Author Interview: ‘Daughter of the Light-Footed People’ by Belen Medina

“From deep in the copper canyons of Mexico, her swift footsteps echo. Clip clap, clip clap.”

That’s the vivid opening of Daughter of the Light-Footed People, a forthcoming nonfiction picture book about Lorena Ramírez, a runner from Mexico’s Rarámuri Indigenous people (also known as Tarahumara). The clip-clap sounds come from the athlete’s well-worn huaraches cut from rubber tires. Ramírez, now 29, is internationally known for running in sandals and in a brightly colored skirt.

Written by Belen Medina and illustrated by Natalia Rojas Castro, Daughter of the Light-Footed People takes readers on a sixty-mile run with Ramírez. We learn that her strength comes from kicking balls across miles with her siblings, and that her patience is built from walking for hours. “Over hot, cracked earth and rocks, through cold, hard rain, she runs,” Medina beautifully writes. Castro’s illustrations are equally gorgeous, infusing rich colors and textures to the page. In one spread, Ramírez’s long, dark ponytail morphs into a memory bubble of her as a child, herding goats and cattle for her family.

Out on June 11 from Atheneum Books for Young Readers, Daughter of the Light-Footed People is not just centered around this one Mexican athlete, but offers a real-life lesson that you can persevere and achieve so much even if you don’t have as many resources as others.

Ahead of the book’s release, Medina spoke with Latinx in Publishing about the inspiration behind her debut picture book, what sets Ramírez from other runners, and more.

This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.

Amaris Castillo (AC): Congratulations on Daughter of the Light-Footed People. This book is about María Lorena Ramírez, an Indigenous long-distance runner belonging to Mexico’s Rarámuri ethnic group. What inspired you to write this story?

Belen Medina (BM): I have two kids, and during COVID I was home with them a lot. I found a Netflix documentary about her and we watched it. And I was just completely awestruck. We were all just dumbfounded by this woman who was running with just her huaraches and her Indigenous clothes. I was so profoundly moved by her grit and endurance, and her story. And so were my kids. And I just thought, Gosh, I feel every kid should know about her. Every person. And as a Mexican American, I just felt especially proud. 

I’ve written other books that haven’t come out yet, but I started to look to see if there had been any books about her. I wanted to know more, and realized that there hadn’t been. So that’s how that journey started for me. But mostly, I was just so incredibly inspired by her story and I thought: What an amazing person, and what a great example of just having so little and doing so much. I thought this is a great message for kids and for adults.

“What she was doing wasn’t just for her. It was for her family. It was for her people. She’s running as a community, which I felt was really moving and powerful. ”

AC: Your story beautifully follows María Lorena on a run and also touches on her background, such as her strength coming from herding goats and patience built from walking for hours to buy food. Can you describe your research process to be able to include these details?

BM: I basically scoured every available information I could find. I read some books about long-distance running and Tarahumara people. There wasn’t a lot, but as much as I could watch every interview she did, read every interview she did. I just did a lot of research that way. Then I synthesized the information, because in picture books you have very few words that you can use. And then the process was just whittling it down and trying to make it concise and moving for kids to be inspired by her in as few words as I could. 

As you know with editing, I have editors ask me where everything came from – and I had to go back. I have a bibliography of things, but it was fun. I really do like research. I love learning about the Tarahumara people. I didn’t know about them – from where they come from, which is this area that’s bigger than the Grand Canyon… I was blown away by so much that I didn’t know about Mexico.

AC: In your author’s note you write that María Lorena made international headlines when she won the Ultra Trail Cerro Rojo in 2017 – not just for her victory, but because she was wearing huaraches and a brightly colored skirt. There’s one part of the book where you write that she weaves to the front of the pack of runners without fancy gear or gadgets. It made me think about what distinguishes her from other runners. In telling this story, is there anything else you took away from what makes her unique in the running world?

BM: What stands out for me –  and not so much in terms of Lorena, but Lorena and her family and her people – is that they don’t just run for themselves. She’s running for her family and to make a better life for other people. I sometimes find that – and I’m generalizing – in America, in our culture, we tend to be very individualistic-minded. We do it for our own selves, or maybe for our ego or whatever we’re proving to ourselves. But we’re not running, or whatever we’re trying to do, because we’re bringing up everyone around us. And that’s what I felt like I learned from her: What she was doing wasn’t just for her. It was for her family. It was for her people. She’s running as a community, which I felt was really moving and powerful. That just gives her that extra motivation.

AC: Your prose is beautiful, and so are the illustrations by Natalia Rojas Castro. What do you think her illustrations add to your text?

BM: Oh my gosh. It brought the words to life. And it’s funny because I thought to myself, Maybe I could illustrate this [Laughs]. Because I do portrait illustration. I was laughing at myself because of the things that I tried to draw. And then I gave up pretty quickly. What she did just elevated the story – the movement, the color. I fell in love with the colors. They reminded me of the colors I think of, of Mexico: just a real richness and deepness and vibrancy to the colors, and the movement. I think she really made the book. I had really little feedback. I think she nailed it. And I’m so happy that she decided to take a chance on my words, and made it her own thing. I was so amazed by some of those spreads that incorporate and then add to my words. I was so thrilled.

AC: What are you hoping readers take away from Daughter of the Light-Footed People?

BM: As I alluded before, I want people to be aware of Lorena and her community. A lot of people say you can do hard things, and you can. You don’t have to have all these resources to put limitations on yourself. Kids can see that you don’t need all the stuff to be successful and that, with grit and perseverance, you can accomplish amazing things. I think that’s a great message – not to make excuses for ourselves… But seeing a woman who is from a modest background able to achieve these amazing things against people with so many more resources – now they can also accomplish whatever it is that they want to do, even if they don’t have all the things that they think they need.

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Belen Medina, the daughter of Mexican immigrants, was born and raised in California’s Central Valley. She spent her childhood summers in Mexico with her grandparents and has been navigating two cultures her entire life. Still a Californian at heart, she now lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and two sons. Daughter of the Light-Footed People is her debut picture book.

Amaris Castillo is an award-winning journalist, writer, and the creator of Bodega Stories, a series featuring real stories from the corner store. Her writing has appeared in La Galería Magazine, Aster(ix) Journal, Spanglish Voces, PALABRITAS, Dominican Moms Be Like… (part of the Dominican Writers Association’s #DWACuenticos chapbook series), and most recently Quislaona: A Dominican Fantasy Anthology and Sana, Sana: Latinx Pain and Radical Visions for Healing and Justice. Her short story, “El Don,” was a prize finalist for the 2022 Elizabeth Nunez Caribbean-American Writers’ Prize by the Brooklyn Caribbean Literary Festival. She is a proud member of Latinx in Publishing’s Writers Mentorship Class of 2023 and lives in Florida with her family.

Most Anticipated June 2024 Releases

We’ve hit the mid-year mark (crazy, right?), and the great books keep coming. Here are some of our most anticipated releases for June that would look lovely on your TBR list 😉.

Isabel and The Rogue by Liana De la Rosa

The second installment of the Luna Sisters series is finally here! This is the perfect read for all romance lovers, regardless of whether you’ve read the first book (Ana María and The Fox) or not.

Isabel Luna Valdés has long since resigned herself to being the “forgotten” Luna sister. But thanks to familial connections to the Mexican ambassador in London, wallflower Isabel is poised to unearth any British intelligence hidden by the ton that might aid Mexico during the French Occupation. Though she slips easily from crowded ballrooms into libraries and private studies, Isabel’s search is hampered by trysting couples and prowling rogues—including the rakish Captain Sirius Dawson.

The Sons of El Rey by Alex Espinoza

As June is also Pride Month, we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to highlight this powerful title exploring LGBTQIA+ themes.

Ernesto Vega has lived many lives, from pig farmer to construction worker to famed luchador El Rey Coyote, yet he has always worn a mask. He was discovered by a local lucha libre trainer at a time when luchadores—Mexican wrestlers donning flamboyant masks and capes—were treated as daredevils or rock stars. Ernesto found fame, rapidly gaining name recognition across Mexico, but at great expense, nearly costing him his marriage to his wife Elena.

Years later, in East Los Angeles, his son, Freddy Vega, is struggling to save his father’s gym while Freddy’s own son, Julian, is searching for professional and romantic fulfillment as a Mexican American gay man refusing to be defined by stereotypes.

Brownstone by Samuel Teer | Illustrated by Mar Julia

Almudena has always wondered about the dad she never met.

Now, with her white mother headed on a once-in-a-lifetime trip without her, she’s left alone with her Guatemalan father for an entire summer. Xavier seems happy to see her, but he expects her to live in (and help fix up) his old, broken-down brownstone. And all along, she must navigate the language barrier of his rapid-fire Spanish—which she doesn’t speak.

