday April 1st, 2021, Latinx in Publishing was honored to co-sponsor and host with WordUp Community Bookshop/Librería Comunitaria a reading of Of Women and Salt with author Gabriela Garcia and Q&A led by Roxane Gay. The evening opened with a dynamic set by Cuban artist DJ Leydis and was followed by a heartfelt reading by Garcia. Following the reading, Roxane Gay moderated an engaging discussion with Garcia, Gay’s former MFA student, where they discussed how Of Women and Salt began as a project that was close to Garcia’s heart and ended in a successful publication. With timely themes such as migration, addiction, and freedom, Garcia discussed how the different generations of her characters came to be and how poetry influenced the narrative language within Of Women And Salt. With the success of her debut novel, Garcia explained how adjusting to author life was new and challenging, but that connecting with readers is what made it all worth it. In between questions from Gay, the audience asked Garcia what Lafayette, IN was like, how she enjoyed her MFA from Purdue, and the latest on a potential #OWAS movie spin-off.

To watch the recording of the event, click here!

Click here to support WordUp.

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Gabriela Garcia is the recipient of a Rona Jaffe Foundation Writer's Award and a Steinbeck Fellowship from San Jose State University. Her fiction and poems have appeared in Best American Poetry, Tin House, Zyzzyva, Iowa Review, and elsewhere. She is the daughter of immigrants from Mexico and Cuba and grew up in Miami. Of Women and Salt is her first novel.

Roxane Gay’s writing appears in Best American Mystery Stories 2014, Best American Short Stories 2012, Best Sex Writing 2012, A Public Space, McSweeney’s, Tin House, Oxford American, American Short Fiction, Virginia Quarterly Review, and many others. She is a contributing opinion writer for the New York Times. She is the author of the books Ayiti, An Untamed State, the New York Times bestselling Bad Feminist, the nationally bestselling Difficult Women and the New York Times bestselling Hunger. She is also the author of World of Wakanda for Marvel. She has several books forthcoming and is also at work on television and film projects.

Review: Of Women And Salt

REVIEW: OF WOMEN AND SALT

Of Women and Salt by Gabriela Garcia is a debut novel that takes an introspective look at generational trauma. Inviting the reader with strong descriptions and striking imagery, there was no escaping the sorrow that was written throughout the pages. -- The story takes a focus on Jeanette who is a Cuban-American recovering addict. We see several stages of Jeanette’s life as she suffers and battles through her addiction. However in the midst of this journey, we discover how each generation that has come before her has played a role in her overall development. Whether the political unrest in Cuba that started with her 3x great grandmother Maria Isabel; to the domestic abuse and violence that has long played a role in the women’s lives, we see how trauma trickles down from one woman to the next, passing along dead dreams with unspoken pain and fear. 

Garcia does a powerful job at outlining Cuban history and displaying Cuban culture and sentiments. Though, what I found most interesting was how she wove the subject of immigration, into the plotline, by adding a subsequent storyline focusing on Gloria and Ana – mother and child who emigrated from El Salvador. She painted such a vivid heartbreaking picture of detention centers; delineating the many flaws in a system that is built to fail those who need it the most. It makes you question how can something so broken still exist in an era where so much seems to be possible? She then took it a step further by bringing in racism into the picture; giving us a portrait of how different immigration can look like depending on the color of your skin. Garcia did not hold back. 

This is not intended to be a light read, but instead meant to challenge your thoughts.

You are left wondering about the outcomes of many of the characters presented throughout the book and it could feel somewhat glass half full. However, as the reader I felt as though they were characters meant to help connect experiences, between the women, while also allowing the reader to gain more understanding of Jeannette’s storyline. 

This is a story about culture but also of the pain that lies between mother, daughter and the legacies that are never too far behind. You will be left with profound thoughts that will pull at your heart, but most importantly your soul. 

-- Tiffany Gonzalez

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Gabriela Garcia is the author of the novel Of Women and Salt, forthcoming from Flatiron (US), Picador (UK), and in eight other languages. Her fiction and poems have appeared in Best American Poetry, Tin House, Zyzzyva, Iowa Review, Michigan Quarterly Review, The Cincinnati Review, Black Warrior Review, and elsewhere. She received a Rona Jaffe Foundation Writer’s Award, a Steinbeck Fellowship, and residencies and fellowships from Breadloaf, Sarabande Books, Lighthouse Works, the Keller Estate, and the Community of Writers at Squaw Valley. She has a BA in Sociology from Fordham University and an MFA in fiction from Purdue University, where she also taught creative writing. 

The daughter of immigrants from Cuba and Mexico, Gabriela was raised in Miami and currently lives in the Bay Area. She is a long-time feminist and migrant justice organizer who has also worked in music and magazines.

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Tiffany Gonzalez earned a Bachelors of Arts in Journalism and Media Studies and obtained her Masters in Communication and Media from Rutgers University – NB. She has worked in the Publishing industry for over 4 years. She currently works for Astra Publishing House as the Marketing and Publicity Coordinator for Astra House. She’s excited to start working with underrepresented stories and bringing them to the hands of all readers. You can follow her on Instagram @wandering_tiff_

Choose 'Fearless' To Shine Bright

The middle-grade novel Fearless, by debut author and Broadway star Mandy Gonzalez, takes you on a courageous and fresh journey about what it means to be a fearless youngster with the heart of a performer. Seventh-grader Monica Garcia wants nothing more than to star in the much-anticipated Broadway show Our Time. Monica loves singing since she was very little, and adding to her motives to shine is a deep wish to help her younger brother, Freddy, receive the medical attention he needs. However, there appears to be a curse at the show’s location, The Ethel Merman Theater, and what unfolds is something readers may not easily guess. Told in third-person narrative, Gonzalez gives readers unique supporting characters who, along with Monica, help lift the storytelling with humor, friendship, family support, courage, mystery, shenanigans, and the performing arts.

