Author Q&A: ‘In the Groves’ by Andrea Cruz Floren

Orange groves have long been a part of Clara’s family ever since her Abuelo came to this country. Her relatives in California are full of stories about it. During her yearly summer stay there with her parents, Clara hears tales of magic, mischief, and monstruos among the groves.

But Abuelo says the groves are no place for their visitor. Clara wouldn’t know, because she’s never been there. And she doesn’t want to be considered a visitor. “A visitor is a tourist, a stranger,” she thinks to herself. “I’m familia!”

So one day while everyone packs for a trip to the beach, Clara decides to sneak into Abuelo’s pickup truck. Soon she’s finally where she’s always wanted to be: the groves. What she finds before her is a magical citrus kingdom.

In the Groves centers on the adventure that awaits for Clara and her grandfather. Out now from Penguin Workshop, this tenderhearted debut picture book by Andrea Cruz Floren is largely inspired by the author’s own family history. Cruz Floren grew up in South Dakota, far from her family in California. Her grandfather tended to orange groves.

“I just remember the groves being this place that everybody in the family would talk about,” she told Latinx in Publishing. “It had this air of mystery around it. Tall tales of these big things that happened there. And as a little girl, it sounded like this fantastic place to be.”

Cruz Floren spoke with Latinx in Publishing about her family history, what it was like to write In the Groves, and more.

This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.

Amaris Castillo: Congratulations on your debut book, In the Groves. I understand your story was inspired by your own family’s history with orange groves. Can you tell us more about that?

Andrea Cruz Floren (ACF): My mother’s side of the family is originally from Mexico. My great-grandparents came over in the 20s. My grandmother actually was migratory; she went back and forth for a while until she finally stayed in California. And it was her father – my great-grandfather – who started working in the orange groves way back in the 20s. Later on when her and my grandfather got together, my grandfather learned the trade and then he started working in the orange groves. Over the decades, many of my family members either worked in the groves, worked in the packing houses, and worked as pickers. Because at that time in California, the groves were a booming industry. That’s what a lot of migrant and immigrant workers could do in California for work. 

My grandfather continued (working) all the way up until the late 80s, early 90s. So he was still doing it when I was a little girl. I just remember the groves being this place that everybody in the family would talk about. It had this air of mystery around it. Tall tales of these big things that happened there. And as a little girl, it sounded like this fantastic place to be. We grew up in the Midwest so, as a visitor, they would want to show us what they thought were the really interesting things in California. That was like the beach or, if we saved up money, Disneyland. And I always just really wanted to see these orange groves, and I never got to. I lost my grandfather several years back, and he and the groves have always stuck with me. He was such a vibrant, joyful person. His outlook on life was a big impression on me, and I just felt like it was a story that needed to be told.

AC: Your main character, Clara, visits her extended family in California. Everyone lives there but her, and when she is with them, her abuelo always wants to take him to all the places he thinks she wants to see. It made me think about how children find joy in places adults may not think. And this is definitely a theme that runs through the whole story. What was it like to try to depict this on the page?

ACF: For me it was really emotional, because I never did get to see them. I actually interviewed a lot of family members that had been to the groves and it was so interesting because, in their child’s mind, it was this place. There’s my grandfather doing manual labor, and then he would stop and make the kids a sword out of a stick, or make them some other little fun things. And they would be running around, capturing snakes, dodging cougars – doing pretty dangerous things. [Laughs] But in their minds, it was always like the best day ever. It was really emotional that I didn’t get that experience. 

When I was a little girl, we were the only family that lived out in the Midwest. Everybody else was in California. Because of that, it was really emotional to be able to combine all these family stories and think about what my child’s mind would have seen, had I been able to go to the groves. I wish I could have told my grandfather what an important and special place that actually is to our family.

“ I just remember the groves being this place that everybody in the family would talk about. It had this air of mystery around it. Tall tales of these big things that happened there. And as a little girl, it sounded like this fantastic place to be.”

AC: When Clara sneaks into her abuelo’s truck and ends up in the orange groves with him, her first impression is that it’s a “magical citrus kingdom.” The orange groves obviously carry its own meaning and weight in the story and for her family. As you wrote this book, what meaning did the orange groves carry for you? And did that meaning change?

ACF: I think maybe it didn’t necessarily change, but it became deeper. For me, it’s a layered meaning. On the one hand, for a child, these places that – like you said – adults think are workaday or boring, are really imaginative places in the child’s mind. And I just wanted to honor that. 

And as I wrote the book, it just became so clear to me what a privilege it was to share this story in the world. It’s something that my grandfather did every day because he had to, because it’s what put food on the table, it’s what gave opportunities. It wasn’t easy work and now, all these years later, here I am with a college degree – getting to write a picture book about it. And there’s something really bittersweet about that.

AC: This is your debut picture book, but you have experience in commercial and editorial illustration work. How did you decide how to approach the illustrations for your book?

ACF: A lot of people in my family are self-taught, kind of scrappy people. I am actually pretty self-taught. I worked in design and advertising for over 20 years, but I don’t have a Master of Fine Art. A lot of that is things I’ve picked up along the way. And when I knew I wanted to transition towards children’s books, I was really nervous about putting myself out there on the page. 

