 Today we celebrate the book birthday of Lola, a magical realist middle grade adventure by Karla Arenas Valenti. The beautiful cover and interior art is by Islenia Mil. We sat down with Musa Karla to learn more about the inspiration behind this book.
Tell us a little bit about Lola: This is a story about fear and healing. More precisely, how fear can get in the way of necessary change. This topic is explored through a simmering Narnia-esque tale of magic, adventure, and the extraordinary bond between a brother and sister who’d journey to the ends of the Earth to save each other. Ten-year-old Lola’s life has always been touched by magic. Her Mexico City home is built around a towering tree with seasonal blooms that seem almost enchanted, a backyard sandbox reveals the most unusual treasures, and mischievous chaneques scuttle about her house unseen by all but her. Lola has always thought of this kind of magic as an ordinary part of her life, but now she must embrace its extraordinary quality as never before. Ever since The Thing That Happened, Lola’s brother, Alex, has been sick. Lately, however, his condition seems to be getting worse as a growing force ("the Darkness") seems to be closing in on him. At the same time, something has begun eating away at the tree, causing its bright leaves and colorful blossoms to crumble like ash. Lola is sure the two events are related, but how? Seeking a cure, she visits a grocery store oracle who tells her to follow the chaneques down one of their secret passages . . . into a hidden kingdom. Floresta is a land of myths and monsters and marvels untold. And there lies the key to healing Alex. But to save him, Lola must use every bit of her wits and face her deepest fears as she uncovers the devastating truth that lies at the heart of this story. Wow, sounds intriguing! Read more after the link...  Today we celebrate the book birthday of Bodega Cats 1: Picture Purrfect. We sat down with Musa Hilda Eunice Burgos to learn about the inspiration behind this book. Tell us a little bit about the book: In this illustrated middle grade story, Miguel Rosado wants nothing more than to see and draw the world… or, at least anywhere beyond the four walls of his family’s bodega in Washington Heights, where he has to work every day after school. For street-savvy and newly-adopted cat Lolo, spending all his time in the bodega sounds just perfect if it means he’s far, far away from the hungry, lonely nights he once spent in the freezing cold outdoors. But when Miguel ditches his responsibilities and lies to his parents about joining art club, his dream of juggling it all comes crashing down. Lolo will have to decide if he’s willing to be there for his new friend through anything—even venturing back into the frightful outdoors and busy New York City sidewalks. Can Miguel and Lolo trust each other enough to take on this adventure together?
Sounds exciting! Read more after the link... Today, we're thrilled to share the cover to Danilo Was Here, a new middle grade novel written by Tamika Burgess (cover illustration by Noa Denmon) and published by Harper Collins. Here's the scoop on Danilo Was Here: From the acclaimed author of Sincerely Sicily, Tamika Burgess, comes a timely coming-of-age story about a young boy’s fight to save his family and his dreams in the aftermath of the US military invasion of Panamá. Perfect for fans of Janae Marks, Adrianna Cuevas, and Chrystal D. Giles! Danilo Osorio Jr.’s baseball skills were once the pride of his father and entire hometown of El Chorrillo, Panamá. But that was then, and this is now… Following 1989's Operation Just Cause, a US military invasion that left his neighborhood decimated, Danilo couldn’t care less about baseball or the father who abandoned him for opportunities in the States. Now Danilo’s focus is taking care of his mamá and sister and trying to save them all from needing to relocate to a refugee camp. When Danilo unintentionally catches the eye of a baseball recruiter and is offered the opportunity to visit and train in California—the same place as his father’s last known address—he is tasked with deciding to go or stay. But if playing baseball could help him find his father and secure the extra funds his family needs, Danilo is willing to travel anywhere, even to the very country responsible for destroying his home. Between his tough-as-nails baseball coach, ultracompetitive teammates, and overly enthusiastic host family, Danilo’s plans encounter some curveballs. And when his turn to bat finally comes, he’ll have to decide what and who he’s actually fighting for. And now, without further ado... check out this horgeous cover!   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 Sing it Like Celia. We sat down with Musa Mónica Mancillas to learn all about the inspiration behind this book.
