Sala Sundays with Alex Cruz-Jimenez

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

Alex Cruz-Jimenez (ACJ): I’m a Marketing Assistant for the Viking Books, Penguin Books, and Penguin Classics imprints of Penguin Random House.

LxP: How did you get started?

ACJ: I was in the middle of getting my Masters in Teaching at Binghamton University (thinking that’s the only thing you could do with an English degree) when my university sponsored trips to Penguin Random House and Simon & Schuster. By the end of that first information session I was hooked, and applied to every publishing internship I could until I landed a marketing internship at HarperCollins in 2019. That solidified my love for publishing, and I was lucky enough to start my current job in January of 2020 and haven’t looked back!

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

ACJ: So many things! How to juggle multiple projects at once (I am assigned dozens of books a year), how many different departments go into the making of a book, the timeline of a book, how to speak up in meetings, how to feel confident speaking up when you are often the only BIPOC in a meeting, I could go on!

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

ACJ: I am really excited to work on two titles from Julia Alvarez this fall, In the Time of Butterflies and How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents, that we are reissuing under Penguin Classics. This will be the first Dominican author I work with, and I think it really speaks to the hard work Penguin Classics is doing to diversify the canon. I really hope to come up with some creative and inclusive marketing plans for this one!

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Alex Cruz-Jimenez was born and raised in New York City and attended Binghamton University before returning to the city to pursue a career in publishing. She now works as a Marketing Assistant at Penguin Random House and spends her time exploring the city, finding her next TV binge, and reading of course. Follow her on Instagram @alex.gets.lit!

July 2021 Latinx Releases

*Correction: Sing with Me: The Story of Selena Quitanilla has been moved to July 20th.

ON-SALE JULY 6TH, 2021

THE MUSE SQUAD: THE MYSTERY OF THE TENTH | Middle Grade

by Chantel Acevedo (Balzer + Bray)

Callie Martinez-Silva is finally getting the hang of this whole goddess within thing. Six months after learning she was one of the nine muses of ancient myth, she and the other junior muses are ready for new adventures. Except first Callie has to go to New York City for the summer to visit her dad, stepmom, and new baby brother.

Then the muses get startling news: an unprecedented tenth muse has been awakened somewhere in Queens, putting Callie in the perfect position to help find her. And she’ll have help—thanks to a runaway mold problem in London, Muse Headquarters is moving to the New York Hall of Science.

But balancing missions and family-mandated arts camp proves difficult for Callie, especially once mysterious messages from spiders (yikes!) begin to weave a tale of ancient injustice involving Callie’s campmate Ari.

SUMMER IN THE CITY OF ROSES | Young Adult

by Michelle Ruiz Keil (Soho Teen)

All her life, seventeen-year-old Iph has protected her sensitive younger brother, Orr. But this summer, with their mother gone at an artist residency, their father decides it's time for fifteen-year-old Orr to toughen up at a wilderness boot camp. When their father brings Iph to a work gala in downtown Portland and breaks the news, Orr has already been sent away against his will. Furious at her father's betrayal, Iph storms off and gets lost in the maze of Old Town. Enter George, a queer Robin Hood who swoops in on a bicycle, bow and arrow at the ready, offering Iph a place to hide out while she tracks down Orr.

Orr, in the meantime, has escaped the camp and fallen in with The Furies, an all-girl punk band, and moves into the coat closet of their ramshackle pink house. In their first summer apart, Iph and Orr must learn to navigate their respective new spaces of music, romance, and sex-work activism--and find each other before a fantastical transformation fractures their family forever.

TIME VILLAINS | Middle Grade

by Victor Piñeiro (Sourcebooks Young Readers)

Javi Santiago is trying his best not to fail sixth grade. So, when the annual invite any three people to dinner homework assignment rolls around, Javi enlists his best friend, Wiki, and his sister, Brady, to help him knock it out of the park.

But the dinner party is a lot more than they bargained for. The family's mysterious antique table actually brings the historical guests to the meal...and Blackbeard the Pirate is turning out to be the worst guest of all time.

Before they can say avast, ye maties, Blackbeard escapes, determined to summon his bloodthirsty pirate crew. And as Javi, Wiki, and Brady try to figure out how to get Blackbeard back into his own time, they might have to invite some even zanier figures to set things right again...

ON-SALE JULY 13TH, 2021

ALL THESE WARRIORS | Young Adult

by Amy Tintera (Houghton Milton)

When the world was crumbling, seventeen-year-old Clara fought back. She escaped her abusive home and joined Team Seven, a monster fighting squad of runaways and misfits formed to combat the scrabs terrorizing the planet. And after nearly dying in Paris, Clara and Team Seven discovered the sinister truth behind the scrab invasion. Scrabs aren't just mindless monsters set on destruction. They're being trained and weaponized by MDG, a private security firm hired by the government.

Now Clara and the rest of Team Seven have made it their mission to expose MDG. But no one said fighting for the truth would be easy. And as Clara and Team Seven find themselves at the center of a global conspiracy, they must face their biggest threat yet: their own demons.

BELLA’S RECIPIE FOR SUCCESS | Picture Book

by Ana Siqueira; illustrated by Geraldine Rodríguez (Beaming Books)

If at first you don't succeed, try, try again.

Bella wants to find out what she's good at. But she quits everything she (barely) tries because she's a disaster at it. Her somersaults are like clumsy jirafas rolling downhill, her piano playing like elephant feet. When she decides to learn how to bake with her wise old abuela, her first attempt at dulce de leche frosting looks like scaly cocodrilo skin. She must learn it's okay to try again or she won't be good at anything. Peppered with Spanish vocabulary and set in an intergenerational Latinx home, Bella's Recipe for Success will show all kids the value of practicing to learn a new skill, and that it's okay to make mistakes along the way.

EL CUCUY IS SCARED, TOO! | Picture Book

by Donna Barba Higuera; illustrated by Juliana Perdomo (Abrams Books for Young Readers)

Ramón is a little boy who can't sleep. He is nervous for his first day at a new school.

And El Cucuy is the monster who lives in Ramón's cactus pot. He can't sleep, either.

It turns out that El Cucuy is scared, too!

This gentle, perceptive story explores the worries that can accompany moving to a new place and beginning a new journey--and reveals how comfort, bravery, and strength can be found through even the most unexpected of friendships.

ON-SALE JULY 15TH, 2021

ISABEL AND HER COLORES GO TO SCHOOL | Picture Book

by Alexandra Alessandri; illustrated by Courtney Dawson (Sleeping Bear Press)

English, with its blustery blues and whites, just feels wrong to Isabel. She prefers the warm oranges and pinks of Spanish. As she prepares for class at a new school, she knows she's going to have to learn--and she would rather not! Her first day is uncomfortable, until she discovers there's more than one way to communicate with friends.

ON-SALE JULY 20TH, 2021

SING WITH ME: THE STORY OF SELENA QUINTANILLA | Picture Book

by Diana López; illustrated by Teresa Martinez (Dial Books)

From a very early age, young Selena knew how to connect with people and bring them together with music. Sing with Me follows Selena's rise to stardom, from front-lining her family's band at rodeos and quinceañeras to performing in front of tens of thousands at the Houston Astrodome. Young readers will be empowered by Selena's dedication--learning Spanish as a teenager, designing her own clothes, and traveling around the country with her family--sharing her pride in her Mexican-American roots and her love of music and fashion with the world.

La Consejería: I wrote a bilingual children’s book...What’s steps should I take next?

Q: I wrote a bilingual children’s book and could use some guidance on gaining an illustrator and moving forward with publishing. What’s steps should I take? Thank you in advance.

A: It’s a common misconception that picture book manuscripts need to be paired with an illustrator at the querying stage or even the submission stage. Unless the author has been working with an illustrator in a team effort early on or the author will also be illustrating, children’s editors commonly review picture book manuscripts without any art on hand.

If the editor connects with the manuscript and is able to offer and acquire it, it is once the manuscript has already found its publisher that the illustrator search will begin. This is all to say that in completing your picture book manuscript, you’re well on your way in your publishing journey! It would be advisable to consider beginning to query agents for representation for your work as your next step.

To submit your own question to La Consejería, click here and fill out the form!

10 Latinx Books to Celebrate Pride

It’s June once again, which means it’s Pride Month! To celebrate, we’ve put together some Latinx and LGBTQ+ recommendations for you to read! Scroll down to see them and get a copy before the end of the month!

*Be sure to visit our Bookshop for even more queer Latinx literature recommendations!

CEMETERY BOYS | Young Adult

by Aiden Thomas (Swoon Reads)

Yadriel has summoned a ghost, and now he can't get rid of him.