I would love to explore more traditional media in the future, but because of my background, I’m very comfortable with digital media. So I did a combination, where I did a lot of exploration on the side: I did a lot of painting and sketching and colored pencil work – just painting textures and shapes. Then I got experimental and combined it with digital media and tried to make it a blend of the two worlds, which I realized is pretty fitting to who I am. I’m a blend of so many things, and it’s fitting that my art kind of matches myself. I’ve always felt like I’ve been in between cultures, in between worlds, in between writing and drawing.

AC: What are you hoping readers take away from In the Groves?

ACF: It’s one of those stories I talked about with my editor. It works on multiple levels, and I really hope readers are able to grasp a little bit of each of those levels. I think on the surface, it’s definitely some magical realism and an adventure. Is it true? Is it not? What happened? What didn’t? There’s that kind of fun and adventure side of it.

And then running underneath it is definitely a story about belonging. For kids who are either not from this country, or maybe of a mixed background, or maybe they live far from where their cultural roots are – I think there’s a story in there about you do have a place in your lineage. And you do belong. 

There’s another line running through there about honoring your family stories, and honoring the idea of oral storytelling. That is an important historical tool for many cultures. I wanted to honor that, and honor the hard work of my family and so many other marginalized communities that do this kind of work and don’t get to have that be seen on the page as an honorable and beautiful job.

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Andrea Floren grew up in South Dakota, far from her California family. Her grandfather, who tended the orange groves, had a gift for storytelling. He encouraged Andrea to keep writing; she hopes to honor his memory with this debut book. Andrea currently lives in Colorado with her family. Visit her at quietlyfiery.com.

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 September 2024 Releases

Summer is almost coming to a close and it’s about that time to start thinking of Fall activities. We are looking forward to heading to our local bookstores and libraries to add these highly anticipated titles to our reading lists!

The Chainbreakers by Julian Randall | On Sale September 3

All Violet Moon has ever wanted is to be a Reaper captain like her father. Born on the Tides of the Lost, a magical world beneath the waves of the Atlantic Ocean, Violet has spent her life at her father's side rescuing souls lost in the water.

But when a rescue mission turns to disaster after the arrival of the dreaded Children of the Shark, weaponized ghost-sharks who steal the souls for themselves, her father is seized and pulled down into the darkness of the Depths. With no choice for Violet but to inherit the captain's powers and helm the ship as the next in line, it'll be up to her to save her father--if he even still lives--and stop the Children of the Shark before they devour the world.

Tías and Primas: On Knowing and Loving the Women Who Raise Us by Prisca Dorcas Mojica Rodríguez | Illustrated by Josie del Castillo | On Sale September 10

Born into a large, close-knit family in Nicaragua, Prisca Dorcas Mojica Rodríguez grew up surrounded by strong, kind, funny, sensitive, resilient, judgmental, messy, beautiful women. Whether blood relatives or chosen family, these tías and primas fundamentally shaped her view of the world--and so did the labels that were used to talk about them. The tía loca who is shunned for defying gender roles. The pretty prima put on a pedestal for her European features. The matriarch who is the core of her community but hides all her pain.

In Tías and Primas, the follow-up to her acclaimed debut For Brown Girls with Sharp Edges and Tender Hearts, Mojica Rodríguez explores these archetypes. Fearlessly grappling with the effects of intergenerational trauma, centuries of colonization, and sexism, she attempts to heal the pain that is so often embodied in female family lines.

First in the Family: A Story of Survival, Recovery, and the American Dream by Jessica Hoppe | On Sale September 10

In this deeply moving and lyrical memoir, Hoppe shares an intimate, courageous account of what it means to truly interrupt cycles of harm. During the first year of quarantine, drug overdoses spiked, the highest ever recorded. And Hoppe's cousin was one of them. "I never learned the true history of substance use disorder in my family," Hoppe writes. "People just disappeared." At the time of her cousin's death, she'd been in recovery for nearly four years, but she hadn't told anyone.

In First in the Family, Hoppe shares her journey, the first in her family to do so, and takes the reader on a remarkable investigation of her family's history, the American Dream, and the erasure of BIPOC from recovery institutions and narratives, leaving the reader with an urgent message of hope.

A Sunny Place for Shady People: Stories by Mariana Enriquez | Translated by Megan McDowell | On Sale September 17

On the shores of this river, all the birds that fly, drink, perch on branches, and disturb siestas with the demonic squawking of the possessed--all those birds were once women.

Welcome to Argentina and the fascinating, frightening, fantastical imagination of Mariana Enriquez. In twelve spellbinding new stories, Enriquez writes about ordinary people, especially women, whose lives turn inside out when they encounter terror, the surreal, and the supernatural. A neighborhood nuisanced by ghosts, a family whose faces melt away, a faded hotel haunted by a girl who dissolved in the water tank on the roof, a riverbank populated by birds that used to be women--these and other tales illuminate the shadows of contemporary life, where the line between good and evil no longer exists.