As Almudena tries to adjust to this new reality, she gets to know the residents of Xavier’s Latin American neighborhood. Each member of the community has their own joys and heartbreaks as well as their own strong opinions on how this young Latina should talk, dress, and behave. Some can’t understand why she doesn’t know where she comes from. Others think she’s “not brown enough” to fit in.

Fixing a broken building is one thing, but turning these stubborn individuals into a found family might take more than this one summer.

Craft: Stories I Wrote for the Devil by Ananda Lima

At a Halloween party in 1999, a writer slept with the devil. She sees him again and again throughout her life and she writes stories for him about things that are both impossible and true.

Lima lures readers into surreal pockets of the United States and Brazil where they’ll find bite-size Americans in vending machines and the ghosts of people who are not dead. Once there, she speaks to modern Brazilian-American immigrant experiences–of ambition, fear, longing, and belonging―and reveals the porousness of storytelling and of the places we call home.

With humor, an exquisite imagination, and a voice praised as “singular and wise and fresh” (Cathy Park Hong), Lima joins the literary lineage of Bulgakov and Lispector and the company of writers today like Ted Chiang, Carmen Maria Machado, and Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah.

With nine stories, Craft: Stories I Wrote for the Devil is perfect for readers looking to get spooked.

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Elizabeth Cervantes is a proud Mexican book lover. She has a bachelor’s in Multimedia Journalism from the University of Texas at El Paso and is currently working on obtaining her master’s in Publishing at Pace University. When she is not studying and reading for her classes, you can find her crying, swooning, or locking her doors while reading children’s books, romance novels, and mysteries/thrillers.

Author Q&A: ‘Abuelo's Flower Shop’ by Jackie Morera

In Abuelo’s Flower Shop, a young girl named Elena is holding a bunch of yellow tulips. She shouts to her grandfather that she’s almost done gathering flowers.

It’s Elena’s first day working with Abuelo in his shop. A short time later, a woman in a black dress approaches them. She looks sad and is dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief.

“Is she okay?” Elena asks after the woman leaves. Abuelo insists that she is. He tells Elena not to worry.

As the day continues, Elena meets more customers. And with each customer, she senses a heaviness she doesn’t quite understand.

Finally, Abuelo explains that they are headed to the garden across the way. It’s a sad place, but special because it’s where people visit their loved ones who have died.

Abuelo’s Flower Shop by debut author Jackie Morera is a tender and sensitive lesson on how to support those who are grieving. Morera’s gentle hand guides young readers through Elena’s journey to learning about the cemetery nearby. The illustrations by Deise Lino add an extra layer of warmth and inclusion to this story.

Morera drew from her own life to tell this fictitious tale that also celebrates intergenerational love. She recalled her grandparents selling flowers from their home in Miami. “They were street vendors, and they would sell flowers to any passerby,” she said. “They lived catty-corner from one of the bigger cemeteries down in Miami.”

Out on June 4 from Beaming Books, Abuelo’s Flower Shop is Morera’s quest to answer what it would look like if a child realizes that there’s something more to this garden across the way. This story is a softhearted lesson about grief.

Ahead of the book’s release, Morera spoke with Latinx in Publishing about the inspiration behind Abuelo’s Flower Shop, what she learned about grief while writing this story, and more.

Amaris Castillo (AC): What inspired you to write this story?

Jackie Morera (JM): I wanted to write picture books as a creative adventure because I was writing longer form and wanted to try something different. I was dredging up these ideas and these moments from the past to tell the story, so it’s loosely based on my own experience (of) growing up in Miami and visiting my abuelos who would sell flowers from buckets in front of their house. They were street vendors, and they would sell flowers to any passerby. They lived catty-corner from one of the bigger cemeteries down in Miami. 

The conversation between Elena and her abuelo – all of that is fiction. But the story, the place, and what could happen between a young child and their grown-up in those moments is what inspired this story of realizing when you’re young (that) there’s a reason why at least most of these people who are stopping by might be buying these flowers – and what that space across the street represents. And what that might look like when a child is inquisitive, or maybe isn’t inquisitive, and recognizes through various moments that there’s something more going on here and what the grown-up in that relationship might do. That’s what inspired this story: a little bit of real life, and then a little bit of speculation of what that conversation would play out as.

AC: In your book, Elena at first doesn't understand that the people who come to her abuelo's flower shop are grieving. How did you approach this lesson on how to support those who are grieving in order for it to be digestible to young readers?

JM: When I first wrote it, I wanted it to be a snapshot of a moment that could happen. Initially it wasn’t a book to help people understand what grief could look like. That wasn’t the motivation for putting the story together. It ends up feeling more that way, and I’m grateful for that. I’m grateful to have that story out there for children, and for caregivers who are looking to help children through those. But for me, I really wanted it to be an inquisitive child who is excited to be supporting or just being with her grandfather, and realizing a little bit more about what is happening around her. And then that led to a conversation about empathy and understanding how other people might be feeling and why.

(I also wanted it to touch on) the complicated relationship between young children and their caregivers or the grown-ups in their lives. In my experience, in the Latino community, the men are often head of household and maintain a lot of the more adult topics and the things that they try to keep children safe from understanding. So it was a little bit of all of these things. 

“Initially it wasn’t a book to help people understand what grief could look like. That wasn’t the motivation for putting the story together. It ends up feeling more that way, and I’m grateful for that.”

AC: Some adults try to protect the young people in their lives from harsh realities or sadness, which can be futile. In your book, these themes literally arrive at Abuelo's flower room. I notice, though, that Elena isn't aware at first what that garden across the road really is. Why did you choose to have Abuelo initially keep that fact from her?

JM: In my experience growing up in a Latino community, children are very protected. I think there’s a nice difference here from what I experienced growing up with a lot of the grown-ups in my life, to what I would love for children to experience with grown-ups in their life – which is more of a softness, sensitivity, and an openness to having these conversations. But that’s where it started. 

Obviously, we’re not a monolith. Not every community is this way, especially when it comes to grief. But the grown-ups and specifically the men like to protect the children as much as possible with these difficult topics, and keep them away from grief and loss and all of this. Elena is so excited to help her abuelo and be with him out there. This is a beautiful place with flowers and people, and there’s a garden across the street. She’s so little, so she doesn’t need to know these things. And I think sometimes adults wait until the very last minute to say something, to make something clear. In this instance, Elena is not experiencing grief herself. So it’s (about) recognizing the grief in other people. 

Even now, as a parent, you never know when is the right time to share something with your child. I think abuelo is doing a little bit of that: he’s trying to maintain her knowledge of what is happening until it is really in front of her – until the customers really start to approach and she’s realizing. As a grown-up he’s kind of struggling with that, from when to make that clear.

AC: While writing this book, did you learn anything new about grief?

JM: I think there’s been changes over the past couple of years in general with how open we should be or recommended to be with children, and how explicit we should be in our language. 

If I had written this story 10 years ago before having children, before working with children, before that educational awareness, maybe the language would have been a little bit softer. And now it says ‘people who died’ in the text because that’s something that is helpful for children anywhere, to have that very literal language of, this is what happens, and this is a way that you can keep the memories of that person alive. Whether that’s you as someone who has experienced loss and death, or you as someone who is helping somebody through that difficult time. That’s definitely something; how direct we have to be with our language with children. I feel like that’s a pretty big change. 

AC: What are you hoping readers take away from Abuelo’s Flower Shop?

JM: I hope that readers walk away feeling more able to be curious. Because I think that’s something that I love about Elena. She’s asking these questions out loud, and that leads her to understanding what is happening. And if she didn’t ask, she might have come to her own conclusions – and maybe those wouldn’t have been the correct conclusions, or she wouldn’t have realized and had this opportunity to learn what’s going on. 

I think recognizing that it’s OK to ask questions in uncomfortable moments helps you to be a more empathetic person. There are ways that you can help people who are going through difficult moments, even in small ways (like) helping them pick a flower or helping them remember their loved one… So that curiosity and that sense of, it’s OK to ask questions. And there are people around me who can help me better understand what’s happening.

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Jackie Morera is an author of books for young readers of all ages. Born and raised in Miami, Jackie now lives in Central Florida with her husband, son, and goofy pup. She enjoys telling stories, savoring pastelitos, and cozying up for a good nap.