Readers start off in New York City, where Monica has traveled to from California with her grandmother. Monica has been selected as an understudy to the understudy for Michie, one of the lead characters in the Our Time Broadway show. However, as she enters the Ethel Merman Theater, Monica immediately finds herself facing an ambulance with the show’s understudy being carried off to the hospital. Monica must then take the lead as Michie, much to Monica’s surprise and fear of failing. But everyone involved at the Ethel Merman Theater believes that the previous actresses’ accidents were caused by a curse. Thus, this increases Monica’s self-doubt and curiosity to find out what’s truly happening. 

Credit: Simon & Schuster.

Monica struggles with finding her voice and letting go of fear as the story continues, while readers are introduced to four great supporting characters who help make up the Our Time cast; April DaSilva, Relly Morton, and Hudson Patel. April is a bright and enthusiastic youngster with a big personality, who initially tends to speak up for Monica, while Hudson is a sarcastic young boy who loves mixing foods to create something new, such as a “cronut” (croissant + donut). Relly brings out his own unique personality with electric blue hair, can find humor in stressful situations, and entered the performing arts world through a dance competition. Additionally, everyone comes from different socio-economic backgrounds; while April has had bigger acting opportunities, Relly lives in a small, two-room basement apartment in Harlem with his brother and mother, and has only participated in one Broadway production so far. Gonzalez also presents a backstory to how Monica’s love for the performing arts began; six-year-old Monica went to see the play “Dreamgirls” with her family, and since then, was constantly taken to malls to sing aloud. In present times, Monica expresses, “When I sing, I can turn into anyone I want to be.” She has a lot to practice and learn before Our Time’s opening night. 

While the young cast is on the lookout for clues and answers about the mysterious happenings at the Ethel Merman Theater, they encounter historical artifacts and stories from places they explore and the adults they ask. Monica’s grandmother, for instance, adds a possible explanation for the Ethel Merman Theater’s spooky events: the concept of fear through Monica’s past family history. Her grandmother states, “You can’t break a curse when you live in fear of it.” In addition, the use of interludes nicely contributes to each chapter’s tone and scenario. 

Mandy Gonzalez also gives readers great, detailed insights into theater production. The fact that “Broadway attracts big personalities” is reinforced throughout the story. Among the things Gonzalez teaches readers is that the reason the insides of many theaters are red is because red is the first color to get lost in the dark when the lights go out. She also intertwines theater necessities like props, the backstage, and the rest of the theater crew. Aspiring performers will get the chance to read and learn that performing in front of a live audience requires constant rehearsals, and proper coaches like Mr. Fernando, Monica’s vocal coach, and Mrs. Bigsley, Broadway’s most illustrious piano player. Thus, there’s a great emphasis on the need to surround yourself with people who are willing to help you succeed.

Fearless is an intriguing read for theater aficionados, mystery-genre fans, anyone who loves the performing arts. Monica and co. will take readers on a trick-or-treat styled endeavor to help the Ethel Merman Theater shine bright again. Readers will be pleased to know that the Fearless author, as stated in an interview, recently created the robust hashtag #FearlessSquad, with the sole focus to create a community to support people to follow their dreams and celebrate those who get them there. Mandy Gonzalez leaves young readers with the ultimate message Monica Garcia learns: be yourself and choose to be fearless, because the show must go on!

For more updates on her latest works, follow author Mandy Gonzalez on:

Twitter: @_mandygonzalez

Instagram: @mandy.gonzalez 

Website: https://mandygonzalez.com/ 

Yvonne Tapia is a Mexican-American professional from East Harlem, New York. She earned a BA in Media Studies and Psychology from Hunter College. Additionally, she has worked in the educational and media fields through various outlets. With a long-term enthusiasm for children’s media, she has been involved at Housing Works Bookstore and Latinx in Publishing. She currently works on the Marketing and Publicity team at Levine Querido. Yvonne is excited about the power of storytelling, and dedicated to engage content awareness in underrepresented communities.

April's Anticipated Reads

APRIL’S ANTICIPATED READS

We’re giving you our picks for the most anticipated reads for April. Be sure to check our blog for the full list of April Releases and let us know which books you’re most excited for!

my broken language: A Memoir | Adult nonfiction

by Quiara Alegría Hudes (Penguin Random House / One World). 4/6/2021.

Quiara Alegría Hudes was the sharp-eyed girl on the stairs while her family danced in her grandmother’s tight North Philly kitchen. She was awed by her aunts and uncles and cousins, but haunted by the secrets of the family and the unspoken, untold stories of the barrio—even as she tried to find her own voice in the sea of language around her, written and spoken, English and Spanish, bodies and books, Western art and sacred altars. Her family became her private pantheon, a gathering circle of powerful orisha-like women with tragic real-world wounds, and she vowed to tell their stories—but first she’d have to get off the stairs and join the dance. She’d have to find her language.

Weaving together Hudes’s love of books with the stories of her family, the lessons of North Philly with those of Yale, this is an inspired exploration of home, memory, and belonging—narrated by an obsessed girl who fought to become an artist so she could capture the world she loved in all its wild and delicate beauty.

the beautiful ones | aDULT FANTASY, HORROR

by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (Macmillan/TOR). 4/27/2021.

They are the Beautiful Ones, Loisail’s most notable socialites, and this spring is Nina’s chance to join their ranks, courtesy of her well-connected cousin and his calculating wife. But the Grand Season has just begun, and already Nina’s debut has gone disastrously awry. She has always struggled to control her telekinesis―neighbors call her the Witch of Oldhouse―and the haphazard manifestations of her powers make her the subject of malicious gossip.

When entertainer Hector Auvray arrives to town, Nina is dazzled. A telekinetic like her, he has traveled the world performing his talents for admiring audiences. He sees Nina not as a witch, but ripe with potential to master her power under his tutelage. With Hector’s help, Nina’s talent blossoms, as does her love for him.

But great romances are for fairytales, and Hector is hiding a truth from Nina ― and himself―that threatens to end their courtship before it truly begins.