When his traditional Latinx family has problems accepting his true gender, Yadriel becomes determined to prove himself a real brujo. With the help of his cousin and best friend Maritza, he performs the ritual himself, and then sets out to find the ghost of his murdered cousin and set it free.

However, the ghost he summons is actually Julian Diaz, the school's resident bad boy, and Julian is not about to go quietly into death. He's determined to find out what happened and tie off some loose ends before he leaves. Left with no choice, Yadriel agrees to help Julian, so that they can both get what they want. But the longer Yadriel spends with Julian, the less he wants to let him leave.

RAINBOW MILK | Literary Fiction

by Paul Mendez (Doubleday Books)

In the 1950s, ex-boxer Norman Alonso is a determined and humble Jamaican who has immigrated to Britain with his wife and children to secure a brighter future. Blighted with unexpected illness and racism, Norman and his family are resilient, but are all too aware that their family will need more than just hope to survive in their new country.

At the turn of the millennium, Jesse seeks a fresh start in London, escaping a broken immediate family, a repressive religious community and his depressed hometown in the industrial Black Country. But once he arrives he finds himself at a loss for a new center of gravity, and turns to sex work, music and art to create his own notions of love, masculinity and spirituality.

THEY BOTH DIE AT THE END | Young Adult

by Adam Silvera (Quill Tree Books)

On September 5, a little after midnight, Death-Cast calls Mateo Torrez and Rufus Emeterio to give them some bad news: They're going to die today.

Mateo and Rufus are total strangers, but, for different reasons, they're both looking to make a new friend on their End Day. The good news: There's an app for that. It's called the Last Friend, and through it, Rufus and Mateo are about to meet up for one last great adventure--to live a lifetime in a single day.

JULIET TAKES A BREATH | Young Adult

by Gabby Rivera (Dial Books)

Juliet Milagros Palante is a self-proclaimed closeted Puerto Rican baby dyke from the Bronx. Only, she's not so closeted anymore. Not after coming out to her family the night before flying to Portland, Oregon, to intern with her favorite feminist writer--what's sure to be a life-changing experience. And when Juliet's coming out crashes and burns, she's not sure her mom will ever speak to her again.

But Juliet has a plan--sort of. Her internship with legendary author Harlowe Brisbane, the ultimate authority on feminism, women's bodies, and other gay-sounding stuff, is sure to help her figure out this whole Puerto Rican lesbian thing. Except Harlowe's white. And not from the Bronx. And she definitely doesn't have all the answers . . .

In a summer bursting with queer brown dance parties, a sexy fling with a motorcycling librarian, and intense explorations of race and identity, Juliet learns what it means to come out--to the world, to her family, to herself.

ORDINARY GIRLS: A MEMOIR | Memoir

by Jaquira Díaz (Algonquin Books)

In this searing memoir, Jaquira Díaz writes fiercely and eloquently of her challenging girlhood and triumphant coming of age.

While growing up in housing projects in Puerto Rico and Miami Beach, Díaz found herself caught between extremes. As her family split apart and her mother battled schizophrenia, she was supported by the love of her friends. As she longed for a family and home, her life was upended by violence. As she celebrated her Puerto Rican culture, she couldn't find support for her burgeoning sexual identity. From her own struggles with depression and sexual assault to Puerto Rico's history of colonialism, every page of Ordinary Girls vibrates with music and lyricism. Díaz writes with raw and refreshing honesty, triumphantly mapping a way out of despair toward love and hope to become her version of the girl she always wanted to be.

THE STREET BELONGS TO US | Middle Grade

by Karleen Pendleton Jimenez (Arsenal Pulp Press)

In 1984 Los Angeles, Alex is a tomboy who would rather wear her hair short and her older brother's hand-me-downs, and Wolf is a troubled kid who's been wearing the same soldier's uniform ever since his mom died. They temporarily set their worries aside when their street is torn up by digging machines and transformed into a muddy wonderland with endless possibilities. To pass the hot summer days, the two best friends seize the opportunity to turn Muscatel Avenue into a battleground and launch a gleeful street war against the rival neighborhood kids.

But when Alex and Wolf make their headquarters inside a deep trench, Alex's grandmother warns them that some buried things want to be found and some want to stay hidden and forgotten. Although she has the wisdom of someone who has survived the Mexican Revolution, the Spanish Flu, and immigration to a new country, the kids ignore her warning, unearthing more than they bargained for.

WE SET THE DARK ON FIRE | Young Adult

by Tehlor Kay Mejia (Katherine Tegen Books)

At the Medio School for Girls, distinguished young women are trained for one of two roles in their polarized society. Depending on her specialization, a graduate will one day run a husband's household or raise his children. Both paths promise a life of comfort and luxury, far from the frequent political uprisings of the lower class.

Daniela Vargas is the school's top student, but her pedigree is a lie. She must keep the truth hidden or be sent back to the fringes of society.

And school couldn't prepare her for the difficult choices she must make after graduation, especially when she is asked to spy for a resistance group desperately fighting to bring equality to Medio.

Will Dani cling to the privilege her parents fought to win for her, or will she give up everything she's strived for in pursuit of a free Medio--and a chance at a forbidden love?

THE MIRROR SEASON | Young Adult

by Anna-Marie McLemore (Feiwel & Friends)

When two teens discover that they were both sexually assaulted at the same party, they develop a cautious friendship through her family's possibly-magical pastelería, his secret forest of otherworldly trees, and the swallows returning to their hometown, in Anna-Marie McLemore's The Mirror Season...

Graciela Cristales' whole world changes after she and a boy she barely knows are assaulted at the same party. She loses her gift for making enchanted pan dulce. Neighborhood trees vanish overnight, while mirrored glass appears, bringing reckless magic with it. And Ciela is haunted by what happened to her, and what happened to the boy whose name she never learned.

But when the boy, Lock, shows up at Ciela's school, he has no memory of that night, and no clue that a single piece of mirrored glass is taking his life apart. Ciela decides to help him, which means hiding the truth about that night. Because Ciela knows who assaulted her, and him. And she knows that her survival, and his, depend on no one finding out what really happened.

FIFTEEN HUNDRED MILES FROM THE SUN | Young Adult

by Jonny Garza Villa (Skyscape)

Julián Luna has a plan for his life: Graduate. Get into UCLA. And have the chance to move away from Corpus Christi, Texas, and the suffocating expectations of others that have forced Jules into an inauthentic life.

Then in one reckless moment, with one impulsive tweet, his plans for a low-key nine months are thrown--literally--out the closet. The downside: the whole world knows, and Jules has to prepare for rejection. The upside: Jules now has the opportunity to be his real self.

Then Mat, a cute, empathetic Twitter crush from Los Angeles, slides into Jules's DMs. Jules can tell him anything. Mat makes the world seem conquerable. But when Jules's fears about coming out come true, the person he needs most is fifteen hundred miles away. Jules has to face them alone.

Jules accidentally propelled himself into the life he's always dreamed of. And now that he's in control of it, what he does next is up to him.

IN THE DREAM HOUSE | Adult Nonfiction

by Carmen Maria Machado (Graywolf Press)

In the Dream House is Carmen Maria Machado’s engrossing and wildly innovative account of a relationship gone bad, and a bold dissection of the mechanisms and cultural representations of psychological abuse. Tracing the full arc of a harrowing relationship with a charismatic but volatile woman, Machado struggles to make sense of how what happened to her shaped the person she was becoming.

And it’s that struggle that gives the book its original structure: each chapter is driven by its own narrative trope—the haunted house, erotica, the bildungsroman—through which Machado holds the events up to the light and examines them from different angles. She looks back at her religious adolescence, unpacks the stereotype of lesbian relationships as safe and utopian, and widens the view with essayistic explorations of the history and reality of abuse in queer relationships.

Machado’s dire narrative is leavened with her characteristic wit, playfulness, and openness to inquiry. She casts a critical eye over legal proceedings, fairy tales, Star Trek, and Disney villains, as well as iconic works of film and fiction. The result is a wrenching, riveting book that explodes our ideas about what a memoir can do and be.

'The Mirror Season' by Anna-Maria McLemore

Mentions: sexual assault, PTSD, homophobia, and bullying

What does healing look and feel like after trauma? What kinds of stories do we tell about survivors or deem worthy of telling? How is our memory shaped by trauma? How does our interconnectedness as humans allow survivors to live and thrive again? These are some of the questions, among many others, that Anna-Maria McLemore evokes in their book, The Mirror Season.