Amaris Castillo is an award-winning journalist, writer, and the creator of Bodega Stories, a series featuring real stories from the corner store. Her writing has appeared in La Galería Magazine, Aster(ix) Journal, Spanglish Voces, PALABRITAS, Dominican Moms Be Like… (part of the Dominican Writers Association’s #DWACuenticos chapbook series), and most recently Quislaona: A Dominican Fantasy Anthology and Sana, Sana: Latinx Pain and Radical Visions for Healing and Justice. Her short story, “El Don,” was a prize finalist for the 2022 Elizabeth Nunez Caribbean-American Writers’ Prize by the Brooklyn Caribbean Literary Festival. She is a proud member of Latinx in Publishing’s Writers Mentorship Class of 2023 and lives in Florida with her family and dog.

June 2024 Latinx Releases

On Sale June 4

Into the Mighty Sea by Arlene Abundis |Illustrated by Cynthia Alonso |PICTURE BOOK

Mariel's family is a big POP of color! But when her tíos, tías, and cousins arrive for her hermanito's birthday party, their many besos, noises, and colors start to feel overwhelming. As Mariel's tears grow into an ocean, she paints a boat to stay afloat and dives into the mighty sea.

When an island calls to her through the swells, she discovers sights, smells, and sounds on its shores that bring back memories of the people she loves the most to guide her back home.

Beautifully illustrated and lyrically written, Into the Mighty Sea is about a girl with big emotions who learns that sometimes taking a step back can be exactly what you need.

Isabel and The Rogue by Liana de la Rosa | ADULT FICTION

Isabel Luna Valdés has long since resigned herself to being the "forgotten" Luna sister. But thanks to familial connections to the Mexican ambassador in London, wallflower Isabel is poised to unearth any British intelligence hidden by the ton that might aid Mexico during the French Occupation. Though she slips easily from crowded ballrooms into libraries and private studies, Isabel's search is hampered by trysting couples and prowling rogues--including the rakish Captain Sirius Dawson.

As a covert agent for the British Home Office, Sirius makes a game of earning the aristocracy's confidence. He spends his days befriending foolish politicians and seducing well-born ladies in order to learn their secrets. But after he spies a certain sharp-tongued Luna sister lurking in the shadows where no proper debutante should venture, it's clear Sirius is outmatched, outwitted, and soon to be outmaneuvered by the one woman he can't resist.

Their mutual attraction is undeniable, but when Isabel discovers private correspondence that could turn the tide of political turmoil in Mexico, she's willing to do whatever it takes to protect her country--even if this means ignoring her heart and courting danger...

Malas by Marcela Fuentes | ADULT FICTION

In 1951, a mysterious old woman confronts Pilar Aguirre in the small border town of La Cienega, Texas. The old woman is sure Pilar stole her husband and, in a heated outburst, lays a curse on Pilar and her family.

More than forty years later, Lulu Muñoz is dodging chaos at every turn: her troubled father's moods, his rules, her secret life as singer in a punk band, but most of all her upcoming quinceañera. When her beloved grandmother passes away, Lulu finds herself drawn to the glamorous stranger who crashed the funeral and who lives alone and shunned on the edge of town.

Their unexpected kinship picks at the secrets of Lulu's family's past. As the quinceañera looms--and we move between these two strong, irascible female voices--one woman must make peace with the past, and one girl pushes to embrace her future.

Sumo Libre by Joe Cepeda | PICTURE BOOK

Max loves to wrestle, and thinks lucha libre is the best sport ever!
Kenji loves to wrestle, and thinks sumo wrestling is the best sport ever times 1000!

What was an enjoyable day showing off their favorite wrestling moves has now turned into a nasty disagreement. But when Max and Kenji go their separate ways, they quickly learn that wrestling is no fun by yourself. With apologies exchanged and a friendship restored, Max and Kenji turn their love of wrestling into a magical day for their neighbors.

In this exciting mash up of lucha libre and sumo wrestling, Sumo Libre teaches how to overcome differences and work together to create something special.

London on My Mind by Clara Alves | Translated by Nina Perrotta | YOUNG ADULT

Sixteen-year-old Dayana has always dreamed of visiting London -- to walk along the Thames, take pictures outside Buckingham Palace, and maybe even get a glimpse of Arthur, Prince of Wales, whose marriage has been all over tabloids. But the trip of her dreams turns into a royal nightmare when her mother passes away. Now, Day must leave Rio de Janeiro to live with her estranged father and his new family in London.

As it turns out, the U.K. isn't exactly Day's cup of tea. She struggles to forgive her father for walking out on her and her mom all those years ago; fights with her stepsister constantly; detests her stepmother; and she can't even see One Direction in concert because they've been broken up for ages. All she wants to do is trade the rainy skies of London for the sun and beaches of Rio.

That's when she runs into the girl of her dreams -- literally: The coincidentally named Diana, a witty, funny, redhead who was in the middle of . . . escaping Buckingham Palace? Something isn't right here, but it makes Diana all the more alluring. As time passes, and the two girls grow closer, Day can't help but wonder if there is more than a little truth to the rumors surrounding Prince Arthur -- and if Diana might be involved somehow. Is it all in her head, or could Day be caught up in a real-life royal scandal?

Desert Song by Laekan Zea Kemp | Illustrated by Beatriz Gutiérrez Hernández | PICTURE BOOK

As the blush of sunset gives way to night in the desert, coyotes, cicadas, and barn owls emerge, each calling out to the moon. Watching from their porch, the family joins the song. One by one, each relative offers their drums, flute, maracas, strings, and voices.

They sing with the insects, birds, snakes and toads; and they sing with their ancestors, an audience glittering in the stars overhead. With each strum of passed-down instruments, memories renew, and those gone are alive and near again.

Desert Song hums and chimes with all the music a front porch and the desert beyond can hold. Pura Belpré Honor author Laekan Zea Kemp's masterfully stirring text dances through Beatriz Gutierrez Hernandez's enchanting and dynamic artwork. Readers will be left with the soothing sense that when creativity flourishes, the past is never out of reach, and the bonds that matter never break.

Also available in Spanish

Cesaria Feels the Beat by Denise Rosario Adusei |Illustrated by Priscila Soares | PICTURE BOOK

Cesaria is going to perform for the seaside Carnival. She skips past the beach barefoot, dressed in her favorite peacock leotard.

But when her dance director tells her she must put on her shoes to go on stage, Cesaria signs, "Peacocks don't wear shoes!"

You see, Cesaria hears the music through the soles of her feet, but no one seems to understand...

...That is, until all the dancers take off their shoes, and learn to feel the music, just like Cesaria.

Cesaria Feels the Beat is a lyrical and heartfelt story about deafness, community, and Carnival.

Abuelo's Flower Shop by Jackie Morera | Illustrated by Deise Lino | PICTURE BOOK

Elena is finally old enough to sell flowers with her abuelo in his shop. But she notices that many of the people who visit have tears in their eyes. Abuelo tells her the shop is the last stop before people visit the garden beyond the gate. A place for telling the ones you've loved and lost, "Te recuerdo y te extraño," I remember you, and I miss you.

Tender and insightful, Abuelo's Flower Shop celebrates the beauty of intergenerational love while gently teaching readers about grieving the loss of a loved one. Grandparents and grandchildren will delight in Elena and Abuelo's heartfelt relationship, and readers of all ages will be inspired to find their own ways to say, "I remember you, and I miss you." This thoughtful story is the perfect resource for navigating difficult conversations about grief.

My Body Is Paper: Stories and Poems by Gil Cuadros | SHORT STORIES AND POETRY

Since City of God (1994) by Gil Cuadros was published 30 years ago, it has become an unlikely classic (an "essential book of Los Angeles" according to the LA Times), touching readers and writers who find in his work a singular evocation of Chicanx life in Los Angeles during and leading up to the AIDS epidemic, which took his life in 1996. Little did we know, Cuadros continued writing exuberant prose and poems in the period between his one published book and his untimely death at the age of 34. This recently discovered treasure, My Body Is Paper, is a stunning portrait of sex, family, religion, culture of origin, and the betrayals of the body. Tender and blistering, erotic and spiritual--Cuadros dives into these complexities which we grapple with today, showing us how to survive these times, and beyond.

Blood in the Cut by Alejandro Nodarse | ADULT FICTION

Iggy Guerra is out of prison, but his homecoming is anything but smooth. His beloved mother is gone, his grief-stricken father Armando is deep in debt, and they are about to lose the butcher shop that has been in their family for generations.

Iggy must earn his father's lost trust in order to save La Carnicería Guerra from the threats imposed by a new rival business, a vigilante activist, and big-game hunter Orin, who has dragged Armando into his dangerous money-making schemes deep in the Everglades, where more than secrets are buried. Iggy will wrestle with the beauty and the danger of the place he calls home as he tries to save his family--without losing himself forever.

Sharp as a butcher knife gleaming in the Miami sun, Alejandro Nodarse's Blood in the Cut opens onto a deeply personal vision of the streets and swamps of Miami, where the roots are crooked but strong as mangroves.