The Beautiful Ones is a charming tale of love and betrayal, and the struggle between conformity and passion, set in a world where scandal is a razor-sharp weapon.

somewhere between bitter and sweet | yA Contemporary

by Laekan Zea Kemp (Hachette/Little, Brown Books For Young Readers). 4/6/2021.

Penelope Prado has always dreamed of opening her own pastelería next to her father's restaurant, Nacho's Tacos. But her mom and dad have different plans—leaving Pen to choose between disappointing her traditional Mexican American parents or following her own path. When she confesses a secret she's been keeping, her world is sent into a tailspin. But then she meets a cute new hire at Nacho's who sees through her hard exterior and asks the questions she's been too afraid to ask herself.

Xander Amaro has been searching for home since he was a little boy. For him, a job at Nacho's is an opportunity for just that—a chance at a normal life, to settle in at his abuelo's, and to find the father who left him behind. But when both the restaurant and Xander's immigrant status are threatened, he will do whatever it takes to protect his newfound family and himself.

Together, Pen and Xander must navigate first love and discovering where they belong in order to save the place they all call home.

This stunning and poignant novel from debut author Laekan Zea Kemp explores identity, found families and the power of food, all nestled within a courageous and intensely loyal Chicanx community.

merci suÁrez can’t dance | Middle grade contemporary

by Meg Medina (Candlewick). 4/6/2021.

Seventh grade is going to be a real trial for Merci Suárez. For science she’s got no-nonsense Mr. Ellis, who expects her to be a smart as her brother, Roli. She’s been assigned to co-manage the tiny school store with Wilson Bellevue, a boy she barely knows, but whom she might actually like. And she’s tangling again with classmate Edna Santos, who is bossier and more obnoxious than ever now that she is in charge of the annual Heart Ball.

One thing is for sure, though: Merci Suárez can’t dance—not at the Heart Ball or anywhere else. Dancing makes her almost as queasy as love does, especially now that Tía Inés, her merengue-teaching aunt, has a new man in her life. Unfortunately, Merci can’t seem to avoid love or dance for very long. She used to talk about everything with her grandfather, Lolo, but with his Alzheimer’s getting worse each day, whom can she trust to help her make sense of all the new things happening in her life? The Suárez family is back in a touching, funny story about growing up and discovering love’s many forms, including how we learn to love and believe in ourselves.

we move together | pICTURE BOOK

by Kelly Fritsch & Anne McGuire; illustrated by Eduardo Trejos (AK Press)

A bold and colorful exploration of all the ways that people navigate through the spaces around them and a celebration of the relationships we build along the way. We Move Together follows a mixed-ability group of kids as they creatively negotiate everyday barriers and find joy and connection in disability culture and community. A perfect tool for families, schools, and libraries to facilitate conversations about disability, accessibility, social justice and community building. Includes a kid-friendly glossary (for ages 6–9).

April 2021 Latinx Releases

APRIL 2021 LATINX RELEASES

ON-SALE MARCH 26TH, 2021

WHITE SPACE | Adult Nonfiction

by Jennifer De Leon (University of Massachusetts Press)

Sometime in her twenties, Jennifer De Leon asked herself, “What would you do if you just gave yourself permission?” While her parents had fled Guatemala over three decades earlier when the country was in the grips of genocide and civil war, she hadn’t been back since she was a child. She gave herself permission to return—to relearn the Spanish that she had forgotten, unpack her family’s history, and begin to make her own way.

Alternately honest, funny, and visceral, this powerful collection follows De Leon as she comes of age as a Guatemalan-American woman and learns to navigate the space between two worlds. Never rich or white enough for her posh college, she finds herself equally adrift in her first weeks in her parents’ home country. During the years to follow, she would return to Guatemala again and again, meet ex-guerrillera and genocide survivors, get married in the old cobblestoned capital of Antigua, and teach her newborn son about his roots.

ON-SALE MARCH 30TH, 2021

EAT THE MOUTH THAT FEEDS YOU | Fiction

by Carribean Fragoza (City Lights Publishers)

In visceral, embodied prose, Fragoza's imperfect characters are drawn with a sympathetic tenderness as they struggle against circumstances and conditions designed to defeat them. A young woman returns home from college, only to pick up exactly where she left off: a smart girl in a rundown town with no future. A mother reflects on the pain and pleasures of being inexorably consumed by her small daughter, whose penchant for ingesting grandma's letters has extended to taking bites of her actual flesh. A brother and sister watch anxiously as their distraught mother takes an ax to their old furniture, and then to the backyard fence, until finally she attacks the family’s beloved lime tree.

Victories are excavated from the rubble of personal hardship, and women's wisdom is brutally forged from the violence of history that continues to unfold on both sides of the US-Mexico border.

ON-SALE APRIL 1ST, 2021

TO CARNIVAL!: A CELEBRATION IN ST. LUCIA | Picture Book

by Baptiste Paul; Illustrated by Jana Glatt (Barefoot Books)

The sights, sounds and tastes of vibrant Saint Lucia come to life in this cumulative #OwnVoices tale of a girl’s journey to Carnival. When a series of unexpected delays disrupts her journey to the big parade, Melba must adjust both her expectations and her route to the festivities. Who will she meet and what will she learn along the way?

ON-SALE APRIL 6TH, 2021

ANITA AND THE DRAGONS | Picture Book

by Hannah Carmona; illustrated by Anna Cunha (Lerner/Lantana Publishing)

Anita watches the dragons high above her as she hops from one cement roof to another in her village in the Dominican Republic. But being the valiant princesa she is, she never lets them scare her. Then one day, Anita must face her fears and begin life in a new country. Will she be brave enough to enter the belly of the beast and take flight to new adventures?

FEARLESS | Middle Grade

by Mandy Gonzalez (S&S/Aladdin)

The Ethel Merman Theater is cursed. No one is sure how or why, but the evidence speaks for itself. Show after show has flopped and the theater is about to close. Enter twelve-year-old Monica Garcia, who has been cast to star in a Broadway musical revival of The Goonies, the theater’s last chance to produce a hit before it shutters its doors for good.

