Today we celebrate the book birthday of 10 THINGS I HATE ABOUT PROM, by Elle Gonzalez Rose, illustrated by Rebeca Alvarez. We sat down with Musa Elle Gonzalez Rose to learn more about the inspiration behind this book.
10 Things I Hate About Prom is a young adult rom-com that follows Ivelisse Santos, a wallflower who's senior year takes an unexpected turn when her best friend, Joaquin, enlists her help in pulling off the perfect promposal for the most popular girl at their school. When Ivelisse begins sabotaging Joaquin's promposal attempts to save him from having his heart broken, she tells herself it's just because she doesn't want to see her best friend get hurt. But as her sabotage begins to get out of hand, she starts to realize her feelings for Joaquin might not be just platonic. Read more after the jump...
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Today we celebrate the book birthday of Miguel Must Fight!. We sat down with Jamie Ofelia to learn all about the inspiration behind this book. But first, a little bit about the book:
In my debut fictional picture book, MIGUEL MUST FIGHT!, Miguel is a boy who comes from a family of sword fighters but who wants to be an artist. Everyone pressures Miguel to begin his training, but fighting just isn’t Miguel’s style. And when a fearsome dragon lands in their village, Miguel has one chance to defend his family and prove that his pencil is mightier than the sword! Today we celebrate the book birthday of THE WRATH OF THE RAIN GOD, the first book in the Legendarios Chapter Book series by Karla Arenas Valenti, illustrated by Vanessa Morales. We sat down with Musa Karla Arenas Valenti to learn more about the inspiration behind this series.
Legendarios is an action-packed chapter book series inspired by Mexican mythology that follows twins, Emma and Martín, whose magical book of legends transports them to incredible places! It's a little bit of Magic Tree House meets Heroes in Training, with a very Mexican twist. In the first book, Emma and Martín are swept into a legend where they encounter Tlaloc, the god of rain. Tlaloc is wrathful because his lightning bolt has been stolen, and his rage is manifesting as a torrential downpour over the ancient city of Texcoco. The rain won’t stop until the lightning bolt has been returned, so Emma and Martín (and a new friend, Nelli) set out to recover it and save Nelli's village. Intrigued? Read more below... Today, we're thrilled to share the cover to Vampirita and the Angry Mob / Vampirita y la turba enfurecida, written by Mariana Llanos, illustrated by Laura Brenlla, and published by Reycraft Books.
Here's the scoop on Vampirita: Vampirita's life takes an unexpected turn when she swaps Lima, Peru, for Sunny City, California. Join her in this whimsical tale, navigating the challenges of fitting into a town that's a far cry from her eerie hometown. Will Vampirita's mischievous plan to bring spooky back succeed, or will she discover unexpected enchantment in the seemingly mundane? What you'll find in this book:
And now, check out this gorgeous cover! Today we celebrate the book birthday of Canto Contigo. We sat down with Musa Jonny Garza Villa to learn all about the inspiration behind this book. But first, a little bit about the book:
Canto Contigo is a contemporary young adult novel with a dash of magical realism; part grief story, part rivals-to-lovers romance; and all about the epic highs and lows of high school mariachi. It follows Rafie Álvarez, who, months after losing his abuelo, moves to San Antonio just before his senior year and, with that, leaves the nationally acclaimed North Amistad High School’s Mariachi Alma de la Frontera he’s been leading the past three years. His singular saving grace is knowing that his new group, the Selena Quintanilla-Perez’s Mariachi Todos Colores—a group that’s always been a far second to the one he left—will be begging him to be their lead vocalist. However, what he gets instead is a literal run-in with their current lead who has no intention of stepping down but does have a very familiar (and very kissable) face. Today we celebrate the book birthday of Our World Colombia. We sat down with Alexandra Alessandri to learn all about the inspiration behind this book. But first, a little bit about the book:
¡Hola! Come along for a day of exploring the sights and sounds of Colombia from the farm to the city. Join Bebé and Perrito as they snack on arepa con chocolate, visit the market, dance cumbia, and count whales in the waves. Colombian author Alexandra Alessandri and illustrator Manu Montoya draw on their personal experiences to create this vibrant board book as part of the Our World series for very young readers. Today we celebrate the book birthday of Sing it Like Celia. We sat down with Musa Mónica Mancillas to learn all about the inspiration behind this book.