The Ballad of Jacquotte Delahaye by Briony Cameron | ADULT FICTION

In the tumultuous town of Yáquimo, Santo Domingo, Jacquotte Delahaye is an unknown but up-and-coming shipwright. Her dreams are bold but her ambitions are bound by the confines of her life with her self-seeking French father. When her way of life and the delicate balance of power in the town are threatened, she is forced to flee her home and become a woman on the run along with a motley crew of refugees, including a mysterious young woman named Teresa.

Jacquotte and her band become indentured servants to the infamous Blackhand, a ruthless pirate captain who rules his ship with an iron fist. As they struggle to survive his brutality, Jacquotte finds herself unable to resist Teresa despite their differences. When Blackhand hatches a dangerous scheme to steal a Portuguese shipment of jewels, Jacquotte must rely on her wits, resourcefulness, and friends to survive. But she discovers there is a grander, darker scheme of treachery at play, and she ultimately must decide what price she is willing to pay to secure a better future for them all.

Role Play by Clara Drummond | Translated by Daniel Hahn | ADULT FICTION

Vivian is a curator, not just at her gallery gig in Rio de Janeiro, but in every aspect of her life. Her apartment has designer armchairs. Her wallet is Comme des Garçons. Everything is selected and arranged, even her lovers and friends. In Vivian's world, everything comes in excess, including her own caustic selfawareness. As she informs us, "I'm a misandrist and a misogynist," but she is fond of gay men, "the one type of human you can properly get along with as equals."

Role Playexamines the superabundances of Brazilian elites-- their art, ethics, and monied ambivalence in the face of social inequality, machismo, and violence. As sharp and sparkling as broken champagne flutes, Clara Drummond's prose is seductively frank and unflinching in its depiction of wealth's power to warp the self.

The Truth about Immigration: Why Successful Societies Welcome Newcomers by Zeke Hernandez | ADULT NONFICTION

In The Truth About Immigration, Wharton professor Zeke Hernandez draws from nearly 20 years of research to answer all the big questions about immigration. He combines moving personal stories with rigorous research to offer an accessible, apolitical, and evidence-based look at how newcomers affect our local communities and our nation. You'll learn about the overlooked impact of immigrants on investment and job creation; realize how much we take for granted the novel technologies, products, and businesses newcomers create; get the facts straight about perennial concerns like jobs, crime, and undocumented immigrants; and gain new perspectives on misunderstood issues such as the border, taxes, and assimilation.

Most books making a case for immigration tell you that immigration is good for immigrants. This book is all about how newcomers benefit you, your community, and your country. Skeptics fear that newcomers compete economically with locals because of their similarities and fail to socially assimilate because of their differences. You'll see that it's exactly the opposite: newcomers bring enduring economic benefits because of their differences and contribute positively to society because of their similarities. Destined to become the go-to book on one of the most important issues of our time, this book turns fear into hope by proving a simple truth: immigrants are essential for economically prosperous and socially vibrant nations.

On Sale June 11

Out of the Sierra: A Story of Rarámuri Resistance by Victoria Blanco

The Rarámuri people of Chihuahua, Mexico, make up one of the largest Indigenous tribes of North America. Renowned for maintaining their language and cultural traditions in the face of colonization, they have weathered numerous hardships--climate disaster, poverty, cultural erasure--that have only worsened during the twenty-first century.

Based on more than a decade of oral history and participatory field work, Out of the Sierra paints a vivid and vital portrait of Rarámuri displacement. When drought leaves the Gutiérrez family with nothing to eat, they are faced with the choice many Rarámuris must make: remain and hope for rain and aid, or leave their sacred homeland behind. Luis, Martina, and their children choose to journey from their home in the Sierra Madre mountains toward a new and uncertain future in a government-funded Indigenous settlement.

Victoria Blanco considers Indigenous identity with tenderness and intelligence, demanding recognition and justice for the Rarámuri people as they resist assimilation and uphold traditional knowledge in the face of broken systems. In a narrative of unprecedented access and intimacy, Out of the Sierra offers a groundbreaking testimony to human resilience and the power of community.

Daughter of the Light-Footed People: The Story of Indigenous Marathon Champion Lorena Ramírez by Belen Medina | Illustrated by Natalia Rojas Castro | PICTURE BOOK

From the copper canyons of Mexico, her swift footsteps echo. Clip clap, clip clap.

Experience a sixty-mile run with Indigenous athlete Lorena Ramírez. She runs in the traditional clothes of the Rarámuri, "the light-footed people," to show that her people and their way of life are alive and thriving--outpacing runners in modern, high-tech gear and capturing the world's attention. Lorena's career as an athlete is an inspiring real-life example of the power of perseverance that will encourage young readers to follow their own dreams.

Brownstone by Samuel Teer | Illustrated by Mar Julia | GRAPHIC NOVEL

Almudena has always wondered about the dad she never met.

Now, with her white mother headed on a once-in-a-lifetime trip without her, she's left alone with her Guatemalan father for an entire summer. Xavier seems happy to see her, but he expects her to live in (and help fix up) his old, broken-down brownstone. And all along, she must navigate the language barrier of his rapid-fire Spanish--which she doesn't speak.

As Almudena tries to adjust to this new reality, she gets to know the residents of Xavier's Latin American neighborhood. Each member of the community has their own joys and heartbreaks as well as their own strong opinions on how this young Latina should talk, dress, and behave. Some can't understand why she doesn't know where she comes from. Others think she's "not brown enough" to fit in.

But time is running out for Almudena and Xavier to get to know each other, and the key to their connection may ultimately lie in bringing all these different elements together. Fixing a broken building is one thing, but turning these stubborn individuals into a found family might take more than this one summer.

The Sons of El Rey by Alex Espinoza | ADULT FICTION

Ernesto Vega has lived many lives, from pig farmer to construction worker to famed luchador El Rey Coyote, yet he has always worn a mask. He was discovered by a local lucha libre trainer at a time when luchadores--Mexican wrestlers donning flamboyant masks and capes--were treated as daredevils or rock stars. Ernesto found fame, rapidly gaining name rec-ognition across Mexico, but at great expense, nearly costing him his marriage to his wife Elena.

Years later, in East Los Angeles, his son, Freddy Vega, is struggling to save his father's gym while Freddy's own son, Julian, is searching for professional and romantic fulfillment as a Mexican American gay man refusing to be defined by stereotypes.

With alternating perspectives, Ernesto and Elena take you from the ranches of Michoacán to the makeshift colonias of Mexico City. Freddy describes life in the suburban streets of 1980s Los Angeles and the community their family built, as Julian descends deep into our present-day culture of hook-up apps, lucha burlesque shows, and the dark underbelly of West Hollywood. The Sons of El Rey is an intimate portrait of a family wading against time and legacy, yet always choosing the fight.

As the Seas Rise: Nicole Hernández Hammer and the Fight for Climate Justice by Angela Quezada Padron | PICTURE BOOK

As a baby, Nicole survived an earthquake in Guatemala. She grew up in Guatemala's beautiful jungles. Throughout her life, Nicole witnessed the power and wonder of nature. But she soon realized nature was in trouble. Her own community in Florida was struggling. And everyone needed to become resilient.

In this lyrical biography, readers will meet environmental scientist and climate activist Nicole Hernández Hammer and hear the message she's spent her career sharing: As we look to the future, we can empower and protect our communities. But that will only be possible if we all work together--including the smallest of us.

Abuela's Library by Lissette Norman | Illustrated by Jayri Gómez | PICTURE BOOK

Alfonso and Abuela love to spend Saturday afternoons finding books at the library and reading them together beneath their favorite oak tree. But when their beloved tree is cut down, can Alfonso transform the stump into something magical for their whole community--their very own neighborhood library?

This uplifting story from award-winning poet Lissette Norman and illustrator Jayri Gómez shows us how to turn an unexpected setback into a happy ending: one with a beautiful sky-blue door and shelves filled with books for everyone to enjoy.

Vega's Piece of the Sky by Jennifer Torres | MIDDLE GRADE

A meteorite comes crashing down on the lives of three middle schoolers changing everything they know about family, friendships, and community in this charming and heartfelt novel with a light STEM touch.

The space rock is just the latest thing to land, uninvited, in Vega Lucero’s road-stop hometown. But when she discovers how much a chunk of the meteorite might be worth, she realizes it’s exactly the treasure she’s been hoping to find—and maybe a way to convince her mom not to sell the family store to big city developers to help pay for her grandpa Tata’s medical expenses. 