The kids in the cast each have their own reasons for wanting to make the show a success, and all eyes in the theater world are on them. Will this show finally break the curse of the Ethel? The kids aren’t quite sure if the curse is even real, but when their first performance doesn’t quite go as planned, it certainly feels that way.

Then they realize the ghost light—the light that is always kept on at every theater in order to appease the ghosts—wasn’t lit! When the kids rush to flick the switch back on, they find themselves locked in the theater—but that’s the least of their problems when the ghost of the Ethel makes her debut appearance!

Can the cast overcome their fears and reverse the ghost’s curse before opening night so they can save the show—and their dreams?

LIFE’S TOO SHORT | Adult Fiction

by Abby Jimenez (Hachette/Grand Central Publishing)

When Vanessa Price quit her job to pursue her dream of traveling the globe, she wasn't expecting to gain millions of YouTube followers who shared her joy of seizing every moment. For her, living each day to its fullest isn't just a motto. Her mother and sister never saw the age of 30, and Vanessa doesn't want to take anything for granted. But after her half sister suddenly leaves Vanessa in custody of her baby daughter, life goes from "daily adventure" to "next-level bad" (now with bonus baby vomit in hair). The last person Vanessa expects to show up offering help is the hot lawyer next door, Adrian Copeland. After all, she barely knows him. No one warned her that he was the Secret Baby Tamer or that she'd be spending a whole lot of time with him and his geriatric Chihuahua. Now she's feeling things she's vowed not to feel. Because the only thing worse than falling for Adrian is finding a little hope for a future she may never see.

MERCI SUÁREZ CAN’T DANCE | Middle Grade

by Meg Medina (Candlewick)

Seventh grade is going to be a real trial for Merci Suárez. For science she’s got no-nonsense Mr. Ellis, who expects her to be a smart as her brother, Roli. She’s been assigned to co-manage the tiny school store with Wilson Bellevue, a boy she barely knows, but whom she might actually like. And she’s tangling again with classmate Edna Santos, who is bossier and more obnoxious than ever now that she is in charge of the annual Heart Ball.

One thing is for sure, though: Merci Suárez can’t dance—not at the Heart Ball or anywhere else. Dancing makes her almost as queasy as love does, especially now that Tía Inés, her merengue-teaching aunt, has a new man in her life. Unfortunately, Merci can’t seem to avoid love or dance for very long. She used to talk about everything with her grandfather, Lolo, but with his Alzheimer’s getting worse each day, whom can she trust to help her make sense of all the new things happening in her life? The Suárez family is back in a touching, funny story about growing up and discovering love’s many forms, including how we learn to love and believe in ourselves.

MY BROKEN LANGUAGE: A MEMOIR |Adult Nonfiction

by Quiara Alegría Hudes (Penguin Random House/One World)

Quiara Alegría Hudes was the sharp-eyed girl on the stairs while her family danced in her grandmother’s tight North Philly kitchen. She was awed by her aunts and uncles and cousins, but haunted by the secrets of the family and the unspoken, untold stories of the barrio—even as she tried to find her own voice in the sea of language around her, written and spoken, English and Spanish, bodies and books, Western art and sacred altars. Her family became her private pantheon, a gathering circle of powerful orisha-like women with tragic real-world wounds, and she vowed to tell their stories—but first she’d have to get off the stairs and join the dance. She’d have to find her language.
 
Weaving together Hudes’s love of books with the stories of her family, the lessons of North Philly with those of Yale, this is an inspired exploration of home, memory, and belonging—narrated by an obsessed girl who fought to become an artist so she could capture the world she loved in all its wild and delicate beauty.

SOMEWHERE BETWEEN BITTER AND SWEET |YA Contemporary

by Laekan Zea Kemp (Hachette/Little, Brown And Company)

Penelope Prado has always dreamed of opening her own pastelería next to her father's restaurant, Nacho's Tacos. But her mom and dad have different plans—leaving Pen to choose between disappointing her traditional Mexican American parents or following her own path. When she confesses a secret she's been keeping, her world is sent into a tailspin. But then she meets a cute new hire at Nacho's who sees through her hard exterior and asks the questions she's been too afraid to ask herself.

Xander Amaro has been searching for home since he was a little boy. For him, a job at Nacho's is an opportunity for just that—a chance at a normal life, to settle in at his abuelo's, and to find the father who left him behind. But when both the restaurant and Xander's immigrant status are threatened, he will do whatever it takes to protect his newfound family and himself.

Together, Pen and Xander must navigate first love and discovering where they belong in order to save the place they all call home.

This stunning and poignant novel from debut author Laekan Zea Kemp explores identity, found families and the power of food, all nestled within a courageous and intensely loyal Chicanx community.

WE MOVE TOGETHER |Picture Book

by Kelly Fritsch & Anne McGuire; illustrated by Eduardo Trejos (AK Press)

A bold and colorful exploration of all the ways that people navigate through the spaces around them and a celebration of the relationships we build along the way. We Move Together follows a mixed-ability group of kids as they creatively negotiate everyday barriers and find joy and connection in disability culture and community. A perfect tool for families, schools, and libraries to facilitate conversations about disability, accessibility, social justice and community building. Includes a kid-friendly glossary (for ages 6–9)

YOUR MAMA |Picture Book

by NoNieqa Ramos; illustrated by Jacqueline Alcántara (HMH/Versify)

A sweet twist on the age-old “yo mama” joke, celebrating fierce moms everywhere with playful lyricism and gorgeous illustrations. Perfect for Mother’s Day.

Yo’ mama so sweet, she could be a bakery. She dresses so fine, she could have a clothing line. And, even when you mess up, she’s so forgiving, she lets you keep on living. Heartwarming and richly imagined, Your Mama twists an old joke into a point of pride that honors the love, hard work, and dedication of mamas everywhere.