Throughout this book, McLemore, who is nonbinary Latinx, uses magical realism to help the reader better understand trauma. They use glass and mirrors as a portal to explore the characters’ relationship to themselves, others, and what they’ve gone through. Although our traumas have the ability to shape us into someone unrecognizable to ourselves and cast shadows upon places where we once only saw light, those are not the only realities. When we are in community or share space with others, we are able to heal our wounds in an imperfect but very human way. More often than not, our traumas mirror and reflect back to us exactly that which we do not wish or desire to see, but ultimately bring us to a deeper embodiment of our truths. The Mirror Season is just that, a portal into our unhealed selves, to give language to a reality that often isn’t discussed, and give us permission to voice ourselves to our chosen community. 

Image from Publisher website.

Although The Mirror Season’s not a monolithic representation of all survivors and their stories, Graciela Cristales and Locke Thomas are their own. Notably, the characters in this book who experience sexual assault are not solely women or straight. The story is told from Graciela’s, also known as Ciela, point of view. The reader is taken on a journey exploring how the memory and body respond to trauma, in a very real and tangible way. However, Ciela and Locke are not only their traumas. Ciela is La Bruja de los Pasteles, and has the don de adivinanza y conocimiento; she knows exactly what kind of pan dulce a person wants. All that changes after experiencing assault and other horrific events. Locke is a crocheter, and becomes so passionate about botany that he creates his own magical forest. Additionally, they both are not only victims of violence, but contribute to each other's violation. They are not perfect and learn as they go, despite the violence done to them. They are human. They are survivors and catalysts to each other’s healing journeys. 

Although one can definitely read this book solo, the novel works within a group context where people can hold space for each other as they read and discuss the book. I suggest having some resources or tools to help with grounding on deck. Reading about sexual assault, PTSD, homophobia, and bullying can be difficult and may be triggering. There’s no shame in needing support if you decide to read this book. Read at the speed of your nervous system, and remember that your embodiment is of utmost importance to the work of liberation. 

Connect with author Anna-Maria McLemore on the below platforms to find out more about them & their works:

Twitter: @LaAnnaMarie

Website: annamariemclemore.com

Alondra Vargas-Soto is a creative and Boricua from Brooklyn, New York. They have received their BA in English: Creative Writing and Music: Vocal from Hunter College. Alo loves writing poetry and can usually be found bailando, practicing yoga, or exploring the world around them. Connect with them on Instagram @corriente_alo.

June 2021 Most Anticipated Reads

It’s starting to get warmer which means reading on the beach with your favorite book and a cool drink in hand. Scroll below for our list of the most anticipated Latinx reads for June and snag one for yourself (just in time for summer)! Check here for our full list of June 2021 Latinx Releases.

MILES MORALES: SHOCK WAVES | Middle Grade

by Jason Reynolds; illustrated by Pablo Leon (Graphix/Scholastic)

Miles Morales is a normal school kid who happens to juggle school at Brooklyn Visions Academy while swinging through the streets of Brooklyn as Spider-Man. After a disastrous earthquake strikes his birthplace of Puerto Rico, Miles springs into action to help set up a fundraiser for the devastated island. But when a new student's father goes missing, Miles begins to make connections between the disappearance and a giant corporation sponsoring Mile's fundraiser. Who is behind the disappearance, and how does that relate to Spider-Man?

A true middle grade graphic novel that just happens to star one of Marvel's most popular characters, exciting new voice Justin A. Reynolds (Opposite of Always) creates a riveting story that will connect with new and well-versed comics readers alike.

SHE PERSISTED: SONIA SOTOMAYOR| Middle Grade

by Meg Medina and Chelsea Clinton; illustrated by Alexandra Boiger and Gillian Flint (Penguin Random House)

In this chapter book biography by Meg Medina, the award-winning author of Merci Suarez Changes Gears and Mango, Abuela, and Me, readers learn about the amazing life of Sonia Sotomayor–and how she persisted.

Sonia Sotomayor is the first Latina Supreme Court Justice in the history of the United States, but her road there wasn’t easy. She overcame many challenges along the way, including a diagnosis of diabetes at age seven. But she didn’t let that stop her from achieving her dream and inspiring children all over the world to work hard and believe in themselves.

Complete with an introduction from Chelsea Clinton!

THE COT IN THE LIVING ROOM | Picture Book

by Hilda Eunice Burgos; illustrated by Gaby D'Alessandro (Kokila/Penguin Random House)

Night after night, a young girl watches her mami set up a cot in the living room for guests in their Washington Heights apartment, like Raquel (who’s boring) and Edgardo (who gets crumbs everywhere). She resents that they get the entire living room with a view of the George Washington Bridge, while all she gets is a tiny bedroom with a view of her sister (who snores). Until one night when no one comes, and it’s finally her chance! But as it turns out, sleeping on the cot in the living room isn’t all she thought it would be.

With charming text by Hilda Eunice Burgos and whimsical illustrations by Gaby D’Alessandro, The Cot in the Living Room is a celebration of the ways a Dominican American community takes care of one another while showing young readers that sometimes the best way to be a better neighbor is by imagining how it feels to spend a night sleeping on someone else’s pillow.

FIRE WITH FIRE| Young Adult

by Destiny Soria (HMH)

Raised to be fierce dragon slayers, two sisters end up on opposite sides of the impending war when one sister forms an unlikely, magical bond with a dragon in this standalone YA contemporary fantasy that's perfect for fans of Slayer and Sorcery of Thorns.

Dani and Eden Rivera were both born to kill dragons, but the sisters couldn't be more different. For Dani, dragon slaying takes a back seat to normal high school life, while Eden prioritizes training above everything else. Yet they both agree on one thing: it's kill or be killed where dragons are concerned.

Until Dani comes face-to-face with one and forges a rare and magical bond with him. As she gets to know Nox, she realizes that everything she thought she knew about dragons is wrong. With Dani lost to the dragons, Eden turns to mysterious and alluring sorcerers to help save her sister. Now on opposite sides of the conflict, each sister will do whatever it takes to save the other. But the two are playing with magic that is more dangerous than they know, and there is another, more powerful enemy waiting for them both in the shadows.

SIMONE BREAKS ALL THE RULES| Young Adult

by Debbie Riguad (Scholastic)

Simone Thibodeaux's life is sealed in a boy-proof container.

Her strict Haitian immigrant parents enforce no-dating rules and curfews, and send Simone to an all-girls school. As for prom? Simone is allowed to go on one condition: her parents will select her date (a boy from a nice Haitian immigrant family, obviously).

Simone is desperate to avoid the humiliation of the set up — especially since she's crushing on a boy she knows her parents wouldn't approve of. With senior year coming to a close, Simone makes a decision. She and her fellow late-bloomer friends will create a Senior Year Bucket List of all the things they haven't had a chance to do. On the list: kissing a boy, sneaking out of the house, skipping class (gasp!), and, oh yeah — choosing your own prom date.

But as the list takes on a life of its own, things get more complicated than Simone expected. She'll have to discover which rules are worth breaking, and which will save her from heartbreak.

FIFTEEN HUNDRED MILES FROM THE SUN| Young Adult

by Jonny Garza Villa (Amazon Publishing)

Julián Luna has a plan for his life: Graduate. Get into UCLA. And have the chance to move away from Corpus Christi, Texas, and the suffocating expectations of others that have forced Jules into an inauthentic life.

Then in one reckless moment, with one impulsive tweet, his plans for a low-key nine months are thrown—literally—out the closet. The downside: the whole world knows, and Jules has to prepare for rejection. The upside: Jules now has the opportunity to be his real self.

Then Mat, a cute, empathetic Twitter crush from Los Angeles, slides into Jules’s DMs. Jules can tell him anything. Mat makes the world seem conquerable. But when Jules’s fears about coming out come true, the person he needs most is fifteen hundred miles away. Jules has to face them alone.

Jules accidentally propelled himself into the life he’s always dreamed of. And now that he’s in control of it, what he does next is up to him.

Sala Sundays with Alison Macke

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

Alison Macke (AM): I'm the Senior Legal Compliance Associate at Macmillan Publishers. I work on promotions and data privacy compliance, which can be a lot of legalese but it means I get to work with every marketing department in the company, and I also work with people at every level of the company.

LxP: How did you get started?

AM: I used to work at a mid size law firm as a paralegal and was looking for a new job when I received a targeted email from LinkedIn which said I might be a good fit for an open role at Macmillan in the legal department. I almost didn’t apply because I was trying to pivot away from law since I knew I didn’t want to go to law school and didn’t want to get stuck being a paralegal. I think LinkedIn’s algorithm saw that my old job had the word compliance in the title and took it from there, but I always wanted to work in book publishing so I was excited and decided to just apply and see what happened, especially since I'd kind of written it off as an impossibility since I didn't have the right internships in college.

