We are delighted to welcome Lulu Delacre and hear all about the newest addition to her Rafi and Rosi book series! Let's dive in.
Lulu, what is this beautiful, beginner reader book about? Rafi and Rosi, the curious, fun-loving tree frog siblings, are cooking up a storm with delicious Puerto Rican treats on the menu. Rafi and his younger sister, Rosi, are excited to help Abuela make her holiday order for sixty pasteles, a traditional Puerto Rican root vegetable dish. When Abuela discovers she is missing one key ingredient, Rafi and Rosi set out to buy it. On the way back they get to make crunchy arañitas and at home they learn Abuela's secret recipe for yummy guava shells in syrup. Later, when their friends can't come to help make the pasteles, Rafi and Rosi save the day, and the best Pasteles Making Party ensues! Engaging and informative, this book is perfect for newly independent readers. Children will enjoy Rafi and Rosi's explorations of some of their favorite foods. Read more after the link ...
Ah, the book sounds delicious! Can you tell our readers what inspired you to become a writer?
I never intended to become a writer. But early in my career as an illustrator I realized that even when English was not my mother tongue, I could draw characters into existence, and dream up adventures for them. The craft of writing is imagination mixed with persistence. That is at least for an English-as-a-second language creator. What 3 words would you use to describe your book? Fun, engaging, informative. How would you describe your main character? Why did you create your character that way? For me Rafi and Rosi Coquí are ambassadors to the culture of Puerto Rico. At the core of their adventures is the sibling relationship and abiding love for each other. Rafi is the all-knowing older brother who relishes tricking his little sister and boasts about all that he can do that she can’t. Rosi is the little sister in awe of her brother’s knowledge but with a mind of her own. She's resourceful and not shy about putting Rafi in his place when needs arises. Where did you get the idea to write this particular story? We decided to close the series with a fifth and last title. Having touched on the natural world, the history, the traditions, and the music of Puerto Rico, I knew one last subject I needed to touch on was the delicious traditional food of the island. Are you agented? If so, can you share how you got one? I was agented for the first twenty years of my career. From 2000 on I decided to manage this aspect of my work. Can you share your path to publication for this book? On a visit to Umana Academy in Boston, second graders and I brainstormed possible next adventures for the siblings. They had intimate knowledge of the books, as the series is in their curriculum. The students got so excited talking about foods I could feature, that I knew I was onto something. Then, I approached my publisher, who gave me the choice of creating a brand new series, or working on a closing title for this one. It was an easy choice, specially when my editor at Lee & Low Books came out of retirement to work on Rafi and Rosi Menu. What was the most difficult scene to write in this story? Nothing was difficult on this book. I relished each and every step. What was your favorite part of the publication process with this story? Getting to work with Louise May, my editor of several decades, one last time. And revealing to my readers the pasteles puertorriqueños recipe that I’ve been tweaking for two decades! What is the most important lesson you have learned as a writer until now? It’s important to diversify your offerings, in terms of genres, to survive in an ever changing publishing world. Also, you must believe in the project, when in doubt maybe the manuscript needs reshaping or it’s not its time. What message are you hoping readers will take away from this story? That learning to read can be a lot of fun following the adventures of Rafi and Rosi. These are not books that will garner literary awards, These are books that will allow young readers to become confident independent readers of literary fiction, while learning fun stuff in the process. What comes next for you as an author? Great question! I’ve spent about six months researching the amazing agricultural methods of some of the major indigenous societies that inhabited Latin America prior to its colonization. I’m fascinated with what I’ve learned. Now, it’s about distilling that knowledge into a story that entertains with remarkable facts and stunning art. A tall order, right? What 3 recommendations would you give writers who are starting out? Read the genre you want to master. If you find a particular book that speaks to you, copy it word by word to learn from this process. Then, forget all about it and do your own thing. What is on your creative bucket list? On day I’d like to write snapshots of my life into a memoir for adults. One day I’d like to paint a dream I had in 2004. What books are on your to-be-read list? I’d like to reread two classic novels: The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo and A Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson. Well, what a beautiful way to close your book series. Congratulations, Lulu!
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