OCULTA: NOCTURNA #2 | YA Fantasy

by Maya Motayne (Balzer + Bray/Harperteen)

After joining forces to save Castallan from an ancient magical evil, Alfie and Finn haven’t seen each other in months. Alfie is finally stepping up to his role as heir and preparing for an International Peace Summit, while Finn is traveling and reveling in her newfound freedom from Ignacio.

That is, until she’s unexpectedly installed as the new leader of one of Castallan’s powerful crime syndicates. 

Just when Finn finds herself back in San Cristobal, Alfie’s plans are also derailed. The mysterious organization responsible for his brother’s murder has resurfaced—and their newest target is the summit. And when these events converge, Finn and Alfie are once again forced to work together to follow the assassins’ trail and preserve Castallan’s hopes for peace with Englass. 

But will they be able to stop these sinister foes before a new war threatens their kingdom?

ON-SALE APRIL 13TH, 2021

48 GRASSHOPPER ESTATES | Picture Book

by Sara de Wall; illustrated by Erika Medina (Annick Press)

A little girl uses imagination and inventiveness to spread friendship through her community. But will she find a friend of her own?

Whether it’s a supersonic sandwich maker or a twelve-tailed dragon, Sicily Bridges can make almost anything from materials she finds around her apartment complex. But when it comes to making friends, Sicily has yet to find the perfect fit. With a diverse cast of characters brought to life by illustrator Erika Medina, Sara de Waal’s whimsical debut emphasizes the power of imagination and finding companionship where you least expect it.

ALIEN NATION | Picture Book

by Sandro Bassi (Levine Querido)

A wordless wonder of a picture book, reminiscent of David Wiesner and Chris Van Allsburg. An unforgettable subway ride in an alien world filled with truths of our own.

CECE RIOS AND THE DESERT OF SOULS | Middle Grade Fantasy

by Kaela Rivera (HarperCollins)

Living in the remote town of Tierra del Sol is dangerous, especially in the criatura months, when powerful spirits roam the desert and threaten humankind. But Cecelia Rios has always believed there was more to the criaturas, much to her family’s disapproval. After all, only brujas—humans who capture and control criaturas—consort with the spirits, and brujeria is a terrible crime.

When her older sister, Juana, is kidnapped by El Sombrerón, a powerful dark criatura, Cece is determined to bring Juana back. To get into Devil’s Alley, though, she’ll have to become a bruja herself—while hiding her quest from her parents, her town, and the other brujas. Thankfully, the legendary criatura Coyote has a soft spot for humans and agrees to help her on her journey.

With him at her side, Cece sets out to reunite her family—and maybe even change what it means to be a bruja along the way.

THE MARY SHELLEY CLUB | Young Adult Thriller

by Goldy Moldavsky (Henry Holt & Company)

When it comes to horror movies, the rules are clear:

x Avoid abandoned buildings, warehouses, and cabins at all times.
x Stay together: don't split up, not even just to "check something out."
x If there's a murderer on the loose, do not make out with anyone.

If only surviving in real life were this easy...

New girl Rachel Chavez turns to horror movies for comfort, preferring stabby serial killers and homicidal dolls to the bored rich kids of Manhattan Prep...and to certain memories she'd preferred to keep buried.

Then Rachel is recruited by the Mary Shelley Club, a mysterious society of students who orchestrate Fear Tests, elaborate pranks inspired by urban legends and movie tropes. At first, Rachel embraces the power that comes with reckless pranking. But as the Fear Tests escalate, the competition turns deadly, and it's clear Rachel is playing a game she can't afford to lose.

TAG TEAM: EL TORO AND FRIENDS | Picture Book

by Raúl the Third; illustrated by Raúl the Third (Versify)

After last night's match, the stadium is a mess! There is so much work to be done and Mexican wrestling star El Toro feels overwhelmed. Enter . . . La Oink Oink!

With the collaborative spirit they have in the ring, El Toro and La Oink Oink tackle the cleaning up together. La Oink Oink sweeps and El Toro picks up the trash. La Oink Oink washes the dishes, and El Toro dries them. Together, an insurmountable mountain of chores becomes a series of fun tasks for these two wrestling friends!

With unique and detailed illustrations, and easy Spanish and English vocabulary words, sports fans and comic book fans alike will fall in love with El Toro, La Oink Oink, and their tag-team adventures in this fun early reader.

TRAINING DAY: EL TORO AND FRIENDS | Picture Book

by Raúl the Third; illustrated by Raúl the Third (Versify)

Little Lobo introduced readers to his wrestling hero El Toro in Vamos! Let’s go to the Market!. Now El Toro is off on his own adventures in this early reader series!

Task #1: Getting out of bed.

Usually that’s not so hard, but being the champion luchador isn’t easy. Today, El Toro is feeling uninspired. But his coach, Kooky Dooky, knows that practice makes better and it’s important for El Toro to stay in shape and keep training!

These eye-popping illustrations will appeal to comic book fans and encourage visual literacy, with an easy-to-follow mix of Spanish and English vocabulary words.

Readers will cheer as El Toro’s spirits are lifted with a little help from his community and he trains hard to win his next big wrestling match against The Wall!

WE LAUGH ALIKE/ JUNTOS NOS REÍMOS | Picture Book

by Carmen T. Bernier-Grand; illustrated by Alyssa Bermudez (Charlesbridge)

A brand new barrier-breaking and friendship-affirming bilingual picture book from award-winning author Carmen T. Bernier-Grand (Diego: Bigger than Life). Three kids are playing at the park when three more arrive. The groups can't understand each other because one trio speaks only English and the other only Spanish. But they can express similar thoughts in their own languages. Aquí interactúan el inglés y el español. Can they find a way to play? Of course they can! By watching each other, both groups learn that they are more alike than different and end up discovering new words and making new friends in this adventure propelled by clever integrated Spanish dialogue.

