When We Find Her

When We Find Her, written by M. García Peña and illustrated by André Ceolin

When We Find Her is a stunning new book by author M. García Peña, and today, we have the honor of chatting with her about this project! 

We immediately fell in love with the cover art, and could not wait to ask you, what is this book about? 
This book is a moving portrait of the absence lost loved ones leave in our lives—and the food traditions that keep their memories from fading. Lila and her Abuelo Carlos miss Abuela Ana. Without the sound of her laughter, the rhythm of her dancing, or the aromas of her cooking, home just isn’t the same. So Lila devises a plan to hold onto every detail she can remember. She and Abuelo will make Abuela’s signature dish—sancocho! Off to the market they go, guided by a faded recipe that takes them through the stalls, where each ingredient sparks a warm memory. As Lila and her abuelo learn to lean on each other, Abuela’s words help them recreate a dish that tastes like love. When We Find Her is a contemporary picture book (ages 4-8). 

Read more after the break ...

Where did you get the idea to write this particular story?
When We Find Her was inspired by the true story of my grandmother’s lost sanchoco recipe. Spoiler alert, we never found it. And possibly, it never existed! Like many seasoned cooks it was probably something my grandmother did often enough or altered from another recipe that she never thought to write it down, but the journey of trying to find that recipe led us through memories and the moments we spent with her, which then became When We Find Her.


Can you share your path to publication for this book?
The super-talented NoNieqa Ramos would tell you that years ago I swore up and down that I would NOT write a picture book. Telling a complete story in 500-ish words was intimidating, and plus, I simply didn’t have any ideas. But then, of course, a story did develop and I shyly sent it to my agent, who replied “there’s something here.”
It took a few rounds of pitching, and I still remember hearing an editor remark how “no one wants food books anymore” while at a publishing event made for aspiring authors. It wasn’t the thing I wanted to hear with a book about grief and food out on submission, but we didn’t give up. At around 6+ months in, I decided it would not hurt to participate in the #LatinxPitch event on X/Twitter, where my now editor Maggie liked my pitch. My agent sent her the story and that’s when it found a home at Viking Children’s Books!

What is the most important lesson you have learned as a writer until now?
Do not let publishing set a value to your work. Some stories take years to sell or don’t see the light of day at all, but they still mean something. Understand that your craft and publishing are different. One is a business and the other is art. And while you may have little control in what publishing as a business does, you can continue to work and explore your writing. 

What message are you hoping readers will take away from this story?
Ultimately this is a story about love persevering through grief and holding onto the memories and joy shared even after that person is gone. It’s about the power of food to keep those connections alive and act as conduits for memories, family, and love. I hope it inspires you to honor your loved ones and keep their memories alive by continuing in the traditions (like cooking or baking!) they shared with you. 

What comes next for you as an author?
I’m working on my second picture book, also set in Puerto Rico, though I’m not sure when this will be released, possibly 2027 or 2028 which feels like a million years from now! And I have a short story coming up in the YA environmental anthology Onward, which is a collection of 16 remarkable short stories for aspiring teen activists centered on the climate crisis, highlighting how small actions can make Earth sustainable against climate change. If you’d like signed copies of When We Find Her I’m working with two bookstores or you can get one at one of my upcoming events!

Congratulations on your publishing success, and thank you for inspiring us with your perseverance and wise words! 

GET YOUR COPY OF " WHEN WE FIND HER"

---

Get to know the author

M. García Peña (she/her) was born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico. She got her MFA at The New School and is the author of Even If the Sky Falls, The Resolutions, a contributor in the YA monster anthology Our Shadows Have Claws, and the picture book When We Find Her forthcoming from Viking Books for Young Readers. She is a founding member of the artist collective Las Musas Books and splits her time between Puerto Rico and New York. You can find her at mgarciabooks.com.