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

AM: I wish I'd known more about the "behind the scenes" departments at publishing houses. Legal is definitely one of those departments, but there are truly so many people who bring a book to readers and not every part is as "exciting" as editorial or marketing or publicity who are quite forward facing by nature. If I’d known that, I wouldn’t have written it off! So thanks, LinkedIn!

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

AM: My reading has been all over the place recently, but I'm in the middle of Just Us by Claudia Rankine and I'm also listening to Somebody's Daughter by Ashley C. Ford. Highly recommend both--Rankine's writing is just *chef's kiss* and Ford's writing and narration are a searing spotlight on her upbringing.

---

Alison grew up in northern Illinois and now lives and works in NYC where she reads, writes, consumes art in pretty much any form, and is constantly on the lookout for baked goods or ice cream. She graduated with a B.S. in Linguistics and Psychology from Barnard College and has worked at Macmillan since 2017. Follow her on Twitter @alison_macke or on Instagram @ageekyreader.

June 2021 Latinx Releases

Welcome to June! Here’s our list of June 2021 Latinx Releases which is filled with tons of exciting young adult and children’s literature! We love to feature a wide range of Latinx authors from adult to children’s, so be sure to submit to our New Books page so we can spotlight your amazing new reads! We hope you snag a few of these books below.

ON-SALE JUNE 1ST, 2021

THE COT IN THE LIVING ROOM | Picture Book

by Hilda Eunice Burgos; illustrated by Gaby D'Alessandro (Kokila/Penguin Random House)

Night after night, a young girl watches her mami set up a cot in the living room for guests in their Washington Heights apartment, like Raquel (who’s boring) and Edgardo (who gets crumbs everywhere). She resents that they get the entire living room with a view of the George Washington Bridge, while all she gets is a tiny bedroom with a view of her sister (who snores). Until one night when no one comes, and it’s finally her chance! But as it turns out, sleeping on the cot in the living room isn’t all she thought it would be.

With charming text by Hilda Eunice Burgos and whimsical illustrations by Gaby D’Alessandro, The Cot in the Living Room is a celebration of the ways a Dominican American community takes care of one another while showing young readers that sometimes the best way to be a better neighbor is by imagining how it feels to spend a night sleeping on someone else’s pillow.

MILES MORALES: SHOCK WAVES | Middle Grade

by Jason Reynolds; illustrated by Pablo Leon (Graphix/Scholastic)

Miles Morales is a normal school kid who happens to juggle school at Brooklyn Visions Academy while swinging through the streets of Brooklyn as Spider-Man. After a disastrous earthquake strikes his birthplace of Puerto Rico, Miles springs into action to help set up a fundraiser for the devastated island. But when a new student's father goes missing, Miles begins to make connections between the disappearance and a giant corporation sponsoring Mile's fundraiser. Who is behind the disappearance, and how does that relate to Spider-Man?

A true middle grade graphic novel that just happens to star one of Marvel's most popular characters, exciting new voice Justin A. Reynolds (Opposite of Always) creates a riveting story that will connect with new and well-versed comics readers alike.

PALETERO MAN| Picture Book

by Lucky Diaz; illustrated by Micah Player (HarperCollins)

Ring! Ring! Ring! Can you hear his call? Paletas for one! Paletas for all!

What’s the best way to cool off on a hot summer day? Run quick and find Paletero José!

Follow along with our narrator as he passes through his busy neighborhood in search of the Paletero Man. But when he finally catches up with him, our narrator’s pockets are empty. Oh no! What happened to his dinero? It will take the help of the entire community to get the tasty treat now.

Full of musicality, generosity, kindness, and ice pops, this book is sure to satisfy fans of Thank You, Omu! and Carmela Full of Wishes.

Includes Spanish words and phrases throughout, an author’s note from Lucky Diaz, and a link to a live version of the Lucky Band’s popular song that inspired the book.

THE RICE IN THE POT GOES ROUND AND ROUND| Picture Book

by Wendy Wan-Long Shang; illustrated by Lorian Tu (Orchard Books/Scholastic)

At the table where this family gathers, they share food, laughter, and, most of all, love. Readers of all ages are sure to enjoy slurping noodles, squishing tofu, and tapping chopsticks as they sing along to this familiar tune.

Rhythmic text and playful illustrations bring this heartwarming, mouthwatering story to life. Informative back matter includes a food glossary and etiquette guidelines that are sure to delight and engage young readers.

SHE PERSISTED: SONIA SOTOMAYOR| Middle Grade

by Meg Medina and Chelsea Clinton; illustrated by Alexandra Boiger and Gillian Flint (Penguin Random House)

In this chapter book biography by Meg Medina, the award-winning author of Merci Suarez Changes Gears and Mango, Abuela, and Me, readers learn about the amazing life of Sonia Sotomayor–and how she persisted.

Sonia Sotomayor is the first Latina Supreme Court Justice in the history of the United States, but her road there wasn’t easy. She overcame many challenges along the way, including a diagnosis of diabetes at age seven. But she didn’t let that stop her from achieving her dream and inspiring children all over the world to work hard and believe in themselves.

Complete with an introduction from Chelsea Clinton!

SIMONE BREAKS ALL THE RULES| Young Adult

by Debbie Riguad (Scholastic)

Simone Thibodeaux's life is sealed in a boy-proof container.

Her strict Haitian immigrant parents enforce no-dating rules and curfews, and send Simone to an all-girls school. As for prom? Simone is allowed to go on one condition: her parents will select her date (a boy from a nice Haitian immigrant family, obviously).

Simone is desperate to avoid the humiliation of the set up — especially since she's crushing on a boy she knows her parents wouldn't approve of. With senior year coming to a close, Simone makes a decision. She and her fellow late-bloomer friends will create a Senior Year Bucket List of all the things they haven't had a chance to do. On the list: kissing a boy, sneaking out of the house, skipping class (gasp!), and, oh yeah — choosing your own prom date.

But as the list takes on a life of its own, things get more complicated than Simone expected. She'll have to discover which rules are worth breaking, and which will save her from heartbreak.

TWINS VS. TRIPLETS #1: BACK-TO-SCHOOL BLITZ| Middle Grade

by Jennifer Torres; illustrated by Vanessa Flores (HarperCollins)

David can’t wait to go back to school and get far away from his trickster neighbors. But he’s in for a surprise when a set of equally prank-loving triplets move onto his block—and into his class!

Now the twins and triplets are battling for control of the playground and David is stuck in the middle. Can he end the prank war before recess gets cancelled for the whole year?

ON-SALE JUNE 8th, 2021

ARELI IS A DREAMER: A TRUE STORY BY ARELI MORALES, A DACA RECIPIENT| Picture Book

by Areli Morales; illustrated by Luisa Uribe (Penguin Random House)

When Areli was just a baby, her mama and papa moved from Mexico to New York with her brother, Alex, to make a better life for the family–and when she was in kindergarten, they sent for her, too.

Everything in New York was different. Gone were the Saturdays at Abuela’s house, filled with cousins and sunshine. Instead, things were busy and fast and noisy. Areli’s limited English came out wrong, and schoolmates accused her of being illegal. But with time, America became her home. And she saw it as a land of opportunity, where millions of immigrants who came before her paved their own paths. She knew she would, too.

This is a moving story–one that resonates with millions of immigrants who make up the fabric of our country–about one girl living in two worlds, a girl whose DACA application was eventually approved and who is now living her American dream.

The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) is an immigration policy that has provided relief to thousands of undocumented children, referred to as “Dreamers,” who came to the United States as children and call this country home.

CURSE OF THE FORGOTTEN CITY: EMBLEM ISLAND 2| Middle Grade

by Alex Aster (Sourcebooks)

Tor is adjusting to life with the power of the Night Witch, especially with his best friends Engle and Melda by his side. But when a mysterious girl washes up on shore claiming a band of cursed pirates is on their way to Emblem Island, life changes fast.

The girl, Gemma, is from an underwater city that was destroyed by the terrible Calavera pirates and she warns Tor they are now on their way to his home.

The trio of friends must come up with a plan to stop the pirates from getting an ancient relic that would give them the ability to control the high seas, while also protecting all they love from the new danger.

FIFTEEN HUNDRED MILES FROM THE SUN| Young Adult

by Jonny Garza Villa (Amazon Publishing)

Julián Luna has a plan for his life: Graduate. Get into UCLA. And have the chance to move away from Corpus Christi, Texas, and the suffocating expectations of others that have forced Jules into an inauthentic life.