Determined to find more pieces of the sky somewhere in the perilous desert wilderness, stubbornly independent Vega must set aside her distrust of outsiders to team up with Jasper, a would-be rival—and her own tagalong cousin Mila—on an overnight adventure to find more meteorites before the professional hunters who have descended on Date City do. But along the way, she realizes that she’s not the only one with the weight of the world on her shoulders. Jasper and Mila have secrets and worries of their own that has brought them on this journey.

Hearts of Fire and Snow by David Bowles and Guadalupe García McCall | YOUNG ADULT

Blanca Montes wants to make a difference in the world, to do more than her wealthy godfather and spoiled boyfriend think her capable of. So when Greg Chan shows up as a new student at her Nevada school, she is more than intrigued by this handsome, brilliant stranger.

But Greg and Blanca are drawn to each other by something stronger--their fates entwined centuries ago. In his first life, Greg was Captain Popoca, and Blanca is the reincarnation of Princess Iztac, who took her own life after believing her beloved Popoca was sent to his death in battle. Greg has spent a thousand years searching for his lost love, and now the fates have given them one more chance to reunite. Will their hearts finally beat as one?

The Mango Tree (La Mata de Mango) by Edel Rodriguez | PICTURE BOOK

In a quiet village on a small island, two boys spend their days in a mango tree. High above the rest of the world, they play, take naps in the shade, and eat mangoes together. But after a huge storm sweeps one boy out into unknown waters, he finds himself alone in a strange new land, where everything is different and unfamiliar.

In this poignant, personal story, internationally celebrated Cuban American artist Edel Rodriguez brings to life his childhood experience as an immigrant to the US. Taking readers on a fantastical journey into the unknown, The Mango Tree (La mata de mango) is a tale of new experiences, the bonds that connect us to home, and a friendship that endures across time and borders.

The Afterlife of Mal Caldera by Nadi Reed Perez | ADULT FICTION

Mal's life is over. Her afterlife is only just beginning...

By turns irreverently funny and deeply moving, this debut contemporary fantasy is perfect for fans of They Both Die at the End and The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue.

Mal Caldera--former rockstar, retired wild-child and excommunicated black sheep of her Catholic family--is dead. Not that she cares. She only feels bad that her younger sister, Cris, has been left to pick up the pieces Mal left behind. While her fellow ghosts party their afterlives away at an abandoned mansion they call the Haunt, Mal is determined to make contact with Cris from beyond the grave.

She enlists the help of a reluctant local medium, Ren, and together, they concoct a plan to pass on a message to Cris. But the more time they spend together, the more they begin to wonder what might have been if they'd met before Mal died.

Mal knows it's wrong to hold on so tightly to her old life. Bad things happen to ghosts who interfere with the living, and Mal can't help wondering if she's hurting the people she loves by hanging around, haunting their lives. But Mal has always been selfish, and letting go might just be the hardest thing she's ever had to do.

My Daddy Is a Cowboy by Stephanie Seales | Illustrated by C. G. Esperanza | PICTURE BOOK

In the early hours before dawn, a young girl and her father greet their horses and ride together through the waking city streets. As they trot along, Daddy tells cowboy stories filled with fun and community, friendship, discovery, and pride. Seeing her city from a new vantage point and feeling seen in a new way, the child discovers that she too is a cowboy--strong and confident in who she is.

Thoughtfully and lyrically written by debut author Stephanie Seales, with vibrant illustrations from award-winning artist C. G. Esperanza, this beautiful picture book is a celebration of Black joy, outdoor play, and quality time spent between child and parent.

On Sale June 18

Craft: Stories I Wrote for the Devil by Ananda Lima | ADULT FICTION

At a Halloween party in 1999, a writer slept with the devil. She sees him again and again throughout her life and she writes stories for him about things that are both impossible and true.

Lima lures readers into surreal pockets of the United States and Brazil where they'll find bite-size Americans in vending machines and the ghosts of people who are not dead. Once there, she speaks to modern Brazilian-American immigrant experiences-of ambition, fear, longing, and belonging--and reveals the porousness of storytelling and of the places we call home.

Barrio Rising: The Protest That Built Chicano Park by María Dolores Águila |Illustrated by Magdalena Mora | PICTURE BOOK

Barrio Logan, one of San Diego's oldest Chicane neighborhoods, once brimmed with families and stretched all the way to the glorious San Diego Bay. But in the decades after WWII, the community lost their beach and bayfront to factories, junkyards, and an interstate that divided the neighborhood and forced around 5,000 people out of their homes. Then on April 22, 1970, residents discovered that the construction crew they believed was building a park--one the city had promised them years ago--was actually breaking ground for a police station. That's when they knew it was time to make their voices heard. Barrio Rising invites readers to join a courageous young activist and her neighbors in their successful twelve-day land occupation and beyond, when Barrio Logan banned together and built the colorful park that would become the corazón of San Diego's Chicane community.

On Sale June 25

Who Is Bad Bunny? by G. M. Taboas Zayas and Who Hq series | Illustrated by Andrew Thomson | PICTURE BOOK

Bad Bunny, born Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio, is one of today's most popular artists. He made his start posting his music on Soundcloud, and in 2016, his song "Diles" got him signed to a major record label. Since then, Bad Bunny has performed at Coachella and collaborated with superstars like Cardi B, J Balvin, and Drake. Breaking language barriers, Bad Bunny is now one of the top streamed artists internationally on Spotify. Bad Bunny is just getting started with his music takeover, having won 3 Grammys and 10 Billboard Music Awards. Not only that, Bad Bunny is heavily involved in activism spaces and even wrestles professionally! Learn more about Bad Bunny and his diverse career in this illustrated biography for young readers.

Also available in Spanish.

Hombrecito by Santiago Jose Sanchez | ADULT FICTION

In this groundbreaking novel, Santiago Jose Sanchez plunges us into the heart of one boy's life. His mother takes him and his brother from Colombia to America, leaving their absent father behind but essentially disappearing herself once they get to Miami.

In America, his mother works as a waitress when she was once a doctor. The boy embraces his queer identity as wholeheartedly as he embraces his new home, but not without a sense of loss. As he grows, his relationship with his mother becomes fraught, tangled, a love so intense that it borders on vivid pain but is also the axis around which his every decision revolves. She may have once forgotten him, disappeared, but she is always on his mind.

He moves to New York, ducking in and out of bed with different men as he seeks out something, someone, to make him whole again. When his mother invites him to visit family in Colombia with her, he returns to the country as a young man, trying to find peace with his father, with his homeland, with who he's become since he left, and with who his mother is: finally we come to know her and her secrets, her complex ambivalence and fierce love.

Loose Threads by Isol | Illustrated by Lawrence Schimel | PICTURE BOOK

Young Leilah lives in an idyllic village, where everything has its place. It's as beautiful and perfect as the scenes in her grandmother's embroidery. But some believe that just on the flipside of this orderly town lies the Other Side--a messy and wild world, filled with merry inhabitants and strange beasts, a peculiar world that Leilah often visits in her dreams.

So when Leilah's mom has had enough of her daughter constantly losing her things, Leilah comes up with a plan: her lost possessions must be falling down into the Other Side, and so all she has to do to fix things is mend the holes appearing in her world. It's a genius idea, and nothing will ever go missing again! But Leilah will soon learn that some loose threads don't need to be sewn up, and that keeping things in can also mean shutting things out...

Inspired by Palestinian embroidery and one of her favorite shawls, Isol spins a tale that celebrates the different sides that are all part of life's rich tapestry.

Saudade: Our Longing for Brazil by Ana Crespo |Illustrated by André Ceolin | PICTURE BOOK

Saudade is a Portuguese and Galician word with no perfect translation to English; it's a strong, melancholy longing for something you once had. Hiking in the hills, a little girl and her Brazilian immigrant mother contemplate what makes them feel saudade. A cool salty breeze miles from the ocean; the smell of Mamãe's perfume; memories of playing with cousins under trees or waterfalls, riding waves with grandparents who are now stuck in the square of a video call.

Though deeply woven through Brazilian music and literature, saudade is a familiar companion to us all. Readers who live far from loved ones or have adopted new homes will especially connect with this exploration of nostalgia and yearning.

The Tyranny of Flies by Elaine Vilar Madruga | Translated by Kevin Gerry Dunn | ADULT FICTION

Growing up on a Cuba-esque Caribbean island, Casandra, Calia, and Caleb endure life under two tyrannies: that of their parents, and the Island's authoritarian dictator, Pop-Pop Mustache. Papa was the dictator's former right-hand man. Now, he's a political pariah and an ugly parody of a tyrant, treating his home as a nation which he rules with an iron fist. As for Mom, his wife and hateful second in command, she rules from the mind. Obsessed with armchair psychoanalysis, she spends her days reading self-help books and seeks to diagnose the kids, and perhaps even herself.