Book Review: 'The Curse of the Flores Women' by Angélica Lopes

In the pages of The Curse of The Flores Women by Angelica Lopes, the reader becomes drawn into a tale as old as time. A tale of women fighting to break the limitations of society. Steeped in tradition of their homeland and the pressure of being a woman in a man’s world, we are captivated by the beauty of the story of the Flores women. As the story opens we meet Alicia, who may seem to most as an angst-filled young woman. It is soon revealed that there is something she must fight to overcome. Tradition, self sacrifice, classism, and even the binds of her own female family members’ subordination to men. All of this binds her to a life she does not wish to live. All of the restrictions seem an insurmountable task for Alicia to undertake. Her story would be interesting all on its own, however Lopes crafts it into one that seems to transcend time and space to give us the story of generations of Flores women. One woman starts the story off and it falls into the hands of our current character Alicia, who unbeknownst to her, she now holds in her hands what may seem like an ordinary veil, it is in fact so much more than that. In her hands she now holds the key to what her ancestry withstood so she could become who she is meant to be. 

What starts as the tale of one young woman’s fight to be a nonconformist to society and its patriarchal stances, every facet of this young woman’s life turns into one of discovery, of what the women of her ancestral lineage have coursing through their veins. Courage, strength, and perseverance, which are only some of the wondrous qualities of these women, and that help to fuel their lives. Starting as a way to secretly share her story with others through the folds of some unassuming hand-sewn lace, a generational tale unravels before our eyes. The reader can empathize with these characters as it seems as if many females of today's society are still fighting for basic human rights. Today we are fighting for bodily autonomy and the right to privacy between ourselves and our doctors without fear of breaking a law or facing criminal offense charges. Gone are many traditions of old, and rightfully so because they would not be acceptable in today's society, yet some still rear their ugly and old-fashioned tentacles, making it seem as if we have made little to no progress for the feminist cause.

The Curse of the Flores Women takes the reader through some heart-wrenching moments, but there are still some other joyous times to share as well. The novel will allow you to see some of the trials and tribulations that have plagued women since the beginning of time. This book, even though it is a work of fiction, seems very much able to capture what life as a woman is like, from the past to the present day. The challenges from one era to another may be different, however the struggle is very much the same. Like learning the act of lace-making, its fragile threading, to its intricate and detailed designs, so are the lives of these characters. Women, not just Flores women, faced and continue to face societal pressures, as well as familial boundaries that try to limit the growth of womankind. It is with a whole heart and resounding “yes” that I recommend this book. I feel that as you read the last sentence of the last chapter you will be glad to have read this wonderful work of words. Regardless of your gender, you will walk a way with a better understanding of just what has plagued women and how to be an ally to women. Happy reading.

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Angela “Angie” Ybarra- Soria is a book reviewer, activist, mixed media artist, writer and entrepreneur. An obstacle that may have stood in her way happened in 2013, she suffered 4 brain bleeds and emergency brain surgery, Angela however likes to think of herself as a TBI THRIVER. Angie is a recent graduate of Northeastern Illinois University where she studied Latinx American Studies and Urban Development. Angela has been an advocate for stopping gentrification within brown and Black communities of Chicago. Angela enjoys spending her down time with her grandchildren and introducing them to the sights of the city where she was born and raised. Being of Mexican descent has prompted her to research much about the rich culture of her ancestral heritage. Angela plans to continue her education by pursuing her Masters Degree in Urban Studies to further allow her to better assist communities that have for generations been, or worse, still marginalized.

September 2024 Latinx Releases

Latinx in Publishing is very excited to see so many books coming out this month. So much so, that we changed up our book release post for the month to show you all the exciting new titles. Be sure to click on these titles to learn more and add them to your TBR!

On Sale September 3

On Sale September 10

On Sale September 17

On Sale September 24

On Sale September 30

Book Review: ‘Castle of the Cursed’ by Romina Garber

Castle of the Cursed by Romina Garber is a young adult contemporary fantasy that surprised me on many levels. The story follows Estela, an 18-year-old girl who’s left in a state of depression and survivor’s guilt after the death of her parents in a New York subway incident. No one believes her when she argues that she saw a strange smoke right after everyone fell dead—everyone but her. When Estela receives a letter from who might be her latest relative alive, an aunt from the fictional town of Oscuro, Spain, she knows this is her chance to uncover the truth behind her parents’ death and unveil the secrets from their past.

Garber took great care of the mental health aspect this story. Throughout the book, Estela is haunted by the death of her parents, the only loved ones she ever knew. The incident broke her until she stopped speaking, and when she arrives at the mysterious La Sombra castle, she starts questioning her sanity when supernatural events chase her every night. In that respect, this is a book of grief and mental health, but ultimately, it’s also a journey of hope and love. 

The fantasy lore is where the book shines the most, and the more I read, the more intrigued I was. This title is dark and gothic and extremely atmospheric, which is sometimes hard to translate into a contemporary setting. However, the deeper you dive into the lore, the more you realize that this book is more than a castle and a sad vampire (which all the girls love, of course). Where most fantasy books dump a lot of information on the reader from the beginning, Castle of the Cursed drops breadcrumbs of lore that you will eagerly devour because like the castle, you’re always hungry for more. Weaved in with the murder mystery and the strange town of Oscuro, everything is executed cleanly. Although I had my theories, that were more or less accurate, Garber kept me guessing until the very end and the whole truth behind the castle was beyond my expectations.

