In Not Far From Here, mama tells her children a story that began when their papá was a little boy, not far from here. Their hardworking abuelitas told stories of their antepasados, and their abuelo, a blacksmith, taught their papá how to make art from earth and fire. These ancestral figures would leave a lasting imprint on papá. When abuelo died, papá took all those lessons to heart and crossed la frontera al norte to follow his sueños. There, he worked and overcame
barriers to forge his own obra maestra: a beautiful familia of his very own.

So inspiring...

Our World Cuba is a boardbook about the everyday life of a Cuban toddler. From waking up to a besito from Mami, to having café con leche and buttered toast for breakfast to riding the bus to la playa and playing a los escondidos, it is a joyous and sweet book about a young Cuban child. It is peppered with words in Spanish with full explanations in the back.

Sounds lovely.

Little Sebastian has a lot of opinions when it comes to food, so his parents call him their own baby food critic! He even has a personal rating system, from one to five binkies, and he’s prepared to knock off a binky or two if his food is too gooey, doesn’t smell quite right, or is touching other food. When a restaurant outing throws him for a loop, a one-binky review seems inevitable . . . but then his parents save the day and Sebastian realizes the special ingredient they’ve been adding to every meal—one that definitely deserves five binkies!

Today we celebrate the book birthday of Mercedes Sosa: Voice of the People by Musa and author-illustrator Aixa Perez- Prado. We sat down with Aixa to learn more about the inspiration behind this book.

Have you ever heard a song that made your heart soar?
A canción that captured your corazón?
A voice so powerful that it made you feel ready to change the world?
This is the story of a singer whose voice sailed through the air like the wings of a condor,  inspiring people everywhere!

Written and illustrated by Aixa Pérez-Prado, Mercedes Sosa: Voice of the People is the powerful biography of Argentinean folksinger and human rights advocate Mercedes Sosa. Affectionately known as La Negra, Mercedes used her musical talents and powerful voice to speak out against poverty and inequality in her home country. In the face of a cruel dictatorship, Mercedes refused to be silenced. She bravely stepped on stage to lend a "voice to the voiceless" with uplifting songs of empathy and empowerment. Her unforgettable music and messages of hope continue to resonate with people across the world to this day.

Want to learn more about this moving story? Read on after the link...

In Agent Unicorn, Unicorn longs to be a cool, case-crackin’ undercover agent, just like his
hero, Agent Sparrow. And he’s finally gotten his big break—a job at Agent Goat’s Detective Agency! True, he might be sweeping the floors for now, but it’s one step closer to his dream.
When Unicorn intercepts the case of a missing pet bird, he leaps into action! He’s sure he’s
ready to be a detective even though he has no actual experience. With the best disguises and
coolest gadgets, how hard can it be? But before long, he’ll discover that there’s more to being
an agent than sneaky moves and looking cool. He’ll have to track down the humility and heart
of a true detective and avoid getting distracted by the annoying bunny that keeps following
him—a bunny that might just bear some resemblance to the missing pet—if he ever hopes to
officially become Agent Unicorn.

I am intrigued.

Pencil & Eraser: We Have a Dull-emma!: Fiction Early Graphic Novel
It's the start of a new school year, and Pencil and Eraser are ready for anything. Except when Pencil notices her point has dulled. That's never happened before and she feels...pointless. Stella can't write with a dull pencil. So what can Pencil do?
The only answer is to leave the comfort of their desk behind and venture out to find a sharpener. But if Pencil is going on an adventure, she'll need to bring her (reluctant) bestie Eraser along for the ride. Together they'll have to traverse the classroom, scale a mountain-sized desk, enter uncharted territory of the school hallway, and avoid being caught by the janitor. Can Pencil and Eraser manage all that before Stella and her classmates return from recess?

Sounds like an adventure.

Julieta is excited for Abuelita's spirit to visit on Día de Muertos. She is determined to find the perfect gift to honor Abuelita and to show how much she misses her. However, her ideas fail one by one and Julieta grows worried. It is only when Julieta embraces the memories she once shared with her abuelita, that she realizes the perfect gift comes from the heart. An uplifting story about both life and death, family, and the threads that connect us, long after we are gone.

This sounds so meaningful...

Today we celebrate the book birthday of Lola, a magical realist middle grade adventure by Karla Arenas Valenti. The beautiful cover and interior art is by Islenia Mil. We sat down with Musa Karla to learn more about the inspiration behind this book.

Tell us a little bit about Lola:
This is a story about fear and healing. More precisely, how fear can get in the way of necessary change. This topic is explored through a simmering Narnia-esque tale of magic, adventure, and the extraordinary bond between a brother and sister who’d journey to the ends of the Earth to save each other. 

Ten-year-old Lola’s life has always been touched by magic. Her Mexico City home is built around a towering tree with seasonal blooms that seem almost enchanted, a backyard sandbox reveals the most unusual treasures, and mischievous chaneques scuttle about her house unseen by all but her. Lola has always thought of this kind of magic as an ordinary part of her life, but now she must embrace its extraordinary quality as never before.

Ever since The Thing That Happened, Lola’s brother, Alex, has been sick. Lately, however, his condition seems to be getting worse as a growing force ("the Darkness") seems to be closing in on him. At the same time, something has begun eating away at the tree, causing its bright leaves and colorful blossoms to crumble like ash. Lola is sure the two events are related, but how? Seeking a cure, she visits a grocery store oracle who tells her to follow the chaneques down one of their secret passages . . . into a hidden kingdom.
​
Floresta is a land of myths and monsters and marvels untold. And there lies the key to healing Alex. But to save him, Lola must use every bit of her wits and face her deepest fears as she uncovers the devastating truth that lies at the heart of this story.
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Wow, sounds intriguing!

Read more after the link...

CALL ME ROBERTO! / ¡LLÁMENME ROBERTO! is a picture book biography about Puerto Rican baseball icon Roberto Clemente that shows the emotional highs and lows of Clemente’s career as he fought bigotry and racism to become one of the greatest baseball players of all time. The title is a reference to Clemente’s plea for the media to not anglicize his name to “Bob.” English and Spanish words are intermingled in the text.

Sounds amazing! 

Follow the link...