But first, a little bit about the book: Sing it Like Celia is about a twelve-year-old girl named Salvadora Sanchez (Salva for short) whose life is turned upside down one day when her mother disappears without explanation. She winds up living with her long-absent investigative journalist father in a camper van while he travels to a campground in Northern California to work on a story about a woman who has been separated from her own children and is facing deportation. While navigating the emotional uncertainties of her new circumstances and unraveling the mystery of her mother’s disappearance, Salva befriends a group of local kids and is coaxed into lending her amazing vocal talents and love of salsa music to their band. The shake-up that ensues leads to drama amongst the band, but ultimately helps Salva to find her voice (both literally and figurately) as she fights for what she believes in and learns to stand up for herself and others. Sounds amazing, right? Read on to learn more... Today we’re thrilled to reveal the cover for Alexandra Alessandri’s new middle grade novel, Grow Up, Luchy Zapata, which releases on July 23, 2024 from Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster. Grow Up, Luchy Zapata is a funny, relatable middle school drama about two Colombian American girls who have always been BFFs—until sixth grade turns everything upside down. About the book: Luchy Zapata is starting sixth grade, and she’s muy excited. She and her two best friends, Cami and Mateo, will finally be at the same school. Luchy and Mateo will be in art class together, and she and Cami can try out for the same soccer team! As long as they’re all together, Luchy can handle anything. But Cami has been acting weird ever since she got back from visiting family in Colombia. She’s making new, “cool” friends who just seem mean. And suddenly, everything about Luchy and Mateo is too immature for her. Luchy is determined to help Cami remember how special their friendship is. They’ve been BFFs their whole lives, and that can’t just disappear in a poof of glitter! But…what if Cami doesn’t even want to be friends anymore?  Illustration by Rose Bousamra; Design by Debra Sfetsios-Conover From Alexandra: Rose Bousamra’s cover is epic! When I first saw it, I was blown away by all the details they included in the illustration, from Luchy’s leggings and soccer ball to Cami’s bracelets in Colombian colors to the stance and title between the two best friends. And check out the full jacket cover!  Illustration by Rose Bousamra; Design by Debra Sfetsios-Conover It’s stunning! The mood and characters and setting of this story are captured beautifully in Rose’s art. I can’t wait to see the finished book–and I can’t wait for all of you to read this story of my heart, about art-loving, soccer-obsessed Luchy whose middle school dreams go up in a poof of glitter when her BFF returns from a summer in Colombia and ditches her for the cool kids, leaving Luchy to figure out who she is and where she belongs. Where to preorder: You can preorder Grow Up, Luchy Zapata today wherever books are sold, including:
For more about Alexandra and her books, visit http://alexandraalessandri.com or find her on Instagram or Twitter.  Cover illustration by Rudy Gutierrez. Today we celebrate the book birthday of Salsa Magic. We sat down with Musa Letisha Marrero to learn all about the inspiration behind her book. But first, a little bit about this book: This middle-grade novel tells the story of 13-year-old Maya Beatriz Calderon Montenegro, whose loud but loving family runs the bustling Cafe Taza in Brooklyn. Maya has vivid recurring dreams where she hears the ocean calling her and sees a strange woman. Chaos ensues when an estranged great aunt from Puerto Rico shows up on their doorstep–and she turns out to be the woman from Maya’s dreams! Titi Yaya is rumored to be a witch, and the children are forbidden to go near her. But Maya, out of curiosity and defiance, learns about her history and the ancient practice of santeria and its pantheon of gods and goddesses. Titi Yaya wants to pass her gift down to Maya. But what will her family say? And which path is Maya’s true destiny?  Join us in celebrating THE GHOSTS OF RANCHO ESPANTO book birthday! We sat down with Musa Adrianna Cuevas to learn all about the inspiration behind this book. But first, a little bit about this middle grade novel: Rafa would rather live in the world of The Forgotten Age, his favorite role-playing game, than face his father’s increasing restrictions and his mother’s fading presence. But when Rafa and his friends decide to take the game out into the real world and steal their school cafeteria's slushie machine, his dad concocts a punishment Rafa never could’ve imagined―a month working on a ranch in New Mexico, far away from his friends, their game, and his mom’s quesitos in Miami. Life at Rancho Espanto isn’t as bad as Rafa initially expected, mostly due to Jennie, a new friend with similarly strong snack opinions, and Marcus, the veteran barn manager who's not as gruff as he appears. But when Rafa's work at the ranch is inexplicably sabotaged by a man who may not be what he seems, Rafa and Jennie explore what's behind the strange events at Rancho Espanto―and discover that the greatest mystery may have been with Rafa all along. How would you describe your main character? Why did you create your character that way? Rafa Alvarez is a pessimistic, anxious 12-year-old who always assumes the worst is going to happen. He has very strong opinions about food and processes the world through the lens of his favorite role playing game, The Forgotten Age. Of all the characters I’ve created, he’s probably the one most similar to me. I guess the adage of ‘write what you know’ is true! Where did you get the idea to write this particular story? In 2019, my sister invited me to volunteer at a ranch in northern New Mexico where she was going to work as an emergency wilderness medic. I lived in a run-down trailer with alarming orange shag carpet and got to spend my time sorting through boxes of book donations that all had cockroaches in the bottom. But as I worked there, I learned the history of the ranch and found that it was filled with ghost stories, monsters, and intrigue- the perfect place to set a story!  