“Romantic, unexpected, and deliciously unsettling, ‘Castle of the Curse’ is a page turner from start to finish. ”

One part that I found particularly interesting was the way Garber incorporated Spanish into the book. Estela was never taught Spanish by her parents, and when she arrives to Spain, she must affront that communication barrier. What’s interesting is that Garber did not translate the Spanish dialogue, and I love that. It puts the non-Spanish speaker reader in Estela’s shoes. Throughout the book, though, Estela starts learning Spanish, which is subtly paired with La Sombra’s past, and the reader embarks in a journey that starts with simple translations from Estela’s part and grows until she has a good grasp of the language.

The romance between Estela and Sebastián is another major plot in this book. At first dark and unnerving, their relationship grows sweet and caring. Theirs is the love story of two broken souls who find comfort in each other. Not a romance in the traditional sense, where you giggle and kick your legs when they kiss, but yes, also that. Despite their circumstances, Estela and Sebastián create a connection that goes beyond attraction. Readers of enemies-to-lovers might enjoy their dynamic, although it doesn’t completely adjust to the trope, instead evolving into a pleasant new direction. 

Romantic, unexpected, and deliciously unsettling, Castle of the Curse is a page turner from start to finish. The delicate mental health representation, the dark, eerie secrets behind La Sombra, the soft romance amidst all things vicious—it all blends into the perfect book for those looking for a stimulating read.

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Dianna Vega is a Dominican assistant editor, fiction writer, and poet based in Florida. She holds a bachelor’s degree in creative writing from the University of Central Florida. She is a 2024 Periplus Fellow. Her poetry has appeared in Outrageous Fortune and South Dakota Review.

The Story Behind ‘Doña Fela’s Dream’

Monica Brown believes there are many ways to structure a picture book biography. So in her forthcoming book about Felisa Rincón de Gautier, the author chose to begin at a pivotal moment in the life of Puerto Rico’s first female mayor.

“The people of La Perla were scared. The winds blew fiercely, and dark clouds swirled in the sky,” Brown writes. “A tropical storm headed toward the island of Puerto Rico.”

Depicted on the first spread are Rosa Ibarra’s illustrations of people fleeing wooden shacks, the ocean thrashing behind them. Brown wrote that there was only one place they could count on. Soon, a group of La Perla’s residents were at the door of Felisa Rincón de Gautier – who was affectionately known as Doña Fela.

Out on Sept. 3 from Little, Brown for Young Readers, Doña Fela’s Dream: The Story of Puerto Rico's First Female Mayor is the inspiring story of a woman who broke barriers on the island and cared deeply about her fellow Puerto Ricans. Doña Fela, known for her devotion to public welfare, died in 1994 at age 97.

Doña Fela’s Dream can be added to the list of picture book biographies Brown has written over the span of her publishing career. The award-winning author described the process behind this book as a collaborative journey. Brown began researching the late political figure after Nikki García (her longtime editor at Little, Brown & Company) shared her passion for Doña Fela’s legacy. “The more I delved into the life of a woman who broke political barriers and embodied compassion and care as the first female mayor of a capital city in the Americas, the more I agreed with Nikki,” Brown said in an email. 

After many conversations, Brown said she agreed to take on the project.

“I want children to believe and know they have a voice in our world,” she added. “As a person deeply concerned about our political systems, I’ve wanted to use my work to shine the light on models of ethical leaders, of activism, of organizing, and justice-oriented citizenship.”

For illustrator Rosa Ibarra, the invitation to join the project was a very pleasant surprise. She received the invitation by email and mistakenly took it for spam. “And then I called them, and it was a real, real thing – to illustrate the book,” Ibarra recalled.

The book’s subject held even greater meaning to the fine artist from Puerto Rico.

“I was so happy,” Ibarra told Latinx in Publishing. “Doña Fela was our neighbor in San Juan.”

As a child, Ibarra remembers seeing Doña Fela surrounded by children and people of all levels of wealth and education. She said the mayor was loved by residents of La Perla, by other politicians and by foreigners. 

Ibarra said Old San Juan used to be a very residential area, unlike the tourist area it’s now known as. She recalls playing outside with other children. Whenever they got thirsty, they’d pay a visit to Doña Fela’s house because it was even closer than their own homes. They’d ask her for water.

““I want children to believe and know they have a voice in our world,” she added. “As a person deeply concerned about our political systems, I’ve wanted to use my work to shine the light on models of ethical leaders, of activism, of organizing, and justice-oriented citizenship.””

“And then she would, so many times, invite us over to have lemonade,” Ibarra said. “And then we’d thank her, and continue playing. That was the kind of woman she was. She was a big woman, tall, and then she had her hair in these big hairstyles. And so for us little, we looked up at her. She was big. Imponente, you know?”

Brown said she and her editor looked at many talented artists, and Ibarra was her first and only choice. “Her art spoke to me because the women depicted in Rosa’s paintings radiate strength, complexity, and grace,” she said. “I was drawn to her lush use of color, her pure and accessible composition, and her use of light to make figures and faces sing.”