ON-SALE APRIL 15TH, 2021

MIGRANT PSALMS: POEMS | Adult Poetry

by Darrel Alejandro Holnes (Northwestern University Press)

Migrant Psalms prays for a way to make sense of immigration to the United States—now that we realize the American Dream was always an impossible one. Both reverent and daring, this verse interrogates religion, race, class, family, and sexuality. Written as a call to action, the collection pulls together prayer, popular culture, and technology to tell a twenty-first-century migrant story.

Migrant Psalms gives us a rare look inside a Panamanian experience of migration, describing the harsh realities of mothers, children, and teens who entered the United States—or tried to do so. Holnes’s poems find the universal through specificity; their exploration of expatriation, assimilation, and naturalization transcends the author’s personal experience to speak to what it means to be “other” anywhere.

The collection begins with “Kyrie,” a coming-to-America chronicle that spans three years in Texas, modeled after the liturgical Christian prayer Kyrie Eleison (Lord, have mercy). Other poems experiment with macaronic language and form to parallel shifts in the speaker’s status from immigrant to citizen, ending with “The 21st Century Poem,” which probes what’s “real” in today’s New York City. Through the speaker’s quest to become an American, this collection asks: Who are we becoming as individuals, as a society, as a nation, as a world? And is faith enough to enact change? Or is it just the first step?

ON-SALE APRIL 20th, 2021

CARTAS DE CUBA (LETTERS FROM CUBA SPANISH VERSION) | Middle Grade Historical

by Ruth Behar (Penguin Random House/Vintage Español)

La situación se está poniendo terrible para los judíos en Polonia en vísperas de la Segunda Guerra Mundial. El padre de Esther ha huido a Cuba y ella es la primera en seguir sus pasos y reencontrarse con él en la isla. Vivir separada de su querida hermana es desgarrador, por lo que Esther promete escribirle cartas contándole todo lo que le suceda hasta el día en que se vuelvan a reunir. Y lo hace, manteniendo un registro tanto de lo bueno – la bondad del pueblo cubano y su descubrimiento de un valioso talento oculto – como de lo malo: el hecho de que las garras del nazismo se han arraigado incluso en Cuba. Las evocadoras cartas de Esther están llenas de su aprecio por la vida y revelan a una niña ingeniosa y decidida, con una habilidad única para unir a las personas, mientras se esfuerza por sacar al resto de su familia de Polonia antes de que sea demasiado tarde.

Basada en la historia familiar de Ruth Behar, esta impresionante historia celebra la resiliencia del espíritu humano en los tiempos más desafiantes.

English Description:

The situation is getting dire for Jews in Poland on the eve of World War II. Esther's father has fled to Cuba, and she is the first one to join him. It's heartbreaking to be separated from her beloved sister, so Esther promises to write down everything that happens until they're reunited. And she does, recording both the good—the kindness of the Cuban people and her discovery of a valuable hidden talent—and the bad: the fact that Nazism has found a foothold even in Cuba. Esther's evocative letters are full of her appreciation for life and reveal a resourceful, determined girl with a rare ability to bring people together, all the while striving to get the rest of their family out of Poland before it's too late.

Based on Ruth Behar's family history, this compelling story celebrates the resilience of the human spirit in the most challenging times.

NO SOMOS DE AQUÍ (WE ARE NOT FROM HERE SPANISH VERSION) | Young Adult

by Jenny Torres Sanchez (Penguin Random House/Vintage Español)

Pulga lleva sus sueños consigo. Chico carga el dolor de perder a su madre. Pequeña tiene su orgullo. Estos tres adolescentes se tienen el uno al otro y no se hacen ilusiones sobre la ciudad donde crecieron. A pesar del amor de su familia, las amenazas los acechan en cada esquina, y cuando son demasiado reales como para ignorarlas, el trio sabe que no tiene más opción que huir: de su país, de sus familias, y de su querido hogar.

En su travesía desde Guatemala hacia Estados Unidos a través de México, siguen la ruta de La Bestia, el peligroso tren de carga que los conducirá a una vida mejor, si tienen suficiente suerte como para sobrevivir el viaje. Sin nada mas que una mochila a sus espaldas, y la desesperación que hace palpitar sus corazones, Pulga, Chico y Pequeña saben que no hay vuelta atrás, sin importar los peligros desconocidos que les esperan.

En este impresionante retrato de tres vidas injustamente destrozadas, basado en hechos reales, Jenny Torres-Sanchez resalta el sacrificio de los migrantes en la frontera sur a través de una narración vivida y conmovedora.

ENGLISH DESCRIPTION

Pulga has his dreams.
Chico has his grief.
Pequeña has her pride.

And these three teens have one another. But none of them have illusions about the town they've grown up in and the dangers that surround them. Even with the love of family, threats lurk around every corner. And when those threats become all too real, the trio knows they have no choice but to run: from their country, from their families, from their beloved home.

Crossing from Guatemala through Mexico, they follow the route of La Bestia, the perilous train system that might deliver them to a better life—if they are lucky enough to survive the journey. With nothing but the bags on their backs and desperation drumming through their hearts, Pulga, Chico, and Pequeña know there is no turning back, despite the unknown that awaits them. And the darkness that seems to follow wherever they go.

In this striking portrait of lives torn apart, the plight of migrants at the U.S. southern border is brought to light through poignant, vivid storytelling. Inspired by current events, We Are Not From Here is an epic journey of danger, resilience, heartache, and hope.

TEN LITTLE BIRDS/ DIEZ PAJARITOS |Picture Book

by Andrés Salguero; illustrated by Sara Palacios (Scholastic en Espanol)

Count to 10 and back again with Latin Grammy Award-winning children's musical duo 123 Andrés in this bilingual board book!

The popular song from 123 Andrés' Latin Grammy Award-winning album is cleverly and beautifully brought to life in this bright, bouncy board book! Each of the 10 birds is given a fun and silly personality, and children will love to follow along as each flies away -- and escapes a lurking kitty!

123 Andrés are gifted lyricists and storytellers, and this bilingual board book perfectly captures their energy and charm. Pura Belpré Illustration Honor recipient Sara Palacios's gorgeous illustrations elevate the text and make this book a must-have for any home or school library!