Then in one reckless moment, with one impulsive tweet, his plans for a low-key nine months are thrown—literally—out the closet. The downside: the whole world knows, and Jules has to prepare for rejection. The upside: Jules now has the opportunity to be his real self.

Then Mat, a cute, empathetic Twitter crush from Los Angeles, slides into Jules’s DMs. Jules can tell him anything. Mat makes the world seem conquerable. But when Jules’s fears about coming out come true, the person he needs most is fifteen hundred miles away. Jules has to face them alone.

Jules accidentally propelled himself into the life he’s always dreamed of. And now that he’s in control of it, what he does next is up to him.

FIRE WITH FIRE| Young Adult

by Destiny Soria (HMH)

Raised to be fierce dragon slayers, two sisters end up on opposite sides of the impending war when one sister forms an unlikely, magical bond with a dragon in this standalone YA contemporary fantasy that's perfect for fans of Slayer and Sorcery of Thorns.

Dani and Eden Rivera were both born to kill dragons, but the sisters couldn't be more different. For Dani, dragon slaying takes a back seat to normal high school life, while Eden prioritizes training above everything else. Yet they both agree on one thing: it's kill or be killed where dragons are concerned.

Until Dani comes face-to-face with one and forges a rare and magical bond with him. As she gets to know Nox, she realizes that everything she thought she knew about dragons is wrong. With Dani lost to the dragons, Eden turns to mysterious and alluring sorcerers to help save her sister. Now on opposite sides of the conflict, each sister will do whatever it takes to save the other. But the two are playing with magic that is more dangerous than they know, and there is another, more powerful enemy waiting for them both in the shadows.

MOTH & BUTTERFLY: TA-DA!| Picture Book

by Dev Petty; illustrated by Ana Aranda (Penguin Random House)

Two caterpillar friends love what they have in common–lots of legs and a talent for chewing leaves into funny shapes. And when it’s time to build cocoons, they hang theirs side by side. “Happy metamorphosis,” says an older, more knowledgeable butterfly. And it is a happy metamorphosis indeed–for when the two emerge from their cocoons, they can fly! But so much else has changed–as one is now a moth, who flies by night, and the other is a butterfly, who flies by day. How will things work now? Fortunately some things never change–like true friends figuring out a way to be together, and happily flying into the sunset and sunrise.

ON-SALE JUNE 15th, 2021

THE MORE, THE MERRIER| Picture Book

by David Martin; illustrated by Raissa Figueroa (Penguin Random House)

Stepping high,
galumphing low,
leaping fast,
wiggling slow.

“I like your moves. But I’m not like you. So I’ll just do what I can do.” Some like to kick their feet and bend their knees to the music. Others prefer to slip and slide . . . or swoop down . . . or skip high and low! Whatever their style, children will be drawn by David Martin’s buoyant rhymes and Raissa Figueroa’s vibrant illustrations as Bear, Moose, Snake, and other forest animals dance to their own groove in a rhythmic celebration of individuality.

RAT FAIR| Picture Book

by Leah Rose Kessler; illustrated by Cleonique Hilsaca (Pow! Kids Books)

When a group of industrious, fun-loving rats find letters fallen from an Art Fair sign, they put the sign back together—with one small adjustment—and get to work creating a spectacular RAT FAIR. Their fair is ruined when humans sweep away everything the rats have created. Undaunted, the rats switch gears and start working on their very own Rat Art Fair. As they are wrapping up their first day of the Rat Art Fair, a human child who has been following their progress from the sidelines catches them red handed, and the rats must decide if they can trust the child. A nearly wordless tale about how misunderstandings can lead to wonderful creativity.

SMALL NAP, LITTLE DREAM| Picture Book

by Talia Aikens-Nuñez; illustrated by Natalia Colombo (Nancy Paulsen Books)

Young children are busy all day long–running and climbing, looking and laughing–and in the middle of a full day of fun, there’s nothing like taking a break for a small nap. This is the time of day to have a little dream–sueñito–that gives the afternoon some added sweetness.

Look at me RUN. Mis pies go fast!
Look at me READ. Mis ojos explore!

Kids will soon be chiming in with the Spanish words for their body parts, as they wind down and get ready for that refreshing nap. And they will love poring through the pages of toddlers at play in an imaginary multicolored world that is full of happiness, setting the stage for their dreams.

ZURI RAY TRIES BALLET| Picture Book

by Tami Charles; illustrated by Sharon Sordo (HarperCollins/Quill Tree Books)

Meet Zuri Ray. She’s always willing to go the extra mile for family and friends and is up for any challenge. At least, that was before her best friend, Jessie, asked her to join a ballet camp.

Now Zuri isn’t sure if she’s up for everything. While Jessie can’t wait to chassé and plié while wearing tight hair buns and frilly tutus, that doesn’t sound like Zuri at all! But she can’t let her friend down. Maybe classical ballet just needs a new spin . . .

Robust Perspectives, Mental Health, and Delightful Seasoning: ‘Somewhere Between Bitter and Sweet’ by Laekan Zea Kemp

Success should (ideally) come down to what we want for ourselves. There are many factors that help shape what success looks like for us—cultural norms, socio-economic status, outside influences, and more—as female protagonist Penelope Prado shows us in Somewhere Between Bitter and Sweet by Laekan Zea Kemp. I had the pleasure of chatting with debut author, Laekan Zea Kemp, about her new young adult novel.

Credit: Laekan Zea Kemp

It’s common knowledge that mental health is not always addressed during our road to success. In this story, there are many pieces of Laekan Zea Kemp. Pen’s mental health struggles mirror the mental health journey Laekan has been on since her late teens / early college years when her father was sick, her mother and Laekan weren’t getting along, and, “it felt like [her] entire world was falling apart.” The book’s male protagonist, Alejandro “Xander” Amaro, was inspired by the author’s former students. Laekan was an ESL teacher and most of her students were immigrants from Central and South America. The author states: “I’ve gotten to see up close what it’s like for them and their families to navigate our ridiculous immigration system. And yet through it all they are so resilient and so hopeful. I wanted to capture that in Xander’s character.” Not only do parents figures influence one’s success, educators are also on the frontlines of students’ professional well-being.

Adding to the importance of mental health in this read is how the conversation of family ties and culture take shape in literature. It’s widely known that multi-generational homes are very common among BIPOC communities in general. Kemp says, “it’s western culture that prizes individualism but in a Latinx household, [usually], the family works as a unit to reach common goals and one person’s success is shared among everyone.” The author adds that family is thus essential and everything else sort of orbits around that, so there is no separating Pen or Xander from those influences. Those bonds have a huge impact on the way Pen and Xander see themselves, because Latinx parents are not inconsequential—the family structure and the way it’s set up makes it almost impossible, Laekan declares. Pen indeed has her own point-of-view of what success looks like, even when her parents try to tell her otherwise and at the same time, it is precisely because of them that she has a specific career path in mind.

Parents figures play a key role to shape us as grow older, and it is typical for that parent-figure-child relationship “to evolve and be redefined.” Both protagonists experience this in the novel. Pen learns that “the part of her identity that attributes to her father, isn’t lost once he fires her” as soon as she reveals her secret to her family. Pen learns that “being removed from her father’s orbit doesn’t remove her from his heart.” Xander goes through a similar lesson where “he’s had a lot of years to make up stories about why his father left and never came back. In that time, over and over again, he blames himself. Until he learns that across miles, time and space, his father still loved him. Even when he couldn’t see it.” Ultimately, the writing process for Laekan Zea Kemp involved “writing authentically about [her] community and the things [they] believe and value like family, tradition, and legacy.” It’s crucial to keep in mind that the author is speaking about her own family values and the type of community she grew up in. Furthermore, Laekan states that, “the family members in this story are naturally helping to illuminate and develop the identities of both characters.” This applies to everyone worldwide, where a part of our identity is influenced by people we interact with.  

Photo credit: Yvonne Tapia; Bookmark and headband gift credit: Laekan Zea Kemp

This brings us to another great detail about this novel—it is written in dual perspectives, which many readers love. Laekan confesses that she has always been drawn to dual points of view, especially in the Romance genre. For her, it’s “so much fun to know what both characters are thinking and feeling as they’re falling in love.” She also states that this novel has given her the opportunity to show multiple versions of the Latinx experience and specifically within the Mexican and Mexican-American communities. Through Pen, the author sheds light into the experience of a family member several generations removed from her family’s immigrant background; someone struggling with mental health issues, such as anxiety and depression; and, someone who uses food to show love to both herself and others.