Brown added that her late mother was a painter. In an increasingly digitized world, Brown confessed that it is “still a thrill” to work with an artist whose medium is paint-brush, pigment, and canvas. 

Ibarra used oil paint on canvas to render the illustrations for the book. She drew the distinction between illustrator and artist. “It’s fantastic what an illustrator can do. All my respect to the profession,” she said. “Because as artists, we can make whatever we want and that’s it. But an illustrator has to be very specific, and capture the essence of the writer.”

The artist said some images came very clear when she read Brown’s text, such as the storm scene in the beginning of the story. Ibarra said she would submit a sketch to the publisher and they would approve it before she began painting.

In Doña Fela’s Dream, the tall woman with braids in her hair and a flower behind her ear let the residents of La Perla in her home amid the brewing tropical storm. When local officials refused to open a shelter, Doña Fela declared she would do it herself. Others encouraged her to try to become San Juan’s mayor. But at the time, the city had never seen a female mayor. Compounding this was the fact that Doña Fela had been born before women in Puerto Rico were allowed to vote.

“Felisa’s father believed that women had no place in politics and that it was up to the men to solve Puerto Rico’s problems,” Brown writes. “But even as a young girl, Felisa disagreed.”

The rest is, as they say, history.

Brown said she hopes young readers will open the pages of this book and “go on a journey across the island of Puerto Rico and into the mind and heart of a remarkable woman, who persisted despite the limitations of her era—and people saying no.” She hopes young readers believe in their own voice and power.

Ibarra said she hopes those who read Doña Fela’s Dream will become familiar with a Puerto Rican woman who was ahead of her time. “We have famous people out there that not everybody knows about. And so thanks to Monica that Doña Fela will be known,” she said. “Her [Doña Fela’s] commitment to the community is very inspiring.”

Ibarra added that they illustrated only a portion of the cherished politician’s contributions. Doña Fela, she said, did so much more.

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Monica Brown, Ph.D. is the author of many award winning books for children, including Waiting for the Biblioburro and Marisol McDonald Doesn’t Match/Marisol McDonald no combina. Her books have received starred reviews, Pura Belpre honors, an NCTE Orbis Pictus honor, Americas Awards, and a Christopher Award. Monica’s books are inspired by her Peruvian and Jewish heritage and her desire to bring diverse stories to children. Monica is a professor of English at Northern Arizona University, where she teaches multicultural literature. She lives in Arizona with her husband and two daughters, and she invites you to visit her website at monicabrown.net.

Rosa Ibarra is a fine artist who works in oils, interweaving thick layers of paint to convey the vibration of light and to build texture and design. Born in Puerto Rico, she spent her childhood in Old San Juan. She received a degree of Fine Arts from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst and exhibits her work in galleries and museums in the United States and abroad. She invites you to visit her online at rosaibarra.com. 

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.

Author Q&A: ‘Pockets of Love’ by Yamile Saied Méndez

Yamile Saied Méndez’s forthcoming picture book, Pockets of Love, begins with a flood of memories. “Grandma Monona used to visit her children and grandchildren all over the world. She would bring special candy, a new recipe or two, but most of all her laughter and love.”

Sebi and Star, the book’s young protagonists, are keenly aware that things are different now. Their maternal grandmother isn’t coming to visit them for Mami’s birthday. Méndez writes, “Heaven is just too far away.”

But the brother-sister duo are determined to cheer up their mother. They try different things like bringing Mami breakfast in bed, and flowers. Then, when she leaves for work, the siblings devise a plan. They’re going to make empanadas just like Monona used to. 

But there’s one problem. They don’t know the secret ingredient in Monona’s recipe.

Will Star and Sebi be able to lift their Mami’s spirits on her special day, the way Monona did? And what is this secretive special ingredient?

Pockets of Love is a heartfelt story about the ways in which we express affection to our loved ones, and the ways in which we carry on the legacy of our departed. Illustrator Sara Palacios adds extra warmth and heart to the story with her signature style of expressive and diverse characters. There’s also incredible detail into the different “pockets of love,” among them egg rolls, tamales, dumplings, and more.

Writers Mentorship Program mentee Amaris Castillo sat down with Méndez, her 2023 middle grade mentor, to discuss Pockets of Love – out on Sept. 3 from HarperCollins.

This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.

Amaris Castillo (AC): Congratulations on Pockets of Love. What inspired you to write this story?

Yamile Saied Méndez (YSM): I was in the grandparents mode when I was writing it, because What Will You Be? had just come out. I was talking to my brother about some recipes my mom used to make that we thought she had never written down. We learned them by standing next to her while she was cooking. And so I just had this idea.

I’ve had Star and Sebi, my two siblings (in the book), as little characters in my mind for a long, long time – but I didn’t have a story for them. Then everything kind of fell together like a puzzle. I thought about empanadas, because they’re one of my favorite things to make and that my mom used to make. It’s one of those magical things where I had the characters, I had a premise. I was missing my mom. And then in the meantime, we’d also lost another grandma – my husband’s mom – and so all these things were fresh in my mind. And the story just came together. 

