 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... What 3 words would you use to describe your book? Family, community, and dreams. How would you describe your main characters? Why did you create your characters that way? The two main characters are Miguel and Lolo, and the chapters alternate between their points of view. Miguel is a fifth-grader who loves art and wants to see and draw the world. He is annoyed that his parents keep him cooped up in the family bodega and don’t value his dreams. Lolo is a cat who’s been living outside and fending for himself. When Miguel brings him into the warm and cozy bodega on a cold December evening, Lolo decides he never wants to leave this new home. The two characters start off as opposites, with Miguel wanting to break free and Lolo wanting to stay close. I created them this way so they could help each other and learn from one another throughout the story. Can you share your path to publication for this book? Two years ago, I received an email from the book’s editors at Henry Holt, saying the team wanted to publish an illustrated middle grade 3-book series about three different bodega owners’ kids and their newly adopted cats in New York City. They had read my previous books and thought I would be the right person to bring these stories to life. I was intrigued, so I met with them, and we talked about their vision as well as my ideas for the characters and the story. I then wrote and submitted a sample of the opening chapters, and they really liked what I did. We were all excited about working together on this project, so they made me an offer and we signed a contract for the three books. What is the most important lesson you have learned as a writer until now? I’ve learned that being a writer isn’t the solitary job I once thought it was, and that that’s a good thing. There are many people involved in the journey to create a book, especially a book with illustrations like this one. It’s important to keep an open mind and accept comments and new ideas as you’re writing a book, because they truly help make your book better. Additionally, the community of book creators is so wonderful and supportive that there’s always someone to turn to if you have questions or just want a sympathetic ear. What message are you hoping readers will take away from this story? A main theme in this book is that Miguel’s immigrant parents have certain hopes and expectations for him. They left their native Dominican Republic and opened up a business in New York City, which was risky and required a lot of work. Like many children of immigrants, Miguel feels pressure to make his parents’ sacrifices be worthwhile, but he also has dreams of his own. I hope readers who have something in common with Miguel see that they’re not alone, and that they can follow their dreams while still cherishing their loved ones—both humans and pets. This is a message all readers can take away, even those for whom the book is not a reflection of their own lives. When I was a child, I never saw any book characters whose homes and experiences were like mine, but I learned about a lot of different people and places through reading. I hope readers learn something new from this story, whether it is about Dominicans, New York City, bodegas, cats, art, etc. And I hope they enjoy the book and are inspired to read more.
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