On another note, Xander symbolizes a completely difference aspect of a possible experience as a Latinx individual. Laekan further tells us, “he’s an undocumented immigrant who spent half his life in Mexico and half his life in the U.S. He lives with his Abuelo, which is representative of so many multi-generational households.” As readers follow Xander, they will learn how he sees everyone else as connected to something, while he isn’t connected to anything (in his point-of-view). He observes the close-knit bond that the employees at the Nacho’s Tacos restaurant have, which helps emphasize the resilience of the people in their neighborhood. Laekan did not have an exact agenda writing two distinct protagonists, and she is hopeful that

“Their intersectional identities and distinct details that really ground them in their humanity will help readers from all kinds of backgrounds to be able to connect with them in some way. Especially young people who might be struggling with redefining those parent-child relationships or with that initial launch into adulthood when the world seems incredibly big and scary.”

Adding to the mental health theme is how speaking about mental health applies to the Latinx community. Kemp states, “I remember reading an article a few years ago that said that Latinas have the highest attempted suicide rates of any demographic. Those numbers may have changed since then, [and] they’re still incredibly jarring.” This is why “it’s so important for [her] to consistently explore mental health in [her] own work.” She knows what a difference it can make when you feel like someone else understands what you’re going through.

There are significant occurrences where language is proven to have so much power than is usually given credit for. When Pen faces her parents with her true professional goals, she is led towards a specific path. According to the author, even though Pen’s decision to say her truth separates her form the family restaurant, “she comes out the other side of that experience so much stronger.” Laekan eloquently states that, “ultimately, our souls crave honesty. All of us want to be able to tell the truth of who we are and to have that truth honored and celebrated.” 

Language is also proven essential through other characters and food. A good friend of Pen’s tells her that “to feed someone who’s hungry, it’s a gift.” Food helps reflect our cultural roots, and also helps us connect in many atmospheres—whether it’s a family gathering or professional matter. The Latinx community will also see itself reflected in mentions of roasted pepitas, el comal, cilantro, and other key nourishment items. As Laekan insightfully states, “for those of us who are Chicane and exist on the peripheries of our own culture, not born in our ancestral home, food is one of the ways that we stay connected to that power source.”

Credit: Yvonne Tapia

It is up to present and future generations to maintain the cultural foods our parents, grandparents, or guardians have given us. There are many ways to further feed people, aside from food. “You can feed the people you love through all sorts of things. Your time. Your encouragement. Your creativity. I’d love for readers to see how Pen uses her skills in the kitchen to care for her community and to be inspired to use their own gifts the same way,” Laekan tells me.

As we learn more about Pen’s family restaurant, we eventually get a very humorous and wild teenage hangout in the middle of the story. In the midst of that, Pen decides to cover up specific details about her best friend’s (Chloe), love life. There is fierce loyalty between them, that is also reflected in the other characters. Laekan further notes that “Pen choosing to stay [quiet] about Chloe’s private life is just another way [of showing] that she has Chloe’s back.” Laekan adds that, in her point-of-view, Latinx people love some good chisme but it’s never more important than protecting the people we care about. This YA novel does an excellent job in showing a side of the Latinx community where everyone is loyal to each other and always tries to help each other out rather than gossiping. Thus, this is another form of success for Pen, where she controls her grounds when facing outside influences.

There is an ultimate message that author Laekan Zea Kemp wants young readers to get out of Pen and Xander’s story. She hopes that people “see that the Mexican and Chicane community is beautiful”. Laekan additionally says,

“We are resilient, creative, powerful, loving, and proud. We take care of each other, fight for each other. We will keep fighting together whether those battles are internal & require us to break down stigmas and talk about our heartbreak, trauma, or those battles [that] are coming from the outside world & require us to stand tall, to raise our voices, to lock & march.” 

The author speaks with conviction as she shares that we deserve to take up space and follow our dreams. And with that, Laekan Zea Kemp is on her way to continue writing more unique stories featuring the Mexican, Mexican-American / Chicane experience.

For more updates on her latest works, follow author Laekan Zea Kemp on:

Twitter: @LaekanZeaKemp

Instagram: @LaekanZeaKemp

Website: http://www.laekanzeakemp.com/

You may use the hashtags #SomewhereBetweenBitterandSweet and #RedforPen. Enjoy!

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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.

Celebrate AAPI Heritage Month with Latinx in Publishing!

It’s the final days of National Asian, Asian American, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month! We’d like to honor the end of this celebratory month by featuring a few Asian Latinx creators we’ve rounded up from Twitter!

See the original tweets from Latinx in Publishing and our board chair, Saraciea Fennell, and be sure to check out our Bookshop for the complete list of books by Asian & AAPI Latinx creators!

Illustrators

Credit: CreativeMornings

Wen Hsu | Taiwanese/Costa Rican

Wen Hsu is an award-winning Taiwanese-Costa Rican Illustrator working remotely in Hanoi.

Find her on Facebook and follow her blog.

Watch Wen Hsu’s presentation on CreativeMornings Hanoi about “Courage as an Illustrator” here.

KUAN YIN: THE PRINCESS WHO BECAME THE GODDESS OF COMPASSION | Picture Book

by Maya van der Meer; illustrated by Wen Hsu (Penguin Random House)

Miao Shan isn’t your typical princess. She likes to spend her time quietly meditating with the creatures of the forest or having adventures with dragons and tigers. Miao Shan’s heart is so full of love that her dream is to spread happiness throughout the land and help people endlessly. But her father has other plans for her–he intends to have her married and remain in the palace. With the help of her little sister Ling, Miao Shan escapes and begins her journey to discover the true meaning of compassion.

During their adventure, Ling and Miao Shan are eventually separated. Ling must overcome doubts, fears, and loneliness in order to realize what her sister had told her all along–that love is the greatest power in the world. After the sisters’ reunion, Miao Shan realizes her true calling as Kuan Yin, the goddess of compassion. A princess-adventure story like none other, this ancient Chinese tale of the world’s most beloved Buddhist hero is a story of sisterhood, strength, and following your own path.

Credit: Lorian Tu’s website.

Lorian Tu | Chinese, Cuban, and Ashkenazi descent

Lorian Tu is a former art and special education teacher for elementary school kids, and currently a fulltime maker of kid-lit and kid-lit-art. A mom and an art teacher, her greatest inspiration comes from her sons and her students, as well as from her mixed-race, multi-ethnic childhood and adult life. She is the illustrator of Dress Like a Girl, written by Patricia Toht; May God Bless You and Keep You, written by Sarah Raymond Cunningham; and Stay Through the Storm, written by Joanna Rowland.

Find her here.

THE RICE IN THE POT GOES ROUND AND ROUND | Picture Book

by Wendy Wan-Long Shang; illustrated by Lorian Tu (Scholastic Book Clubs)

At the table where this family gathers, they share food, laughter, and, most of all, love. Readers of all ages are sure to enjoy slurping noodles, squishing tofu, and tapping chopsticks as they sing along to this familiar tune.

Rhythmic text and playful illustrations bring this heartwarming, mouthwatering story to life. Informative back matter includes a food glossary and etiquette guidelines that are sure to delight and engage young readers.

Credit: Saki Tanaka’s website.

Saki Tanaka | Japanese/Mexican

Saki Tanaka writes and illustrates children’s books in Brooklyn, New York.

"Being born in Japan to a Mexican mother and Japanese father might explain my fascination with multi-cultural identities and transitional experiences. I grew up moving around the globe, becoming “the new kid” every few years. Looking and sounding “different” was my normal. Sometimes this was fun… Sometimes it wasn’t.

I aspire to tell stories that make outsiders feel good about being different, and unlock worlds for dreamers who want to belong. My hope is to create books that make future grown-ups question “why not” and “what if?” by celebrating the big and small wonders of our universe, and reveling in all kinds of gray areas where opposites embrace.”

Find her here.

IF SUN COULD SPEAK | Picture Book

by Kourtney LaFavre; illustrated by Saki Tanaka (Clear Fork Publishing)

Sun is out to impress in this slightly egotistical first-person account that sheds light on the facts, history, and myths about its existence. Sun seeks to inspire readers to wonder and search for discoveries in this witty STEM-infused exploration of the center of our solar system.

amelia lau carling | chinese/guatemalan

Amelia Lau Carling was born and grew up in Guatemala, the youngest of six children of Chinese immigrants. Surrounded by family and customers in her parents’ general store, she learned about Chinese, Spanish, and Mayan cultures. After moving to the United States, she was inspired to write Mama and Papa Have a Store, her debut book, by her own children’s fascination with stories of her childhood. Carling now lives in Yonkers, New York.

