 Today we celebrate the book birthday of Lupita's Brown Ballet Slippers by Steena Hernandez, gorgeously illustrated by Melissa Castillo. We sat down with Musa Steena Hernandez to learn about the inspiration behind this book. Lupita's big ballet recital is approaching. The music is perfect. Her ballet moves are strong. But her peachy pink ballet slippers don't match her skin tone. Lupita searches for the right pair only to discover it will take hard work--and messy measures--in order for her shoes to dance with her. Inspired by Steena's own experiences as a Latina dancer, Lupita's Brown Ballet Slippers is a charming story filled with determination. The final few spreads teach readers about the history of ballet slippers as well as the crucial changes the industry has seen for dancers of all races and ethnicities. It sounds wonderful, doesn't it? Read more about this book after the link... Hi, Steena! Thanks for joining us today to celebrate your book release! Tell us, what inspired you to become a writer? Hi! It’s an honor to be here, and being a part of the Las Musas collective has been a wonderful experience! I never thought about becoming a writer until after becoming a mother. We’re a library loving family and check out many books every week. When my children were much younger, we enjoyed library story time and craft classes, and that’s when I fell in love with picture books specifically. I also found that my background in theatre and performance came in handy, and I often “acted out” and animated the stories while we read aloud at home. It was so much fun, and eventually I wondered if I could write stories of my own! That thought sparked a curiosity and led me to loving and learning the craft of writing children’s stories. What three words would you use to describe Lupita’s Brown Ballet Slippers? Diversity, Inclusion, and Informative. What message are you hoping readers will take from this story? At the heart of this book is dance, and I hope young dancers enjoy Lupita’s love for ballet and her search for the perfect pair of slippers. I also hope that all readers can find their own way to connect to the story, and that no matter what sport or extra curricular activity they may be involved in, they can take away Lupita’s message of 'Everyone deserves to shine.” I also hope that readers gain a better understanding of some of the challenges dancers of color have faced when it comes to shades of ballet slippers! What is the most important lesson you’ve learned as a writer? The most important lesson I’ve learned is valuing and being involved in the writing community. When I first started writing, I attended an SCBWI conference, where one of the author speakers mentioned the importance of becoming active in the writing community. She suggested getting a social media account to follow other writers. I didn’t know there was such a warm and inviting writing community on social media, but I’m glad I joined and dove right in. It’s been a highlight of my writing journey to follow and support other writers and to be a part of the kidlit community. What 3 recommendations would you give writers who are starting out? To writers who are just starting out, I would say to get in a good critique group. There are opportunities through SCBWI, where I found one of my critique groups, or 12 x12 Picture Book Challenge is another great place to connect with other writers. Find a group that writes the same age category and write and share stories and feedback frequently. I would also recommend writers read books in the age category and genre that your are writing in. It’s so helpful to know what’s out there in the market. My TBR list is a mile high, but it’s fun to know I’ll never run out of books to read! Finally, I recommend you try and keep an open mind when faced with rejections. Although it’s not easy, it’s a part of the process. Keep going and keep writing, finding support and strength in critique partners and the wonderful writing community. That's great advice! Thanks for joining us today. Thank you so much for having me!  Photo credit: Laura Squire Steena Hernandez is a homeschool mother of two children and lives in San Antonio, TX. She’s inspired by her Mexican American culture and she hopes that readers will see themselves in her stories. Find her debut picture book, Lupita’s Brown Ballet Slippers at Beaming Books. Connect with Steena at: Twitter (X): @HernandezSteena IG: @steenahernandez Comments are closed.
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