But within these walls, a rebellion is fomenting. Casandra, a cynical, self-important teenager with the most unlikely of attractions, recruits Caleb, meek yet gifted with a deadly touch, to join her in an insurrection against their father's arbitrary totalitarianism. Meanwhile, Calia, the silent, youngest sibling who just wants to be left alone to draw animals, may be in league with the flies--whose swarm in and around the house grows larger as Papa's violence increases.

Book Review: Mamá's Panza

A mother’s panza is special, unique, and powerful. It creates life and protects it. It’s a child’s first home and safe space. It’s playful, fun, and, of course, filled with love.

Mama’s Panza (also available in Spanish) celebrates all these aspects and more. It beautifully encapsulates the strong love and bond between a child and their mother. The book showcases the young narrator having fun with his mother, like playing the drum on her panza and tumbling onto her during their lucha libre games. It also shows her protecting him from strangers at the store and scary monsters from his stories. Mama’s Panza becomes a third character of the story; an extension of the mother’s love and protection.

The young and playful narrator introduces the topic of body positivity in an accessible way. This book teaches children the importance of loving their bodies, which should be appreciated and celebrated for all the wonderful things they can do. It can run up hills, swim in the oceans, and keep us alive. It urges the reader to think: How could I not love my body? Additionally, the portrayal of a strong mother will resonate with new Latine mothers as they learn to accept their changing bodies and reject Euro-centric beauty norms. She offers affirming and inspiring words that teach readers an important lesson of body acceptance, such as her declaration, “This panza is a part of me. I cannot love all of me without loving it too.”

Filled with lively and colorful illustrations that leap off every page, the book is as visually beautiful as it is well-written. The incorporation of Latine cultural aspects–such as the house decorations, the grocery store, and the bedtime stories– into the design makes this a refreshing addition to children’s literature.

Mama’s Panza is an endearing book that celebrates a child’s love for their mother and her panza, making it a perfect gift for expecting and new mothers who want to teach their children about body love.

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Ilse Alva is a proud first-generation Mexican-American from South San Diego. She holds a BA in English from UCLA and an MS in Publishing from NYU. Ilse was a 2023 We Need Diverse Books Internship grantee, placed at Hachette Book Group for the summer. Previously, she worked with the Independent Book Publishers Association and at the UCLA Bookstore, where she learned she loved talking about books. She enjoys reading thrillers, sipping iced coffees, and hiking with her dog and cat.

Latinx Books That Make for the Perfect Graduation Gift

Graduation season is upon us, and there is no better gift (in our opinion) than a good book. Continue reading for books that make great graduation gifts for elementary, high school, and college graduates.

Elementary Graduates

What Will You Be? by Yamile Saied Méndez | Illustrated by Kip Alizadeh

What Will You Be? is a lyrical picture book about the common question: What will you be when you grow up? In it, a young girl dreams about all the endless possibilities, sparking a sense of wonder, curiosity, and growth. With her abuela’s loving guidance, she learns her potential is limitless.

The Spark in You by Andrea Pippins

There is a spark in you!

The spark in you shines when you smile. It sparkles when you dance. It glimmers and shimmers, zings, and pops! Your spark is festive and joyous and burns brightest when you are authentically being you.

Set against the vibrant backdrop of Carnival, a little girl uses all her creative energy to get ready for the big parade. Through the eyes of this vibrant character, the story celebrates the beautiful magic that makes each of us special.

Merci Suárez Changes Gears by Meg Medina

Merci Suárez knew that sixth grade would be different, but she had no idea just how different. 

For starters, Merci has never been like the other kids at her private school in Florida, because she and her older brother, Roli, are scholarship students. They don’t have a big house or a fancy boat, and they have to do extra community service to make up for their free tuition. So when bossy Edna Santos sets her sights on the new boy who happens to be Merci’s school-assigned Sunshine Buddy, Merci becomes the target of Edna’s jealousy. 

Things aren't going well at home, either: Merci’s grandfather and most trusted ally, Lolo, has been acting strangely lately — forgetting important things, falling from his bike, and getting angry over nothing. No one in her family will tell Merci what's going on, so she’s left to her own worries, while also feeling all on her own at school. 

This coming-of-age story exploring the confusion and constant change that defines middle school is perfect for introducing elementary graduates to the changes they might experience and showing them they will not be alone in their journey.

Patchwork by Matt de la Peña | Illustrated by Corinna Luyken

Patchwork explores the endless possibilities of each child: A young dancer may grow into a computer coder; a basketball player might become a poet; a class clown may one day serve as an inspiring teacher; and today’s quiet empath might be tomorrow’s great leader.

HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES

Rubi Ramos's Recipe for Success by Jessica Parra

Graduation is only a few months away, and Rubi Ramos’s “recipe for success” to get into prestigious Alma University is already off track.

When Alma waitlists Rubi’s application, Rubi will need to be distraction-free to make the grade and keep her parents—who have wanted this for her for years—from finding out. Which means falling for her cute surfer-slash-math tutor, Ryan, definitely won’t work. And neither will breaking her mother’s ban on baking.

But some recipes are begging to be tampered with.

When the First Annual Bake Off comes to town, Rubi’s passion for baking goes from subtle simmer to full boil. Add to the mix her crush on Ryan may be turning into a full-fledged relationship and Rubi’s life is suddenly so different from what it was. She’s not sure if she has what it takes to win the Bake Off, or where the relationship with Ryan is going, but there’s only one way to find out—even if it means going against her parents’ priorities.

As Rubi differentiates between the responsibility of unfulfilled dreams she holds and finding the path she’s meant for, high school graduates will feel understood and inspired to pursue their dreams.  

Gaby's Latin American Kitchen: 70 Kid-Tested and Kid-Approved Recipes for Young Chefs by Gaby Melian

Have you ever tried empanadas? Made cheesy arepas for your family? Or shared homemade, sprinkle-covered chocolate brigadeiros with your friends? Travel the world of Latin America with 70 recipes developed and written by professional chef Gaby Melian. A Spanish glossary, fun personal stories, and a peek into Gaby's own kitchen make this book a delicious win for all young chefs and their families! The cookbook contains a variety of recipes from breakfast to dessert including arepas con queso, ensalada de frutas, panqueques con dulce de leche, and empanadas de pollo. 

Although the book is geared toward kids, the book is perfect for all beginners, such as soon-to-be college students living away from home for the first time!

College graduates

The Latinx Guide to Graduate School by Genevieve Negrón-Gonzales and Magdalena L. Barrera

Providing a roadmap for surviving and thriving in advanced-degree programs, The Latinx Guide to Graduate School is the perfect gift for the graduate considering or heading to graduate school. 

The authors document the unwritten rules of graduate education that impact Latinx students, demystifying and clarifying the essential requirements for navigating graduate school that Latinx students may not know because they are often the first in their families to walk that path. Topics range from identifying the purpose of graduate research, finding the right program, and putting together a strong application to developing a graduate student identity, cultivating professional and personal relationships, and mapping out a post-graduate school career. 

Brand With Purpose: Find Your Passion, Stay True to Your Story, and Accelerate Your Career by Ivan Estrada

In Brand With Purpose, Ivan Estrada shares critical lessons about personal growth and self-discovery―from his early precocious entrepreneurial endeavors as a seven-year-old selling his drawings door to door for $2 to his rise as an inspirational business leader and highly ranked real estate broker. A book for young entrepreneurs, creative thinkers, and ambitious dreamers, Brand With Purpose is filled with tools and expert advice on growing your career and business, with enlightening case studies and inspirational wisdom from successful entrepreneurs and trailblazers. Reflecting on his personal journey of growing up Latino, LGBTQ, and working middle class, Ivan is a prime example that hard work and perseverance on a foundation of self-confidence is the way to success.

With guided self-reflection, this book is perfect for graduates finding their true passion and starting their professional careers. 

Budgeting For Dummies by Athena Valentine Lent

Graduating college often comes with greater financial responsibilities, and there is no better way to tackle these than by budgeting. 

Budgeting For Dummies shows you how to create a plan that fits your lifestyle, manages everyday needs, and builds your savings. Author Athena Valentine, founder of the Money Smart Latina blog, offers step-by-step details for creating and following a budget without feeling like you’re depriving yourself and your family of all the things that make life worth living. This book shows you how to figure out where your money comes from and where it goes so you can live the life you want and work toward your financial goals. Find out how to establish an emergency fund, eliminate debt, improve your credit score, and stick to your budget through economic ups and downs.

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Elizabeth Cervantes is a proud Mexican book lover. She has a bachelor’s in Multimedia Journalism from the University of Texas at El Paso and is currently working on obtaining her master’s in Publishing at Pace University. When she is not studying and reading for her classes, you can find her crying, swooning, or locking her doors while reading children’s books, romance novels, and mysteries/thrillers.