MAMA AND PAPA HAVE A STORE | Picture Book

by Amelia Lau Carling; illustrated by Amelia Lau Carling (Lee & Low Books)

From the clip, clop of the milkman’s mule in the early morning to the clacking of her father’s abacus at night, a young girl brings us into her home, which is also her parents’ store. Located in Guatemala City, the store is filled with the colorful textures of cloth, threads, buttons, and things from her parents’ homeland in China. As people come and go throughout the day, the girl hears several languages—Spanish, Chinese, and Mayan.

The Mayans buy thread for weaving in colors such as “parrot green” and “mango yellow.” The girl’s parents talk about their hometown in China, from which they emigrated, fleeing a war, years ago. The girl and her brothers and sisters make up games to play on the rooftop terrace, on the sidewalk, and in the store. After supper the girl dances to celebrate her day.

Lyrical writing and delightful artwork will captivate both children and adults in this story drawn from the author/illustrator’s childhood memories.

Writers & Authors

Credit: Ryoki Inoue’s website.

Ryoki Inoue | Japanese/ Brazilian

“Brazilian author Ryoki Inoue holds the Guinness World Record for being the most prolific author with 1,075 books published under many pseudonyms.”

“In his opinion, the secret of the creative process is in 98% of sweat, 1% of talent and 1% of luck. Moreover, discipline and application are the motive that make him to be sit in front of his computer and don’t leave until the end of his new job…Nowadays, Ryoki Inoues’s objective is to produce a romance a year, two in maximum.”

You can find more about him here.

Credit: Helen Hesse & Transit Books

Carlos Yushimito | Peruvian/ Japanese

Carlos Yushimito was born in Lima, Peru, in 1977. He is the author of the story collections El mago, Las islas, Lecciones para un niño que llega tarde, and Los bosques tienen sus propias puertas. In 2008 he was chosen as one of the best young writers in Latin America by Casa de las Americas and the Centro Onelio Cardoso de Cuba; and in 2010, by Granta as one of the Best Young Spanish Language Novelists. He recently joined the University of California, Riverside, faculty after receiving a PhD from Brown University.

LESSONS FOR A CHILD WHO ARRIVES LATE | Adult Fiction

by Carlos Yushimito; translated by Valerie Miles (Transit Books)

A mascot for an electronics store dreams of making it in the drug world of Rio de Janeiro. A tin man ponders the mysteries of death as a heart starts to take charge of his limbs, while in a place not so far away a boy tries to play the piano like Margarita, the teacher’s cruel and beautiful niece. In stories filled with violence and tenderness, love and disconnection, Carlos Yushimito’s long-anticipated debut explores the subtle space of estrangement.

Credit: Marion Ettinger

Sigrid Nunez

Sigrid Nunez has published eight novels, including A Feather on the Breath of God, The Last of Her Kind, Salvation City, The Friend, and, most recently, What Are You Going Through. She is also the author of Sempre Susan: A Memoir of Susan Sontag. The Friend, a New York Times bestseller, won the 2018 National Book Award. You can find more here.

THE FRIEND | Adult Fiction

by Sigrid Nunez (Riverhead Books)

When a woman unexpectedly loses her lifelong best friend and mentor, she finds herself burdened with the unwanted dog he has left behind. Her own battle against grief is intensified by the mute suffering of the dog, a huge Great Dane traumatized by the inexplicable disappearance of its master, and by the threat of eviction: dogs are prohibited in her apartment building.

While others worry that grief has made her a victim of magical thinking, the woman refuses to be separated from the dog except for brief periods of time. Isolated from the rest of the world, increasingly obsessed with the dog’s care, determined to read its mind and fathom its heart, she comes dangerously close to unraveling. But while troubles abound, rich and surprising rewards lie in store for both of them.

Elegiac and searching, The Friend is both a meditation on loss and a celebration of human-canine devotion.

Credit: Olivia Abtahi website.

olivia abtahi | iranian /argentinian

Olivia Abtahi is a writer and filmmakers based in Denver, Colorado. Born to an Iranian father and Argentinian mother, she is a mix of distinct cultures. Her debut novel, Perfectly Parvin, is set for Spring 2021 publication through Penguin's Putnam Books for Young Readers while her second book, TWIN FLAMES, will be available Fall 2021 from Tu Books. In her spare time Olivia enjoys binging music videos on YouTube, laughing so hard she can’t breathe, and hitting 10,000 steps on her FitBit.
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https://www.oliviaabtahi.com/

PERFECTLY PARVIN | Young Adult Fiction

by Olivia Abtahi (Penguin Putnam Books for Young Readers)

Parvin Mohammadi has just been dumped—only days after receiving official girlfriend status. Not only is she heartbroken, she's humiliated. Enter high school heartthrob Matty Fumero, who just might be the smoking-hot cure to all her boy problems. If Parvin can get Matty to ask her to Homecoming, she's positive it will prove to herself and her ex that she's girlfriend material after all. There's just one problem: Matty is definitely too cool for bassoon-playing, frizzy-haired, Cheeto-eating Parvin. Since being herself hasn't worked for her in the past (see aforementioned dumping), she decides to start acting like the women in her favorite rom-coms. Those women aren't loud, they certainly don't cackle when they laugh, and they smile much more than they talk.

But Parvin discovers that being a rom-com dream girl is much harder than it looks. Also hard? The parent-mandated Farsi lessons. A confusing friendship with a boy who's definitely not supposed to like her. And hardest of all, the ramifications of the Muslim ban on her family in Iran. Suddenly, being herself has never been more important.

Olivia Abtahi's debut is as hilarious as it is heartfelt—a delightful tale where, amid the turmoil of high school friendships and crushes, being yourself is always the perfect way to be.

Credit: Emery Lee website.

Emery Lee

Emery Lee is a kidlit author, artist, and YouTuber hailing from a mixed-racial background. After graduating with a degree in creative writing, e’s gone on to author novels, short stories, and webcomics. When away from reading and writing, you’ll most likely find em engaged in art or snuggling cute dogs.

Find him here.

MEET CUTE DIARY | Young Adult Fiction

by Emery Lee (HarperCollins)

Noah Ramirez thinks he’s an expert on romance. He has to be for his popular blog, the Meet Cute Diary, a collection of trans happily ever afters. There’s just one problem—all the stories are fake. What started as the fantasies of a trans boy afraid to step out of the closet has grown into a beacon of hope for trans readers across the globe.

When a troll exposes the blog as fiction, Noah’s world unravels. The only way to save the Diary is to convince everyone that the stories are true, but he doesn’t have any proof. Then Drew walks into Noah’s life, and the pieces fall into place: Drew is willing to fake-date Noah to save the Diary. But when Noah’s feelings grow beyond their staged romance, he realizes that dating in real life isn’t quite the same as finding love on the page.

In this charming novel by Emery Lee, Noah will have to choose between following his own rules for love or discovering that the most romantic endings are the ones that go off script.

Credit: Words without Borders

julia wong-kcomt | Chinese Peruvian

Julia Wong Kcomt was born into a Tusán (Chinese Peruvian) family in Chepén, Perú, in 1965. Her father was a well-known philanthropist in Macau who founded a project in 1995 to create public libraries in open spaces like parks and gardens. She traveled from an early age, and her perceptions of country borders, different cultures, and diversity in ethnicity and religion became a strong motivation to write.

Read “The Red Rooster” and “Inevitable Saint” here.

Credit: UCLA website.

rev. dr. robert chao romero | Chinese mexican

Rev. Dr. Robert Chao Romero is "Asian-Latino," and has been a professor of Chicana/o Studies and Asian American Studies at UCLA since 2005.  He received his Ph.D. from UCLA in Latin American History and his Juris Doctor from U.C. Berkeley, and is also an attorney.  Romero has published 15 academic books and articles on issues of race, immigration, history, education, and religion, and received the Latina/o Studies book award from the international Latin American Studies Association. He is also an InterVarsity Press author.  Romero is a former Ford Foundation and U.C. President's Postdoctoral Fellow, as well as a recipient of the Louisville Institute's Sabbatical Grant for Researchers.  

Robert is an ordained pastor.  Together with his wife Erica, he is the co-founder of Jesus 4 Revolutionaries, a Christian ministry to activists, as well as the co-chair of the Matthew 25 Movement in Southern California.  

Find him here.