I was also reading reports about how many people we’ve lost during the pandemic, and that one in five children had lost a loved one that they lived with, or somebody from their immediate family. I was thinking about these children and how they were coping and processing the loss of a loved one.

AC: Your story follows Star and Sebi, siblings who decide to make their Grandma Monona’s empanadas for their mami’s birthday. You write that their abuela is in heaven. Obviously death is a delicate subject. Can you talk about your approach on the page for young readers?

YSM: It is a very complicated subject because it’s not fun. This is part of life and it’s something that we need to talk about with our children, whether they’ve experienced the loss of a pet hamster or a beloved cat or a dog. When it comes to a beloved family member, those can make for very difficult conversations. But at the same time, I believe that we need to be open so that our children can process these losses in a safe and loving environment. 

I’m hoping that reading my book will bring families together, and open the door for these conversations in a way that each family can fill in the blanks for what they believe is next. Whether they’re religious or not, I hope that the story will, again, give families the space and opportunity for these loving conversations… We all have different beliefs. But at least one thing we can all agree on is that, even if we don’t know what happens next, we know what happened while we shared that time together with our loved ones in this life. And we can go back and reminisce on those times, and not forget them.

AC: Star and Sebi worry about not knowing their grandma’s secret ingredient. I felt like that was deeply resonant; many families have relatives who keep certain ingredients closely guarded, or whose measurements are vague and, instead, instinctual. There was also this innocence you capture when children place so much emphasis on something. In Star and Sebi’s eyes, what is at stake if they don’t get the ingredients right?

YSM: They just want to make their mom feel special on her birthday. Since making food was the way that the grandma made their mom feel special, they’re just scared that their mom won’t have a special day because she’s missing the grandma’s empanadas. 

I think that’s a way that children show love, and that they care. Even when they’re little. The stakes are super high because, when you’re a little child and you’re scared that you’re not going to have those answers like what the special ingredient is, it makes for a very stressful situation. But when they learn that the special ingredient is love – and they do love their mom – that’s something that they can give. Even if it was a different kind of love from Monona, they do love their mom and, again, that’s an ingredient that they do have in their power to share.

“I’m hoping that reading my book will bring families together, and open the door for these conversations in a way that each family can fill in the blanks for what they believe is next. Whether they’re religious or not, I hope that the story will, again, give families the space and opportunity for these loving conversations…”

AC: In the book, Star learns what pockets of love are, and how every country has its own version of them. Why was it important for you to highlight that?

YSM: Because I wanted to make the story accessible for children that are not Latine, also. We call them empanadas, but it is true that versions of these little savory or sweet turnovers exist in pretty much every culture. I wanted to open the book for people that are not from my background, to also feel seen in the story.

AC: You dedicate this book to your late parents, and I saw in your author’s note you mention your mom’s famous empanadas. What was it like to work on this book with your parents in mind?

YSM: It was very emotional. In fact, I really don’t know how I’m going to get through a reading of this book without getting choked up. It was also a little bittersweet. One of the most magical things happened to me while I was going through a box of things that I brought from Argentina. I’m an immigrant. You know how it is; for immigrant families, you can’t bring everything from home. You have to pick and choose. Among the things that I brought, and that I was able to keep all these years, were some old journals of mine. And mixed in these old journals was a spiral notebook in which my mom had written recipes by hand. She dedicated it to my dad and my siblings and me. It was such a special thing to actually have the recipes in her handwriting. Like we say in Spanish – “puño y letra.”

It was like a gift. My mom’s been gone for 10 years now. I didn’t ever remember having this notebook in my possession, but since then I’ve made copies for my siblings to give to them. It’s very special that, even though I didn’t think that she’d written the recipes for these dishes, she had. I also found this notebook after this book was written, so it was like a little present from my mom from beyond.

AC: What are you hoping readers take away from Pockets of Love?

YSM: In my family and in my culture, food is one of the ways in which we show love. With my busy lifestyle and having teenagers and kids that are in college, it gets difficult to get together for a meal. But nothing makes me happier than when we’re all together and my kids eat my food, or the food that I provided. 

I hope that when families read the book, they can find the ways in which each family shows love. Maybe it is through food. Maybe it is through playing a game together, or sharing stories of the people that are not here anymore… Hopefully families will identify their own particular ways in which they share love.

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Yamile Saied Méndez is the author of many books for young readers and adults, including the award-winning picture books Where Are You From? and What Will You Be? She was born and raised in Rosario, Argentina, and now lives in a lovely valley surrounded by mountains in Utah with her husband, five children, two dogs, and a majestic cat. She’s a graduate of Voices of Our Nations (VONA) and the Vermont College of Fine Arts MFA writing for children and young adults program. She’s always trying new empanada recipes. Connect with her at yamilesmendez.com.

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.

LxP Writers Mentorship Showcase: Pamela Nunez

Pamela Nunez was our Writers Mentorship Program's 2023 Graphic Novel Mentee.

The Latinx in Publishing Writers Mentorship Showcase series features excerpts by our Class of 2023 mentees from the projects they’ve developed with the guidance of their mentors.

