  Today we celebrate the book birthday of I Am La Chiva!: The Colorful Bus of The Andes. We sat down with Musa Karol Hernandez to learn about the inspiration behind this book.
Tell us a little bit about the book: I Am La Chiva!: The Colorful Bus of The Andes, takes readers through a day in the life of a hardy and colorful chiva bus in the rugged Andes Mountains of Colombia. This picture book is about community, teamwork, and love for one's land and people, is told in Spanglish verse from the point of view of the chiva bus. The stunning illustrations by Lorena Alvarez Gomez will delight readers with rich details and colors. A glossary of the Spanish words used in the story is included in the back matter. A Spanish version of the book will be released on August 27, 2024! I can't take my eyes off those gorgeous covers! Let's learn more...
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 Today we celebrate the book birthday of Gloriana Presente, A First Day Of School Story. We sat down with Alyssa Reynoso-Morris to learn all about the inspiration behind this book. But first, a little bit about this picture book:
On the first day of elementary school, Abuela soothes Gloriana’s nerves by telling her stories from their family home in la República Dominicana. But as soon as Gloriana enters the classroom, the tropical scenery crumbles, and la música is replaced with English phrases she does not understand. When other kids approach her to play at recess, she freezes, uncertain about how to exist between her two homes, or how to make new friends between her two languages. Abuela recognizes echoes of her own immigration journey on this challenging day at school, and she gently guides Gloriana toward newfound confidence. This beautifully painted, imaginative picture book celebrates the magic of existing in-between and the transformative power of self-soothing to build confidence.  Cover Art by Ericka Lugo Today we celebrate the book birthday of Vega's Piece of the Sky. We sat down with Musa Jennifer Torres to learn about the inspiration behind this book.
Tell us a little bit about the book: The meteorite is just the latest thing to crash, uninvited, into Vega Lucero’s rest-stop hometown. But when she discovers how much a chunk of the space rock 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’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 their own secrets and worries that have brought them on this journey. Together, this ragtag group will ultimately discover that no treasure is big enough to prevent unwelcome change. But family and friends can help weather the unexpected that life brings. Sounds great, doesn't it?  Today we celebrate the book birthday of Abuela's Library. We sat down with Musa Lisette Normal to learn about the inspiration behind this book.
Tell us a little bit about the 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. What a moving story! Read more after the link...  Today we celebrate the book birthday of Daughter of the Light-Footed People. We sat down with Belen Medina to learn all about the inspiration behind this book. But first, a little bit about this non-fiction picture book biography:
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.  Today we celebrate the book birthday of Into the Mighty Sea. We sat down with Arlene Abundis to learn all about the inspiration behind this book. But first, a little bit about the 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.  Today we celebrate the book birthday of Abuelo's Flower Shop. We sat down with Jackie Morera to learn all about the inspiration behind this book. But first, a little bit about the book:
When Elena discovers the heartbreaking truth about the garden across the street, she learns how even the saddest places can be beautiful and how the flowers her abuelo sells help send an important message to those in need. Abuelo’s Flower Shop highlights the love between grandparents and grandchildren, especially as they navigate challenging conversations about loss and grief.  Designers: Olga Grlic and Kerri Resnick; Illustrator: Mallory Heyer Today we celebrate the book birthday of The Quince Project. We sat down with Jessica Parra to learn all about the inspiration behind this book. Tell us a little bit about the book:
The Wedding Planner gets a YA makeover in this delightful and heartfelt novel from the author of Rubi Ramos’s Recipe for Success. Castillo Torres, Student Body Association event chair and serial planner, could use a fairy godmother. After her mother’s passing and a disastrous mishap at her sister’s quinceañera, all of Cas’s plans are crumbling. So, when a local lifestyle-guru-slash-party-planner opens up applications for the internship of her dreams, Cas sees it as the perfect opportunity to learn every trick in the book to make sure that things never go wrong again. The only catch is that she needs more party planning experience before she can apply. When she books a quinceañera for a teen Disneyland vlogger, Cas thinks her plan is taking off…until she discovers that the party is just a publicity stunt, and she catches feelings for the chambelán. It’s clear that her agenda is about to go way off-script and that real life is more complicated than a fairy tale. But maybe Happily Ever Afters aren’t just for the movies. Can Cas go from planner to participant in her own life? Or will this would-be princess turn into a pumpkin at the end of the ball? Sounds great! Read more after the link...  Today we celebrate the book birthday of Lupita's Hurricane Palomitas. We sat down with Alexandra Alessandri to learn all about the inspiration behind this book. But first, a little bit about the book: Kindness can be shown during even the harshest of storms. Shutters rattled. Wind howled. As a ferocious hurricane descends upon her town, Lupita finds two baby birds who have fallen out of their nest and brings them inside to shelter them from the storm. While Lupita and her family wait out the tempest, she focuses on protecting the palomitas to alleviate her own fears and hopes she can soon reunite them with their mother. Perfect for families living in hurricane-prone states or with children who have storm-related anxieties, Lupita's Hurricane Palomitas offers a gentle, soothing story about extending a hand of kindness to others even while facing fears of our own. The picture book includes Spanish-language vocabulary words and a glossary in the back.  Today we celebrate the book birthday of Abuelo, the Sea, and Me. We sat down with illustrator Tatiana Gardel to learn all about the visual inspiration behind this book. But first, a little bit about the book: Abuelo, the Sea, and Me is a tender, heartwarming picture book that vividly explores intergenerational connections, family history, and the immigrant experience. When this grandchild visits her abuelo, he takes her to the ocean. In summer, they kick off their shoes and let the cool waves tickle their toes. In winter, they stand on the cliff and let the sea spray prick their noses and cheeks. No matter the season, hot or cold, their favorite place to spend time together is the beach. It’s here that Abuelo is able to open up about his youth in Havana, Cuba. As they walk along the sand, he recalls the tastes, sounds, and smells of his childhood. And with his words, Cuba comes alive for his grandchild. |
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