5 Books to Read for AAPI Heritage Month

Happy Asian American Pacific Islander and Heritage Month! Celebrate with us by reading one of these five amazing books by Asian Latinx authors.

Between Words: A Friendship Tale by Saki Tanaka

Kai is used to following the seasons with Pa, from place to new place where people speak languages unfamiliar to his ears. When they finally settle in a valley full of pools, Kai tries to invite the other children to join in his play, but the strangeness of his words drives them away. Frustrated, he kicks his most treasured stone into one of the pools and in his search for it, finds something even more valuable.

Between Words is a whimsical tale of unexpected friendship by Mexican-Japanese author-illustrator Saki Tanaka.

Café Con Lychee by Emery Lee

Theo Mori and Gabriel Moreno have always been at odds. Their parents own rival businesses—an Asian American café and a Puerto Rican bakery—and Gabi’s lack of coordination has cost their soccer team too many games to count.

Stuck in the closet and scared to pursue his own dreams, Gabi sees his family’s shop as his future. Stuck under the weight of his parents’ expectations, Theo’s best shot at leaving Vermont means first ensuring his parents’ livelihood is secure. 

So when a new fusion café threatens both shops, Theo and Gabi realize an unfortunate truth—they can only achieve their goals by working together to cook up an underground snack operation and win back their customers. But can they put aside their differences long enough to save their parents’ shops, or will the new feelings between them boil over?

Café Con Lychee is the perfect next read by a Black, Asian, and Latinx author for all rom-com lovers.

Twice a Quinceañera by Yamile Saied Méndez

One month short of her wedding day—and her thirtieth birthday—Nadia Palacio finds herself standing up to her infuriating, cheating fiancé for the first time in . . . well, ever. But that same courage doesn’t translate to breaking the news to her Argentinian family. She’s hyperventilating before facing them when she glimpses a magazine piece about a Latina woman celebrating herself—with a second quinceañera, aka Sweet 15! And that gives Nadia a brilliant idea . . .

With a wedding venue already paid for, and family from all over the world with plane tickets, Nadia is determined to create her own happily-ever-after. Since the math adds up perfectly, she’ll celebrate her treintañera, her double quinces. As the first professional in her family, raising a glass to her achievements is the best plan she’s had in years. Until she discovers that the man in charge of the venue is none other than her college fling that became far more than a fling. And he looks even more delicious than a three-tiered cake . . .

From an Argentinian American author of Syrian Lebanese descent, Twice a Quinceañera is a fun story about what it really means to come into your own.

El verano largo by Sui Kam Wen

In El verano largo, an author’s alter ego looks back on his memories as a college student – the street; the dictatorship; the friendships; the love; the silence; the loneliness; the discovery of a new world; the changes in Lima, Peru brought by migration; the social upheaval that changed Peru; family; and love again. 

Originally in Spanish, Peruvian-Chinese author Sui Kam Wem explores how a life without love is like a year without summer.

The Vulnerables by Sigrid Nunez

The Vulnerables offers a meditation on our contemporary era, as a solitary female narrator asks what it means to be alive during the COVID-19 pandemic and considers how our present reality affects the way a person looks back on her past.

Humor, to be sure, is a priceless refuge. Equally vital is connection with others, who here include an adrift member of Gen Z and a spirited parrot named Eureka. The Vulnerables reveals what happens when strangers are willing to open their hearts to each other and how far even small acts of caring can go to ease another’s distress. A search for understanding about some of the most critical matters of our time, Nunez’s novel is also an inquiry into the nature and purpose of writing itself.

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Elizabeth Cervantes is a proud Mexican book lover. She has a bachelor’s in Multimedia Journalism from the University of Texas at El Paso and is currently working on obtaining her master’s in Publishing at Pace University. When she is not studying and reading for her classes, you can find her crying, swooning, or locking her doors while reading children’s books, romance novels, and mysteries/thrillers.

Review and Author Q&A: The Dream Catcher by Marcelo Verdad

In The Dream Catcher by author-illustrator Marcelo Verdad, a young boy is awakened by his grandfather who lets him know it’s time for work. Soon they will head out for the day to sell cold coconuts and macrame dream catchers along México’s Oaxaca coast.

“Look how many coins I have already, Abuelito,” Miguelito says, holding up a jar of coins to his white-haired abuelo. “Do you think this is enough to buy an airplane?”

His grandpa tells him they’re getting closer.

At home, Miguelito has been hard at work on his dream catchers. His mom taught him how to weave them. The knotted textile creations make him feel close to his parents, he confesses to his abuelo.

 The Dream Catcher (out on May 14 from Little, Brown Books for Young Readers) is a poignant story about a boy with a big dream: to make enough money to buy an airplane someday so he could reunite with his parents. Miguelito’s story is rooted in a photo Verdad saw years ago of a young boy selling dream catchers on a beach. The image stayed with him. “In a sense, I wanted to honor all of our kids living under unfavorable circumstances and create a space for them to feel seen,” said Verdad, who was born and raised in México and now resides in Los Angeles.

In his tender picture book, Verdad brings readers into the direct and deep conversations between Miguelito and his grandfather as they work, daring his audience to question what a dream means to them. At one point, the young boy peers up at his grandfather and asks if dreams come true. 

With themes of poverty and class, readers of The Dream Catcher may feel compelled to pause and reflect on the stark differences in the dreams held by people from different circumstances. This is done very effectively through Verdad’s text and illustrations, the latter of which include people of even lesser means than his young protagonist. Even with the heaviness that comes with realizing that not all dreams happen for everyone, there’s a ray of hope that emanates from Miguelito and Abuelito’s story.

Ahead of The Dream Catcher’s release, Verdad spoke with Latinx in Publishing about the inspiration behind his book, dreams, and more.

This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.

Amaris Castillo (AC): What inspired you to write this book?

Marcelo Verdad (MV): Years ago, I found this picture of a young kid selling his dream catchers on the beach, and that image just got stuck in my head. I felt the urge to draw it myself. And as soon as I finished the piece, I knew that this kid had a story to tell. It took me some years, but eventually I was able to listen to him and to write the story that he wanted to tell.

 AC: In your book, Miguelito has big dreams to sell enough art to buy an airplane and reunite his family. It is both beautiful yet heartbreaking to read this. How did you decide on this dream for him?

MV: I’m an art teacher, and I work with kids – which I love. What I value the most about being close to my kids is learning from their innocence and their imagination. They really help me reconnect with my inner child, and remember my own innocence and imagination. In this case, Miguelito’s wish needed to represent that innocence and imagination that I find so pure in kids, and that I love. 

Another key aspect about Miguelito was his background. I’m born and raised in México, and that’s exactly how I feel a lot of times when I think of my country. It’s beyond gorgeous. It’s so rich and so beautiful, but yet heartbreaking at times. But also life itself, in that it can be both beautiful yet heartbreaking. And that’s the story that I wanted to tell this time, about life on Earth. I’m not very into fairy tale happy endings, but I wanted to do something honest and full of life and heart.

AC: The entire book consists of direct quotes – conversations between Miguelito and his Abuelito. You don’t see that often in picture books. Why did you structure the story in this way?

MV: I’m both an author and illustrator, but I went to college to study art and design so I’m naturally more of a visual storyteller. I enjoy meaningful minimalism, so I heavily rely on my illustrations to tell the story. And anything that I can’t show visually, that’s when I tell. There’s this thing that authors and illustrators always say: “Show, don’t tell.” So that’s what I try to do first: show through my images. And anything that I can’t show, I just tell it.

I love, love, love keeping a text to a minimum. I’m a bit of an edit freak, so anytime me, my agent, or my editor suggests getting rid of lines and it works, I get really, really happy lowering the word count. In my first book, The Worst Teddy Ever, I used a mix of dialogue and an omnipresent narrator trying to play with the reader by giving them more information than what the main character knew as the story progressed. And that resulted in a fun and engaging tiny book. But this time, what I was trying to do with the dialogue in The Dream Catcher was to make it feel more intimate and personal. And the reader, in my mind, gets to experience a personal and deep conversation between a kid and his guide and protector, in his realm. And I wanted it to feel almost as a conversation with the universe, with life, or a caring and loving being from a higher realm – offering support, wisdom, and guidance throughout Miguelito’s consciousness and spiritual journey.

“...I see this book as an homage to their innocence, their resilience, and generosity in a beautiful and respectful way. ”

AC: There is so much you do visually in The Dream Catcher. We see the beauty of Oaxaca coast, and the harsh reality of people of lesser means. What was it like to bring this all to the page?