ON-SALE APRIL 27th, 2021

13th STREET #5: TUSSLE WITH THE TOOTING TARANTULAS |Middle Grade

by David Bowles; illustrated by Shane Clester

Cousins Malia, Ivan, and Dante are visiting their aunt Lucy for the summer. But on their way to Gulf City’s water park, they get lost on 13th Street. Only it’s not a street at all. It’s a strange world filled with dangerous beasts! Will the cousins find their way back to Aunt Lucy’s?

Each story in this hilarious and scary new series from award-winning author David Bowles is designed to set independent readers up for success—with short, fast-paced chapters, art on every page, and progress bars at the end of each chapter!

ANCHORED HEARTS|Adult Fiction, Romance

by Priscilla Oliveras (Kensington)

Award-winning photographer Alejandro Miranda hasn't been home to Key West in years--not since he left to explore broader horizons with his papi's warning echoing in his ears. He wouldn't be heading there now if it wasn't for an injury requiring months of recuperation. The drama of a prodigal son returning to his familia is bad enough, but coming home to the island paradise also means coming face to face with the girl he left behind--the one who was supposed to be by his side all along...

Anamaría Navarro was shattered when Alejandro took off without her. Traveling the world was their plan, not just his. But after her father's heart attack, there was no way she could leave--not even for the man she loved. Now ensconced in the family trade as a firefighter and paramedic, with a side hustle as a personal trainer, Anamaría is dismayed that just the sight of Alejandro is enough to rekindle the flame she's worked years to put out. And as motherly meddling pushes them together, the heat of their attraction only climbs higher. Can they learn to trust again, before the Key West sun sets on their chance at happiness?

THE BEAUTIFUL ONES |Adult Fantasy, Horror

by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (Tor Books)

They are the Beautiful Ones, Loisail’s most notable socialites, and this spring is Nina’s chance to join their ranks, courtesy of her well-connected cousin and his calculating wife. But the Grand Season has just begun, and already Nina’s debut has gone disastrously awry. She has always struggled to control her telekinesis—neighbors call her the Witch of Oldhouse—and the haphazard manifestations of her powers make her the subject of malicious gossip.

When entertainer Hector Auvray arrives to town, Nina is dazzled. A telekinetic like her, he has traveled the world performing his talents for admiring audiences. He sees Nina not as a witch, but ripe with potential to master her power under his tutelage. With Hector’s help, Nina’s talent blossoms, as does her love for him.

But great romances are for fairytales, and Hector is hiding a truth from Nina — and himself—that threatens to end their courtship before it truly begins.

The Beautiful Ones is a charming tale of love and betrayal, and the struggle between conformity and passion, set in a world where scandal is a razor-sharp weapon.

CHICA, WHY NOT?: HOW TO LIVE WITH INTENTION AND MANIFEST A LIFE THAT LOVES YOU BACK |Adult Nonfiction

by Sandra Hinojosa Ludwig (Hay House)

For those who feel stuck in life, who don't see a way forward, who don't believe they deserve to claim their dreams, Sandra Hinojosa Ludwig has one question: Chica, Why Not? With this book, you will find all the tools you need to accept that the life of your dreams is not only within reach, it is your right.

Sandra grew up in Mexico, where she experienced violence, frustration, and sadness as everyday settings. After unsuccessfully chasing happiness in a corporate career, she found deeper meaning in spirituality and now helps others to realize their dreams while still being true to themselves and their roots.

In this book, she guides you through her six-step program for manifesting the life you want, addressing career, family, love, wealth, and health. She gently breaks down the most common fears and excuses people make that hold them back, inviting you to practice self-compassion as you overcome your own fears and limiting beliefs as well as outside pressures-including familial and cultural expectations familiar to some in the Latino community.

SPIRIT UNTAMED: THE MOVIE NOVEL|Middle Grade

by Claudia Guadalupe Martinez (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers)

Lucky Prescott never really knew her late mother, Milagro Navarro, a fearless horse-riding stunt performer. Like her mother, Lucky isn’t exactly a fan of rules and restrictions. When her aunt Cora moves them from their East Coast city to live in Miradero with Lucky’s father, Lucky is decidedly unimpressed with the sleepy little town. She has a change of heart when she meets Spirit, a wild Mustang who shares her independent streak, and befriends two local horseback riders, Abigail Stone and Pru Granger. When a heartless horse wrangler plots to capture Spirit and his herd and auction them off to a life of captivity and hard labor, Lucky enlists her new friends and bravely embarks on the adventure of a lifetime to rescue the horse who has given her freedom, a sense of purpose, and who has helped Lucky discover a connection to her mother’s legacy.

ON-SALE APRIL 30th, 2021

THINGS TO PACK ON THE WAY TO EVERYWHERE | Poetry

by Dr. Grisel Y. Acosta (Get Fresh Books)

Things to Pack on the Way to Everywhere, by Dr. Grisel Y. Acosta, is a blueprint for Afro-Latinx adventurers who want to keep their sanity in a world that does not value the history or contributions of Black/Latinx women. The author shares moments of despair, anger, elation, joy, and love, as she pieces together her history and ancestry, while finding catharsis through Black punk revolutionaries like Poly Styrene and the Chicago House movement. Follow her journey toward empowerment while fighting sexism and neoliberalism in the medical industry, academia, and in a world-wide pandemic. Watch as she decides that we all have time for self-care and dance, even as the world descends into chaos.

CHOLA SALVATION|Adult Fiction, literary

by Estella González (Arte Público Press)

In the title story of this collection, Isabela is minding her family’s restaurant, drinking her dad’s beer, when Frida Kahlo and the Virgen de Guadalupe walk in. Even though they’re dressed like cholas, the girl immediately recognizes Frida’s uni-brow and La Virgen’s crown. They want to give her advice about the quinceañera her parents are forcing on her. In fact, their lecture (don’t get pregnant, go to school, be proud of your indigenous roots) helps Isabela to escape her parents’ physical and sexual abuse. But can she really run away from the self-hatred they’ve created?