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

Below is an excerpt from one of our 2023 mentees, Pamela Nunez:

Image provided by Pamela Nunez

Zahir is a 13 y/o queer immigrant who along with his family have just moved to the city of Leonids looking for a better life. Leonids, a city known for its small but thriving magic community, is perfect for Zahir to develop his talent for magic. However, the complete opposite has been happening, after turning a blind eye to his own heart and suppressing his grief for the home he left behind, Zahir’s magic becomes unstable and gives shape to an apparition that runs rampant across the city. Luckily for Zahir he will have the help of a small forest deity called Quéque and a strange but charming enchanter called Eliot. Together, Zahir will find strength to confront the grief he has suppressed, and learn to open his heart once again.

See more of Pamela’s work here.

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Pamela Nunez (she/they) is a Mexican comic artist and illustrator based in Chicago. Their art is inspired by their identity and experiences as a queer immigrant, as well as their love and passion for anime, comics, and videogames. She received an associates degree in math and engineering from her local community college, and later pursued an education in computer science at DePaul University. However, since her heart lay in the arts, she decided to instead pursue a career in comics and illustration. Pamela’s favorite pastime is catching feelings due to silly little fictional characters, and daydreaming about her own stories.

Celebrate Read A Romance Novel Month!

Celebrate Read A Romance Novel Month! Bookshop.org and Latinx In Publishing have curated this list of books by Romance authors for you to enjoy. Please enjoy 15% OFF all titles in this list and use the discount code Romance at checkout, valid through August 31st!

A Cuban Girl's Guide to Tea and Tomorrow by Laura Taylor Namey

For Lila Reyes, a summer in England was never part of the plan. The plan was 1) take over her abuela's role as head baker at their panadería, 2) move in with her best friend after graduation, and 3) live happily ever after with her boyfriend. But then the Trifecta happened, and everything--including Lila herself--fell apart.

Worried about Lila's mental health, her parents make a new plan for her: spend three months with family friends in Winchester, England, to relax and reset. But with the lack of sun, a grumpy inn cook, and a small town lacking Miami flavor (both in food and otherwise), what would be a dream trip for some feels more like a nightmare to Lila...until she meets Orion Maxwell.

Most Ardently: A Pride & Prejudice Remix by Gabe Cole Novoa

London, 1812. Oliver Bennet feels trapped. Not just by the endless corsets, petticoats and skirts he's forced to wear on a daily basis, but also by society's expectations. The world--and the vast majority of his family and friends--think Oliver is a girl named Elizabeth. He is therefore expected to mingle at balls wearing a pretty dress, entertain suitors regardless of his interest in them, and ultimately become someone's wife.

But Oliver can't bear the thought of such a fate. He finds solace in the few times he can sneak out of his family's home and explore the city rightfully dressed as a young gentleman. It's during one such excursion when Oliver becomes acquainted with Darcy, a sulky young man. But in the comfort of being out of the public eye, Oliver comes to find that Darcy is actually a sweet, intelligent boy with a warm heart. And not to mention incredibly attractive. As Oliver is able to spend more time as his true self, often with Darcy, part of him dares begin to hope that his dream of love and life as a man could be possible.

The Next Best Fling by Gabriella Gamez

Librarian Marcela Ortiz has been secretly in love with her best friend for years--and when he gets engaged, she knows it's long past time to move on. But before she gets the chance, she has a bigger problem to contend with in the form of Theo Young, ex-NFL player and older brother of the man she's in love with. When she discovers Theo's plans to confess his feelings for his brother's fiancée at their engagement party, Marcela is quick to stop him--despite how tempting it is to let him run away with the bride-to-be. She manages to convince Theo to sleep off his drunken almost-mistake at her place and when they arrive at a family brunch the next day together, everyone wrongly assumes they hooked up.

Since Theo needs a cover for his feelings for the bride and Marcela needs a distraction from her unrequited feelings for the groom, they decide to roll with the lie. Until one late night at a bar, they take it a step further and discover a layer of attraction neither realized existed.

Sun of a Beach by Mia Sosa

No-nonsense executive Naomi Reyes can't believe she let her boss manipulate her into babysitting Donovan Taylor, the most insufferable creative director of all time. Worse, she'll be trapped on a private island with him, while a bevy of gorgeous models vie for a coveted chance to grace the cover of M-Class Magazine's inaugural Swimsuit Edition-and, if the office rumors are true, an equally coveted place in Donovan's bed. Still, if she survives the trip with no major mishaps, she'll earn a shot at landing a dream job as an M-Class writer. Easy peasy, right?

Wrong.

Donovan detests people who try to undermine his artistic control, and his boss's latest machinations send Donovan to a very devious place. Sure, Naomi will get her precious photo shoot, but it won't be what she expects. Bonus? Ruffling the feathers of the humorless exec who's never liked Donovan will be satisfying too-assuming she doesn't drown him in the ocean first.

Let the beach games begin.

Love Unwritten by Lauren Asher

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Rafael

Ellie Sinclair is a hopeless romantic who writes love songs. I'm a struggling workaholic who could inspire a hundred breakup albums. On paper, we have nothing in common except for my son. For eight months, I avoid her until our summer trip.

Fourteen days. Two islands. And one nanny I shouldn't be attracted to. Spending time with Ellie is expected, but enjoying her company?That isn't part of our travel plans. After my divorce, I swore to protect my heart at all costs. Even if it means breaking hers in the process.