MV: To me, it just feels honest. And me being born and raised in México and then coming to LA, where I live currently, that’s just a part of the reality that I experienced. In a sense, I wanted to honor all of our kids living under unfavorable circumstances and create a space for them to feel seen. And I see this book as an homage to their innocence, their resilience, and generosity in a beautiful and respectful way. I also wanted to share visually my favorite place from my country, and showcase all the magic, beauty, richness and culture that inspire me so much. It makes me feel extremely proud of being mexicano and Latino.

AC: What are you hoping readers take away from The Dream Catcher?

MV: I think that it’s human to have dreams and plans and hopes for the future. I think that we all have them. But at the same time, I feel it’s really important not to get lost in those so we can stay present and be grateful for what’s already here and now. I believe the dream called ‘today’ is the one thing that’s real, and everything else is an illusion. I’d love (it) if The Dream Catcher worked as a tiny reminder to stay grateful in the present moment, and to always keep faith even under difficult circumstances.

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Photo: Ximena Verdad

Marcelo Verdad is an author and illustrator from México who likes to tell stories from unconventional perspectives. He graduated from ArtCenter College of Design, where he came upon the Children's Book Illustration class and immediately fell in love with kids' books. He is a member of SCBWI, and was one of the recipients of the Mentorship Award at SCBWI’s 2019 Summer Conference. The Worst Teddy Ever is his picture book debut. He lives in Los Angeles, California.

Amaris Castillo is an award-winning journalist, writer, and the creator of Bodega Stories, a series featuring real stories from the corner store. Her writing has appeared in La Galería Magazine, Aster(ix) Journal, Spanglish Voces, PALABRITAS, Dominican Moms Be Like… (part of the Dominican Writers Association’s #DWACuenticos chapbook series), and most recently Quislaona: A Dominican Fantasy Anthology and Sana, Sana: Latinx Pain and Radical Visions for Healing and Justice. Her short story, “El Don,” was a prize finalist for the 2022 Elizabeth Nunez Caribbean-American Writers’ Prize by the Brooklyn Caribbean Literary Festival. She is a proud member of Latinx in Publishing’s Writers Mentorship Class of 2023 and lives in Florida with her family and dog.

Most Anticipated May 2024 Releases

From fun and playful picture books to moving memoirs, May has brought us a wide variety of new releases with something for all readers. Check out the titles we are most excited about below and make sure to add them to your TBR list.

Oye by Melissa Mogollon|On Sale May 14

As the youngest in her Colombian American family, Luciana is often relegated to the sidelines. But when Abue refuses to evacuate despite a hurricane heading straight to her and Mami, Luciana seems to be the only voice of reason. As crazy as Abue drives Luciana, she is the only person who truly understands her. So, when Abue receives a shocking medical diagnosis, Luciana’s life is completely disrupted. Soon after, Abue moves into her room, leaving Luciana to step up to the roles of caretaker, translator, and keeper of the family secrets Abue has started to share with her.

Told through one-sided phone call conversations between Luciana and her older sister, Mari, Oye is the perfect coming-of-age story for those of us who can’t resist eavesdropping while in public. 

10 Things I Hate About Prom by Elle Gonzalez Rose|On Sale May 14

If you love the classic rom-coms of the 90s like I do, this is the book for you!

Ivelisse and Joaquin have had each other’s backs since they were little. At least, that’s what Ive thinks, until Joaquin decides to ask Tessa Hernandez, the girl who stole Ive’s boyfriend, to prom instead of going with her. The worst thing, though, is Joaquin asks Ive to help him create the greatest promposal ever. 

She would say no in a heartbeat, but with high school graduation looming over them, Ive can’t help but agree to spend all that quality time with Joaquin. Even if that means watching Joaquin fall in love with someone who isn’t her. 

Perla the Mighty Dog by Isabel Allende; illustrated by Sandy Rodríguez|On Sale May 28

Known for magical realism and historical fiction for adults, Isabel Allende is making her debut in a new category: children’s books!

Perla has two superpowers: making people love her and roaring like a lion. So when she finds out that her human brother, Nico Rico, is being bullied at school, she decides to teach him how to channel his superpowers and stand up to his bullies.

Paired with watercolor illustrations that bring this small but mighty dog to life, Perla the Mighty Dog is a must-read for all pet lovers.

Hurdles in the Dark: My Story of Survival, Resilience, and Triumph by Elvira K. Gonzalez|On Sale May 28

Hurdles in the Dark is the powerful memoir of Elvira Gonzalez, a former collegiate track and field athlete, author, activist, and entrepreneur who rose against all odds.

From having to give a drug cartel $40,000 within 24 hours to save her kidnapped mother to being sent to one of South Texas’s worst juvenile detention centers and then experiencing a sexual relationship with a 30-year-old high school coach as a student, Elvira’s race seemed endless. But despite the obstacles, she carried on and became one of the top-ranked hurdlers in the USA and the first in her family to go to college.

A true story of resilience and grit, Hurdles in the Dark will push you to reflect on racism, sexual abuse, and violence, as well as inspire you to face your own obstacles.   

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Elizabeth Cervantes is a proud Mexican book lover. She has a bachelor’s in Multimedia Journalism from the University of Texas at El Paso and is currently working on obtaining her master’s in Publishing at Pace University. When she is not studying and reading for her classes, you can find her crying, swooning, or locking her doors while reading children’s books, romance novels, and mysteries/thrillers.

Book Review: Raiders of the Lost Heart By Jo Segura

If something sounds too good to be true, it's probably because it is—at least that’s what Dr. Socorro “Corrie” Mejía has always heard from her abuela. Still, when she is suddenly presented with the opportunity of a lifetime—the opportunity she has been working for her entire career— Corrie can’t help but get her hopes up. To find the remains of the great Aztec warrior, Chimalli, and his tecpatl sacrificial knife, would prove what Corrie has always known: that despite her reputation (though she really is a total badass), she is in fact a respectable and knowledgeable archeologist, and that Chimalli is her ancestor. Though the offer comes shrouded in mystery, Corrie takes a leap of faith and heads to the Mexican jungle, prepared to lead the expedition that will change her life.

Upon arriving Corrie realizes her intuition was correct and she has made a horrible mistake. Not only is she not leading the expedition, which started months before she even received an invitation, but the lead is her dangerously handsome and totally hateful long-time nemesis, Dr. Ford Matthews. Adding this to the list of things Ford has mercilessly taken from her, Corrie is ready to take the next flight back home, but after some convincing, Corrie agrees to join the team.

“Raiders of the Lost Heart is a perfect romcom; the conversation between these enemies-turned-lovers is adorable and heartfelt and the subplots are just as exciting. I was especially surprised by the thoughtful, and even playful, approach Segura takes on some deep and serious topics. ”

For Ford, having Corrie around isn't much better, he knows just how much he’s hurt her in the past, and how much more hurt she’d be if she found out just how easily he stole this project from her. But with his mother in the hospital, he has little choice but to lean on Corrie to make the dig work. After a rocky start, they begin to open up and learn to trust each other. From there, it isn't long before they give in to the mutual attraction that has always driven the hate and constant competition between the two. As if hiding a budding relationship is not enough pressure—not that either of them is sure this could be called a relationship—they soon realize artifacts are missing, and now they must find the thief and keep their discoveries safe.

Raiders of the Lost Heart is a perfect romcom; the conversation between these enemies-turned-lovers is adorable and heartfelt and the subplots are just as exciting. I was especially surprised by the thoughtful, and even playful, approach Segura takes on some deep and serious topics. Throughout the novel, Corrie and Ford have some meaningful conversations on the loss of a parent, the patriarchal practices of a male-dominated field, and the effects of embracing one’s sexuality. 

This novel is definitely a must-read. Personally, I hope to see more of the Adventures of Badass Mejía and Weak Sauce Matthews, as Corrie would call it.

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Photo: © Sean Hoyt

USA Today bestselling author Jo Segura lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and doggo, who vies for her attention with his sweet puppy dog eyes whenever she’s trying to write (her dog, that is… though sometimes her husband, too). Her stories feature strong, passionate heroines and draw upon aspects of her life, such as her love of good food, her Mexican heritage, and her fascination with archaeology. When she’s not writing you can find her practicing law, shaking up a mean cocktail, or sitting out on the patio doing Buzzfeed quizzes (though she doesn’t care what the chicken nugget quiz said–her favorite fruit is not banana).

Alejandra Cid is a proud Angeleno, a product of Southeast LA. She is a graduate of the University of Southern California from which she earned a B.A. in Narrative Studies and a M.A. in Literary Editing and Publishing. Alejandra loves all things fiction, but is especially drawn to romance, women's fiction, and short stories. She is interested in storytelling, the (positive) power of social media, and creating accessible, inclusive, and engaging spaces..