 Illustrated by: Rocío Arreola Mendoza Join us in congratulating Sara Andrea Fajardo for the birthday of her book Crack Goes the Cascarón/La Explosión del Cascarón. We sat down with Sara to learn more about her beautiful book! Sara, tell us about Crack Goes the Cascarón. The hunt is on to figure out who will be the reigning champ of Cascarones, and Toti knows that he has his family beat. His parents are too easy, they make old-school cascarones with confetti inside. His sister, Carlita wishes she could create cascarones like him, and his Abuela doesn’t even stand a chance. When the day of Cascarones arrives, will Toti seize his moment or will it be scrambled when he learns someone has switched his cascarones for fake ones! Fabulous! How would you describe your main character? Why did you create your character that way? Toti is a playful prankster, eager to best his family. I was inspired by my fun-loving son and my grandmother who relished fooling people on Día de Los Inocentes (like April Fool’s Day). I pulled character traits directly from the family jokesters. Toti, is named after one of my uncles, who loves to play with words and turn everything into a punchline. Where did you get the idea to write this particular story? Cascarones were one of my favorite traditions when I was a kid. They’re so easy to make and an invitation to everyone to join in. I also wanted to write a story that celebrates my Latinidad without making culture or identity the center of the story. My goal is to put people right in the middle of the action and have elements that feel familiar even if they’ve never actually seen a cascarón. What was your favorite part of the publication process with this story? Without a doubt teaming up with my fabulous editor Esther Cajahuaringa and illustrator Rocio Arreola Mendoza. I’ve learned so much from Esther’s edits and insights. She is very thoughtful in her feedback, and every conversation or e-mail exchange deepens my craft and pushes me as a writer. And what can I say about Rocio’s work? Simply put, joy on the page. Every time I received new sketches from her I was in awe of the spunk she brought to the page. Each character simply sings and the family feels so familiar. Between Esther and Rocio I feel like I was spoiled. This whole process has felt nothing short of an endless celebration. What comes next for you as an author? My non-fiction picture book biography Alberto Salas Plays Paka Paka con la Papa: Join the Quest with Famed Scientist and Potato Expert, illustrated by the fabulous Juana Martínez-Neal, comes out on March 18th. It is my love letter to the Andes, its people, and the gifts they offer the world. While it’s a very playful book it also covers serious topics, climate change and global food security. What 3 recommendations would you give writers who are starting out? Know who you are. Know what you represent. Know what you want others to know or feel about the things that matter to you. Don’t chase trends, instead look inside yourself and pull out those universal truths you want to share with the world. And don’t forget to have fun. If you’re enjoying yourself, it’s very likely your readers will too.  Photo credit: Armando Moncayo  Photo credit: Armando Moncayo Sara Andrea Fajardo is a Peruvian-American storyteller and educator. She writes books that celebrate her mixed heritage and Andean roots. Sara has worked as a photojournalist, a multimedia storyteller for humanitarian and agricultural research organizations across Africa and Latin America. The proud product of bilingual education, Sara now works as a first grade dual immersion teacher in Novato, California.
Find Sara at https://sarafajardowrites.com/ You can also connect with her: Instagram: @safajarwrites Bluesky: @safajarwrites.bsky.social
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