These inter-related stories, mostly set in East Los Angeles, uncover the lives of a conflicted Mexican-American community. In “Sábado Gigante,” Bernardo drinks himself into a stupor every Saturday night. “Aquí no es mi tierra,” he cries, as he tries to ease the sorrow of a life lived far from home. Meanwhile, his son Gustavo struggles with his emerging gay identity and Maritza, the oldest daughter, is expected to cook and clean for her brother, even though they live in East LA, not Guadalajara or Chihuahua. In “Powder Puff,” Mireya spends hours every day applying her make-up, making sure to rub the foundation all the way down her neck so it looks like her natural color. But no matter how much she rubs and rubs, her skin is no lighter.

Estella Gonzalez vividly captures her native East LA in these affecting stories about a marginalized people dealing with racism, machismo and poverty. In painful and sometimes humorous scenes, young people try to escape the traditional expectations of their family. Other characters struggle with anger and resentment, often finding innovative ways to exact revenge for slights both real and imagined.  Throughout, music—traditional and contemporary—accompanies them in the search for love and acceptance.

Extraordinary Indigenous Latin American Legends: The Sea-Ringed World by María García Esperón

Written by María García Esperón, illustrated by Amanda Mijangos, and translated by David Bowles, The Sea-Ringed World: Sacred Stories of the Americas is a book that contains many legends about the origins of the world we live in and that analyze one’s connection to Mother Earth. From a variety of Indigenous cultures—North, Central, and South America—it’s a collection of extraordinary fables that have been passed down through generations. This book review will be focusing on the Indigenous legends from Latin America.

Credit: LevineQuerido.

This novel dives into many Indigenous Latin American folklore that plenty of us may have grown up with—from the Mayas and the Mexica (Aztecs) of Mexico, to Colombia’s Muisca tribe and the Mapuche of Chile. Beautifully written by María García Esperón, it will transport you back to a time where ancient civilizations also sought to understand their place in the sea-ringed world we live in and the nature of their relationship with the divine. 

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Let’s start off with a couple of legends I grew up listening to from my tía on a warm summer day. The famous volcanoes Iztaccihuatl and Popocatepetl (Nahua legend) once upon a time were a princess and a warrior, respectively, who fell in love instantly, only to be separated by lies from the king. How they became volcanoes unfolds throughout the story, and these volcanoes are still standing to this day. Quetzalcoatl, the feathered serpent, is also presented in various stories, and his actions as God of the Sun affect others’ folklore.

The origins of Mexico City (once named Tenochtitlan) are richly described in the Aztlan folktale (Nahua legend). It begins with a Mexica (Aztec) prince named Mexitli, who is told by the god Huitzilopochtli—Blue Hummingbird of the South—that his people must paint themselves a new beginning. Thus, the Mexica embark on a journey, which also leads to Mexico’s distinguishable central emblem. Readers will also learn about Huitzilopochtli’s origins, and how his story weaves with others.

Credit: Yvonne Tapia.

There is also a wondrous folktale behind the magnificent front cover art, with Mijangos’ astounding use of blue, black, and white that gives readers an elevated form of storytelling. The four wise whales belong to the Brave Souls of the Dead folktale (Mapuche legend), who guide the brave souls to infinity. Additionally, readers will learn about the origins of Lake Tota, the largest in Colombia in the Monetá folktale (Muisca legend), among other iconic locations. 

Credit: Yvonne Tapia.

These stories also hold sorrowful truths about past beings, such as the widely known la Llorona (Nahua and colonial legend) and the reason behind her actions, and the endless mission of the Hummingbird for his beloved. Moreover, there are legends that may have more than one interpretation, like the Hurakan (Maya legend) folktale, which may serve as a precaution to remember to be thankful for what Mother Earth and the gods have given. 

The art enchants you further into these folktales through its trio of colors that enhance them, making you want more. And, as is with a vast number of ancient folktales, there’s a moral lesson to be learned and reflected upon from each Indigenous Latin American story. It is recommended one should read each of them carefully, and think about what they’re telling you regarding one’s place in the universe, and how one interacts with people, things, and nature. 

As someone who grew up hearing some of these Indigenous Latin American stories, having this collection is a thrill and honor to read on the printed page. The Sea-Ringed World: Sacred Stories of the Americas demands to be read aloud, as per tradition. 

The book is available with a simultaneous Spanish edition, ¡Cuentos sagrados de América! Los hará pasar tiempo juntos y los pondrá a reflexionar sobre muchas cosas. Es una joya para la cultura y todas las edades. ¡Espero lo disfruten! Happy reading! 

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María García Esperón was born in Mexico City and has won many awards, including the Hispanic American Poetry Award for Children. Her novel Dido for Aeneas was selected in 2016 on the IBBY Honour List.

Follow on Twitter: @MGarciaEsperon 

Follow on Instagram: @MariaGarciaEsperon

Amanda Mijangos was born in Mexico City and is the founder of the illustration studio Cuarto para las 3. Her work has been recognized with awards several times and in 2017 she was the winner of the VIII Iberoamerica Illustra Catalog.

Follow on Instagram: @AmandaMijangos

David Bowles is a Mexican American author and translator from South Texas. Among his multiple award-winning books are Feathered Serpent, Dark Heart of Sky: Myths of Mexico, and They Call Me Güero. In 2017, David was inducted into the Texas Institute of Letters. 

Follow on Instagram: @DavidOBowles 

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Yvonne Tapia is a Mexican-American professional from East Harlem, New York. She earned a BA in Media Studies and Psychology from Hunter College. Additionally, she has worked in the educational and media fields through various outlets. With a long-term enthusiasm for children’s media, she has been involved at Housing Works Bookstore and Latinx in Publishing. She currently works on the Marketing and Publicity team at Levine Querido. Yvonne is excited about the power of storytelling, and dedicated to engage content awareness in underrepresented communities.