 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. Where did you get the idea to write this particular story? Gloriana’s character is based on my own experience as an English Language Learner. At home I only spoke Spanish and I learned English at school. I struggled with reading and unfortunately my school did not have ELL/ESL resources. I wrote this story because I know there are thousands of English Language Learners like me that are scared of going to school and I wanted to show them that with time they could find their voice just as I found mine. That said, this book is great for all kids anxious about going to school for the first time. Change and transitions can be scary, and Gloriana’s struggle will resonate with kids beginning school. When Gloriana hears English phrases she does not understand, fear sets in. 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. Her abuela recognizes echoes of her own immigration journey on this challenging day at school, and she gently guides Gloriana toward newfound confidence. In fact, the name Gloriana is a combination of my two grandmother’s names (Gloria and Ana Luisa), which together make Gloriana. What message are you hoping readers will take away from this story? I hope my readers know that they can do anything they set their mind to, which is what my grandmother taught me. You can be courageous and find their voice, just like my abuela taught me. She learned to find her voice in a new country and you can too. Remember that you are enough. Can you share your path to publication for this book? My path to publishing this book started with writing about my struggle to learn English in school. Then I relied on industry experts to share their expertise and insights. I applied for a Las Musas mentorship program and was mentored by the prolific author Donna Barba Higuera. She helped me polish my manuscript and then I applied for a second mentorship program through The Word - A Storytelling Sanctuary. Under this mentorship program I was able to develop a relationship with an amazing editor who then acquired my manuscript. What comes next for you as an author? I am the author of Platanos Are Love and The Bronx Is My Home so I will continue to promote those books during school visits. I also have two more books coming out in 2025: Pieces of Home and Bold, Brilliant, and Latine. Pieces of Home is picture book about two sisters that are sad to move away from their neighborhood, so they collect mementos to always remember their home. Bold, Brilliant, and Latine highlights 52 Latine heroes across various industries that have made a tremendous impact on the world. What 3 recommendations would you give writers who are starting out? 1. Read in the genre you are trying to get published in. Before I tried to publish my picture books, I read over 150 children’s books to better understand the industry and market. I studied these books for their character development, plot, themes, word choice (diction), pacing, story structure, tone, length, word count, and so much more. Reading hundreds of picture books helped me determine whether the book idea(s) I had were original. 2. Practice writing - some say write every day. In full transparency, I am not always working on my books every day because I am juggling work, mom-life, and author life, which includes author visits and speaking engagements. Still, I am working on my business as an author by reading other books to improve my writing craft, writing articles like this, hosting workshops to help other authors break into the industry, and critiquing other manuscripts by other authors for a fee, which is a service I offer and much more. My recommendation is to start how I did - write for at least 10 minutes every day. 3. Create a community for yourself. You can motivate each other, hold each other accountable and provide each other with feedback on your manuscripts. Writing can be solitary and having a community to support you is key. I sought out guidance from those who published books successfully. Many authors offer manuscript critiques at a fee and this is a great way to get feedback from an industry professional. I offer both manuscript critiques and author development sessions to help aspiring authors navigate the industry. I also recommend connecting with reputable organizations that share great information. I can speak highly of We Need Diverse Books, The Word: A Storytelling Sanctuary, and Las Musas Books. They have great resources.
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