What is the most important lesson you have learned as a writer until now? Writing for a middle grade audience involves dealing with a lot of gatekeepers- teachers, librarians, and parents. Although these people do incredible work getting books into the hands of young readers that need them, there is a temptation as an author to write with these gatekeepers in mind instead of your true audience, kids! Whenever I sit down to craft a new story or when I'm deep in the fifteenth round of revision on a book, I always try to remember the excited faces of the students I see at school visits. Their passions, humor, and the issues they face should always be what guides my story. What comes next for you as an author? My next book, Mari and the Curse of El Cocodrilo (Harper Collins) will be released on October 3rd. Not only does this book have one of my favorite covers ever, illustrated by Valentino Lasso, I’m incredibly excited about this story because, much like The Ghosts of Rancho Espanto, it deals with a Cuban-American main character solving a mystery, facing incredible odds, and saving the day. With this book, I lean into my love of spooky stories and horror… all to prepare my audience for my middle grade that will publish next year that may or may not have zombies. Spoiler alert- it has zombies. Lots of them.  What books are on your to-be-read list? Any day now, my tbr pile is going to topple over and crush me. My tombstone will read Here lies an author who didn’t have enough time to read. But there are several books in that pile that I’m super excited about reading. The first one is Saving Chupie by Amparo Ortiz and illustrated by Ronnie Garcia. I love graphic novels and this one is filled with a fun, vibrant main character and a creature who may not be as scary as they seem. I also can’t wait for the next book in Nina Moreno’s Maggie Diaz series, Pack Your Bags, Maggie Diaz. Maggie is a character that I wish I’d had when I was younger because I relate to her so much and these books are so real and fun. Finally, on the young adult side, I’m excited to read Vanessa Montalban’s A Tall Dark Trouble. Magical Cuban sisters solving mysteries of both their past and present, all while being cursed in love? Sign me up!
Adrianna Cuevas is the author of the Pura Belpre honor book The Total Eclipse of Nestor Lopez, Cuba in My Pocket, The Ghosts of Rancho Espanto, and Mari and the Curse of El Cocodrilo. She is a first-generation Cuban-American originally from Miami, Florida. A former Spanish and ESOL teacher, Adrianna currently resides in Austin, Texas with her husband and son. When not working with TOEFL students, wrangling multiple pets including an axolotl, and practicing fencing with her son, she is writing her next middle grade novel. Socials: Twitter: @acuevaswrites IG: adriannacuevas Join us in celebrating WINGS IN THE WILD book birthday! We sat down with award-winning Musa Margarita Engle to learn all about the inspiration behind this book. But first, a little bit about Wings in the Wild, this inspiring romantic contemporary novel-in-verse that tells the story of two teens fighting for climate action and human rights: Winged beings are meant to be free. And so are artists, but the Cuban government has criminalized any art that doesn’t meet their approval. Soleida and her parents protest this injustice with their secret sculpture garden of chained birds. Then a hurricane exposes the illegal art, and her parents are arrested. Soleida escapes to Central America alone, joining the thousands of Cuban refugees stranded in Costa Rica while seeking asylum elsewhere. There she meets Dariel, a Cuban American boy whose enigmatic music enchants birds and animals—and Soleida. Together they work to protect the environment and bring attention to the imprisoned artists in Cuba. Soon they discover that love isn’t about falling—it’s about soaring together to new heights. But wings can be fragile, and Soleida and Dariel come from different worlds. They are fighting for a better future—and the chance to be together.  Join us in celebrating THE ENCHANTED LIFE OF VALENTINA MEJIA book birthday! We sat down with debut Musa Alexandra Alessandri to learn all about the inspiration behind this book. But first, a little bit about The Enchanted Life of Valentina Mejía: Twelve-year-old Valentina wants to focus on drawing the real world around her and hopefully get into art school in Bogotá one day, but Papi has spent his life studying Colombia’s legendary creatures and searching for proof of their existence. So when Papi hears that a patasola—a vampire woman with one leg—has been sighted in the Andes, Valentina and her younger brother Julián get dragged along on another magical creature hunt.While they’re in the Andes, a powerful earthquake hits. Valentina and Julián fall through the earth…and find an alternate Colombia where, to Valentina’s shock, all the legends are real. To get home, Valentina and Julián must make a treacherous journey to reach this land’s ruler: the madremonte, mother and protector of the earth. She controls the only portal back to the human world—but she absolutely hates humans, and she’ll do anything to defend her land.  |
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