But first, a little bit about the book: Sing it Like Celia is about a twelve-year-old girl named Salvadora Sanchez (Salva for short) whose life is turned upside down one day when her mother disappears without explanation. She winds up living with her long-absent investigative journalist father in a camper van while he travels to a campground in Northern California to work on a story about a woman who has been separated from her own children and is facing deportation. While navigating the emotional uncertainties of her new circumstances and unraveling the mystery of her mother’s disappearance, Salva befriends a group of local kids and is coaxed into lending her amazing vocal talents and love of salsa music to their band. The shake-up that ensues leads to drama amongst the band, but ultimately helps Salva to find her voice (both literally and figurately) as she fights for what she believes in and learns to stand up for herself and others. Sounds amazing, right? Read on to learn more... Today we celebrate the book birthday of Cruzita and the Mariacheros. We sat down with Ashley Granillo to learn all about the inspiration behind this book. But first, a little bit about the book:
Cruzita and the Mariacheros is a middle grade book. In it, Cruzita believes she is going to be a pop star and put all of her family's financial hardships to an end, so long as she can win the Rising Star contest at local theme park, Encore Island. However, her family insists she work at the family bakery, which has not been the same since Tío Chuy died. Cruzita does her best to stay grounded despite her family's arguing, but her dreaming gets in the way. Luckily for her, her grandma believes in her musical ability. But there's one problem: it's for mariachi. Cruzita must learn how to navigate parts of her culture she hasn't explored and others she's failed at, all while staying true to herself. Today, we're thrilled to reveal the cover to Mercedes Sosa: Voice of the People, written and illustrated by Aixa Perez-Prado. This gorgeous picture book will be released on September 17, 2024 by Children’s Book Press, an imprint of Lee & Low Books. A little bit about the book: Written and illustrated by Aixa Pérez-Prado, this is the powerful biography of Argentinean folksinger and activist 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. And now, check out this gorgeous cover! Aixa says: This is the incredible story of Mercedes Sosa, the Argentine singer who became known as the "voice of the voiceless." Born to humble circumstances in Tucumán, Argentina, Mercedes discovered her extraordinary talent—a voice that soared! With her compelling contralto, she crooned anthems dedicated to indigenous and working people, lifting their hearts, and encouraging them to stand up for their rights. Through the power of her voice, Mercedes conveyed messages of fairness, freedom, and justice, inspiring resilience, resistance, and hope, even in the face of adversity. As an Argentine woman, I am extremely proud to be the author and illustrator of this book about Mercedes Sosa. Her songs were the soundtrack of my childhood and I'm excited to share the messages and the emotions in her music with young people everywhere. I actually started designing the cover image long before I became the illustrator of this book. While working on the text, I used to listen to her music and draw as I listened, inspired by Mercedes’ strength and presence. In this illustration, I incorporated the colors and textures of the Argentine landscape and the sun on the flag along with an image of Mercedes in her iconic poncho singing and playing the bombo. In Argentine culture, Mercedes is often associated with birds, and if you look carefully, you will find at least one bird in every image throughout the illustrations of this book and starting right here on the cover. The birds are meant to symbolize her soaring and powerful voice reaching through the clouds to inspire people everywhere. Written and illustrated by Aixa Perez-Prado, and published by Children’s Book Press, Mercedes Sosa: Voice of the People will be out on September 17, 2024. Pre-order the English version of Mercedes Sosa: Voice of the People today! Bookshop Barnes & Noble Amazon Pre-order the Spanish version of Mercedes Sosa: La Voz del Pueblo today! Bookshop Barnes & Noble Amazon BIO Aixa Pérez-Prado is an author, an illustrator, and a university professor of linguistic and cultural studies. Originally from Buenos Aires, she crafts stories that explore intersectional identities, the need for belonging, and the richness of bilingualism. In her early years, Aixa found inspiration in the powerful voice of Mercedes Sosa and was drawn to the profound messages of social justice, human rights, and compassion in her music. These messages prompted her to embark on a personal journey of self-discovery, exploring her own blended Indigenous and European heritage through the mediums of art, literature, and music. Aixa lives with her family in Miami, Florida. You can learn more about her at aixaperezprado.com. Social media handles Instagram: @aixasdoodlesandbooks TikTok: @aixasdoodlesandbooks Facebook: @aixasdoodlesandbooks Today we're excited to reveal the cover to Nydia Armendia-Sánchez's debut NOT FAR FROM HERE! But first, a little bit about the book:
We worked and worked juntos, holding, shaping, and forging our sueños Nuestra familia . . . nos superamos as individuals and together Mamá tells her children a story that began when their papá was a niño, not far from here. Their abuelitas shared the skills and the stories of their antepasados, and their abuelo, a blacksmith, taught their papá how to make art from earth and fire. When abuelo died, papá took all those lessons to heart and crossed la frontera to el norte to follow his sueños. There, he worked and overcame barriers to forge his own obra maestra: a familia and a future in which anything is possible. NOT FAR FROM HERE is written by Nydia Armendia-Sánchez and illustrated by Devon Holzwarth and releases October 1, 2024 from Candlewick Press Now get ready for the cover... |
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