BROWN CHURCH | Nonfiction

by Roberto Chao Ramero (InterVarsity Press)

For five hundred years, Latina/o culture and identity have been shaped by their challenges to the religious, socio-economic, and political status quo, whether in opposition to Spanish colonialism, Latin American dictatorships, US imperialism in Central America, the oppression of farmworkers, or the current exploitation of undocumented immigrants. Christianity has played a significant role in that movement at every stage.

Robert Chao Romero, the son of a Mexican father and a Chinese immigrant mother, explores the history and theology of what he terms the "Brown Church." Romero considers how this movement has responded to these and other injustices throughout its history by appealing to the belief that God's vision for redemption includes not only heavenly promises but also the transformation of every aspect of our lives and the world. Walking through this history of activism and faith, readers will discover that Latina/o Christians have a heart after God's own.

Credit: Tony Tian-Ren Lin website.

Tony Tian-ren lin | taiwanese/argentinian

Tony Tian-Ren Lin is the Program Director for the Leadership Development initiative at Trinity Church Wall Street and a Research Professor at New York Theological Seminary. He is a cultural sociologist whose scholarship focuses on the intersection of religion, immigration, race, and ethnicity. He is the author of Prosperity Gospel Latinos and Their American Dream (University of North Carolina Press, 2020)…

Lin was born in Taiwan and grew up in Argentina…His work has been featured in The Atlantic Monthly, The Washington Post, LatinoUSA, WNYC, and other venues.

Find his full bio here.

PROSPERITY GOSPEL LATINOS AND THEIR AMERICAN DREAM | Nonfiction

by Tony Tian-Ren Lin (University of North Carolina Press)

In this immersive ethnography, Tony Tian-Ren Lin explores the reasons that Latin American immigrants across the United States are increasingly drawn to Prosperity Gospel Pentecostalism, a strand of Protestantism gaining popularity around the world. Lin contends that Latinos embrace Prosperity Gospel, which teaches that believers may achieve both divine salvation and worldly success, because it helps them account for the contradictions of their lives as immigrants. Weaving together his informants’ firsthand accounts of their religious experiences and everyday lives, Lin offers poignant insight into how they see their faith transforming them both as individuals and as communities.

The theology fuses salvation with material goods so that as these immigrants pursue spiritual rewards they are also, perhaps paradoxically, striving for the American dream. But after all, Lin observes, prosperity is the gospel of the American dream. In this way, while becoming better Prosperity Gospel Pentecostals they are also adopting traditional white American norms. Yet this is not a story of smooth assimilation as most of these immigrants must deal with the immensity of the broader cultural and political resistance to their actually becoming Americans. Rather, Prosperity Gospel Pentecostalism gives Latinos the logic and understanding of themselves as those who belong in this country yet remain perpetual outsiders.

Credit: Mekita Rivas website.

Mekita Rivas

Mekita Rivas “is a multicultural freelance journalist and creative consultant based in Washington, D.C. I am currently the senior fashion writer at Bustle, and am available for commissions and assignments with other outlets. I primarily cover culture, style, and politics through the lens of gender, race, and ethnicity. My writing has been published in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Vogue, Cosmopolitan, InStyle, Architectural Digest, Food & Wine, Wine Enthusiast, Glamour, Brides, Refinery29, Teen Vogue, Self, and others.”

Find her here.

Daniel Zarazua | Taiwanese/Mexican

Daniel Zarazura is the founder of Pochino Press whose mission is “to publish works that illuminate stories, which originate in the intersections where hybrid cultures not only meet, but form a new sensibility.” Find them here.

HEI REN, HEI REN |Non fiction

by Daniel Zarazura (Pochino Press)

HEI REN, HEI REN is a preview of Daniel D. Zarazua's book "Taiwan is My Home", a look at the life of Black and Latino residents in Taiwan. He draws upon his family history to inform his work, including being born in Taipei to Chicano and Taiwanese parents. Follow more of Daniel D. Zarazua's work on www.facebook.com/taiwanismyhome

Credit: ASU website.

Rudy p. guevarra jr.

Rudy P. Guevarra Jr. is associate professor and honors faculty of Asian Pacific American studies in the School of Social Transformation, and affiliate faculty in the School of Transborder Studies at Arizona State University… 

Guevarra is the author of "Becoming Mexipino: Multiethnic Identities and Communities in San Diego" (Rutgers University Press, 2012). His work has also appeared in the Journal of Asian American Studies, The Asian American Literary Review and the Journal of San Diego History. His current book project is "Aloha Compadre: Latina/os in Hawai'i, 1832-2010" (Rutgers University Press, forthcoming). Guevarra is also currently developing an interactive digital website called the Latino Pacific Archive (LPA) with Professor Alexandrina Agloro (Worcester Polytechnic Institute).  

Guevarra received an Early Career Award from the Association for Asian American Studies in 2014 and was a Junior Faculty Fellow for the American Association of Hispanics in Higher Education in 2008. 

BECOMING MEXIPINO | Non fiction

by Rudy P. Guevarra Jr. (Rutgers University Press)

Becoming Mexipino is a social-historical interpretation of two ethnic groups, one Mexican, the other Filipino, whose paths led both groups to San Diego, California. Rudy Guevarra traces the earliest interactions of both groups with Spanish colonialism to illustrate how these historical ties and cultural bonds laid the foundation for what would become close interethnic relationships and communities in twentieth-century San Diego as well as in other locales throughout California and the Pacific West Coast.

Through racially restrictive covenants and other forms of discrimination, both groups, regardless of their differences, were confined to segregated living spaces along with African Americans, other Asian groups, and a few European immigrant clusters. Within these urban multiracial spaces, Mexicans and Filipinos coalesced to build a world of their own through family and kin networks, shared cultural practices, social organizations, and music and other forms of entertainment. They occupied the same living spaces, attended the same Catholic churches, and worked together creating labor cultures that reinforced their ties, often fostering marriages. Mexipino children, living simultaneously in two cultures, have forged a new identity for themselves.  Their lives are the lens through which these two communities are examined, revealing the ways in which Mexicans and Filipinos interacted over generations to produce this distinct and instructive multiethnic experience. Using archival sources, oral histories, newspapers, and personal collections and photographs, Guevarra defines the niche that this particular group carved out for itself.

Credit: Bianca Wang-Polendo Instagram.

Bianca Wang-Polendo

Bianca Wang-Polendo spent much of her childhood and adolescent years reading fantasy novels. From writing short, incomplete scribbles as an elementary school student to writing retellings of fairy tales during middle and high school, she now is hoping to use fantasy to explore themes relevant to current world trends. She wants her work to especially speak to those who may be underrepresented in media.

In her free time, she is probably scrolling through memes, watching Asian dramas, playing piano, or cuddling with her Shiba Inu. Bianca also enjoys learning foreign languages and traveling internationally. She graduated from MIT with a degree in mathematics and a minor in economics.

Between Demons and Deities is her first book.

Find her here.

BETWEEN DEMONS AND DEITIES | Young Adult Fiction

by Bianca Wang-Polendo. (New Degree Press)

After waking up from a coma two years ago, half-Atonacan, half-Wei fire mage Esmeralda has struggled with lost memories. Since then, Esme has led a quiet life in Atonaco with her best friend, a spirit mage named Dacio. Everything begins to fall apart the day that Dacio is arrested for a crime that they couldn't possibly have committed-the attempted murder of the emperor of Wei.

With the help of Dacio's mysterious friend, Esme embarks on a quest to prove Dacio's innocence. However, things are not as they seem, for ominous and powerful beings lurk in the shadows. As she begins to piece together the mystery of her past, she stumbles upon a sinister plan that threatens the fate of the mortal realm.

Between Demons and Deities features the magic and freedom of friendship and self-acceptance in the face of adversity and murky secrets.

Tania Chen (Eliot c.) | chinese-mexican

Tania Chen is a Chinese-Mexican writer who is on the lookout for anything weird and speculative. They write to explore horror and where it can be found in this modern day and age. When they're not exploring the mortifying ordeal of being known, they are aggressively cheerleading other writers to finish their WIPs. Tania can be found screaming on twitter @archistratego under their pen name, Eliot C.

Sloan Asakura

Sloan Asakura (she/he/they) is a poet and memoirist originally from Los Angeles, who has recently returned home after journeys in the Pacific Northwest. Having graduated from Western Washington University with a BA in English Creative Writing and Linguistics minor, Sloan spends most of their time working under the thumb of the capitalist machine. Their hobbies include cooking, gardening, and collecting moths. Their work has been published in Jeopardy Magazine, Rigorous, The Mantle, Rogue Agent, and O:JA&L. They are the editor-in-chief of mawth.

Find them here.

Read her works here and here.