Las Musas Book Birthday: Moon Chef

Join us as we welcome back Delia Ruiz to celebrate the birthday of another beautiful book! 

Delia, please tell us about Moon Chef:
Readers will follow along as Gaby fills her plate (and belly!) with foods that match the shape of the moon she sees in the sky. From a crescent plantain to a gibbous guava, the food shapes wax and wane as the month goes on, just like lunar phases. The book includes expertly crafted back matter, including additional information about lunar phases and fun STEAM activities.

What 3 words would you use to describe your book?
​Tasty, informative, and fun!

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​How would you describe your main character? Why did you create your character that way? The main character, Gaby, is curious, helpful, and creative. I created her as a child of two cultures (just like my own toddler). I wanted her to see both sides of home through foods and also use them to compare them to her own interest (the moon).

What was the most challenging part of the publication process with this story?
I was familiar with the phases of the moon but we got really specific with which hemisphere the story took place because it affected how the moon would be shown. I also had to think of a timeline for the story so all the moon phases could be shown. I had to look up the exact name of the moon phase and make sure everything was labeled correctly for the backmatter. There was a good amount of research that went into moon exploration as well as making sure the
foods resembled the moon at each phase.

What message are you hoping readers will take away from this story?
I hope readers see foods they recognize or even want to try! There’s a mix of Spanish in the bilingual edition for families to learn along as well as information on all the moon phases to extend the learning. I hope readers walk away with the curiosity to explore the world around them and make connections to their own life just like Gaby does in the story.

What comes next for you as an author?
Right now I’m translating the Spanish edition of my 2027 book, A JUNGLE FULL OF SPANISH/Una jungla llena de español. I’m going to be working on edits this summer for a car shop 2027 book and I just finished edits on a 2028 picture book all about STEM and camping. Stay tuned!

GET YOUR COPY OF MOON CHEF

Connect with Delia!

​Delia Ruiz is a first generation Latina author from San Antonio, Texas. Her published works include the ¡123 BAILA! board book series, WAYS PAPI SAYS I LOVE YOU, MOON CHEF, and the International Latino Book award-winning story ROQUI’S PANDERO BEAT. She currently resides in Puerto Rico with her husband, toddler, and pug. Delia hopes to inspire the next generation of writers who also come from immigrant
households.

Instagram: @Aventuras.En.ESL
https://lnk.bio/AventurasEnESL