Ellie

What's worse than working for a grumpy single dad? Admitting that I once had a secret crush on him in high school. Thankfully, Rafael Lopez and I have changed since we graduated from Wisteria High. He is a billionaire with a company to run and a child to take care of.

I'm an unemployed songwriter he hired to watch his son and teach music. We coexist without any issues until a vacation changes everything. Lines blur and old feelings for Rafael return with a vengeance as I face a new dilemma. Being his son's nanny is one thing, but wishing for more? Sounds like a heartbreak song waiting to be written.

Book Review: 'Libertad' by Bessie Flores Zaldívar

The first time I heard about Honduras was in elementary school. Our class had to talk about different Latin American countries, and I was assigned Honduras. I recall making the white and dark blue flag and its stars with glossy paper, yet what I remember the most is the one fact I read in an article during my research: “Honduras is one of the most dangerous countries in Central America.” For years, the memory lingered in my easily impressionable brain, creating a separation between my country, Venezuela, and la república bananera. I grew up believing the two had nothing in common, like two planets in different galaxies. However, the space between them shortened after I read Libertad, by Bessie Flores Zaldívar, where I was introduced to a fictional family of hondureños trying to survive their country’s government in 2017, the same year my family and I left Venezuela, escaping ours. 

Readers see the novel’s world through the observant eyes of Libertad Morazán. She is a 17-year-old girl who lives with her mom, grandmother, and two brothers during the civil manifestations in her country. Libertad is about to graduate from high school and deals with the stress that represents, but that is not the only milestone our character must face. She struggles with her sexuality, her role in her family dynamics, and her art, which takes the form of poetry. Libi—as those close to her call her—finds an outlet for her frustration with the political situation in Honduras by writing and anonymously posting poems about it, taking a clear political stance that rejects the current government. Although a work of fiction, the book portrays the reality of this country seven years ago, when the pueblo wanted the opposition to win their country back. Still, the authoritarian government wouldn’t give up power—a tale that certainly felt familiar to this reader. 

Flores Zaldívar’s richly descriptive craft oozes through Libertad’s narration of events, sensations, and settings. While reading their words, it was impossible not to feel the heat inside buses and cars that lack air conditioning—like in most cases back home—or perfectly picture the intricate scenarios Libertad, her family, and friends dealt with during the tense election year.  Similarly, the feelings of guilt so familiar to closeted queers were almost palpable, and I would cry next to Libi when she realized her mom wouldn’t accept her sexuality. But I would cry just as hard whenever her big brother, Maynor, showed unconditional support regardless of whom she loved. The author’s ability to place readers within the story—as if we are standing next to the characters when the events unfold—makes it easy to relate to them; thus, laughing with them, crying with them, cheering with them, and mourning with them is an inevitable reaction. 

That said, this novel is not as plot-driven as it is character-driven. Although one could think that the story unfolds around the infamous elections, the true driving force in Libertad is Libertad herself. Like many teenagers transitioning into adulthood, her life is unexpected, exploratory, and seemingly lacking a clear path. Flores Zaldívar’s narrative develops simultaneously with the main character, meaning that the point isn’t to reach a determined event but to witness Libi’s both painful and joyful growth. The author, however, doesn’t leave the secondary characters aside; they become just as important to the reader as they are to Libertad. As an older sister, I found myself wishing for an older brother such as Maynor who would buy me plantain chips—a testimony of Flores Zaldívar’s ability to entrap us with their carefully crafted characters that make the novel feel undeniably human. 

“The author’s ability to place readers within the story—as if we are standing next to the characters when the events unfold—makes it easy to relate to them; thus, laughing with them, crying with them, cheering with them, and mourning with them is an inevitable reaction. ”

It is because of how human Libertad is that I could not help but relate to Libi. The homophobia, violence, loss, disappointment, family love, friendships, and creative outlet she experiences in the novel are almost the same as what I experienced growing up. Suddenly, after finishing this book, Honduras and Venezuela felt like sisters separated at birth, and I was reminded of the common history that unites Latinx people. Flores Zaldívar’s emotionally charged storytelling leaves a long-lasting impact on whoever reads their work, on whoever grew up or knows someone who grew up in Latin America's unforgiving summers, too-often blackouts, warm family dinners, colorful sceneries, and corrupt governments. Libertad is the coming-of-age story of a queer artist, yet it is also a reminder of what unites our community. I still picture the phrase on Maynor’s t-shirt: Solo el pueblo salva al pueblo—and I know I will for a long time.  

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Roxanna Cardenas Colmenares is a Venezuelan writer living in New York City who loves to consume, study, and create art. She explores multiple genres in her writing, with a special interest in horror and sci-fi, while working on her B.A. in English with a Creative Writing concentration. 

Her work has made her a two-time recipient of the James Tolan Student Writing Award for her critical essays analyzing movies. She has also won The Henry Roth Award in Fiction, The Esther Unger Poetry Prize, and The Allan Danzig Memorial Award in Victorian Literature.

In her free time, she likes to watch movies, dance, and draw doodles that she hopes to be brave enough to share one day.