Review and Author Q & A: Skeletina and The In-Between World by Susie Jaramillo

Skeletina and The In-Between World by Susie Jaramillo is a story about overcoming fears and finding comfort in moments of sadness. It takes place in the in-between world, where monsters, creatures and ghosts are friendly and the dead and living can come together.

Skeletina is a little girl who lives in the in-between world and loves to visit her friends, whom are filled with wise words and are lots of fun. Her favorite friends are the children who visit the in-between world; who she is able to help confront their fears and find the peace that they need, when they miss a loved one that has passed.

Throughout the pages of this book, both kids and adults will find powerful words surrounded by beautiful illustrations. The story is a reminder that anything is possible, when we believe in ourselves.

I had the opportunity to ask Susi Jaramillo a few questions about Skeletina and The In-Between World. She spoke about her childhood and the inspiration for the story, her creative influences and about future projects.

Tiffany Gonzalez (TG): What inspired you to write Skeletina and The In-Between World?

Susie Jaramillo (SJ): As a child, I suffered from intense nightmares until one night, I figured out that if you manage to let go as you dream and not fight the nightmares, they dissipate. Now, I’m a mom and my daughter also suffers from intense nightmares. I thought, wouldn’t it be cool if there were a little girl, who lived in the in-between world, who could help kids like my daughter deal with their nightmares? And, I imagined this little girl to be like my alter-ego: Funny, friendly, irreverent, and knowledgeable about all things in the in-between world!

TG: I loved how each character in the story held a message to push through fears, uncertainty and worries. Señor Tic Toc and his message of possibility resonated with me the most, which is your favorite character or message from the story?

SJ: My favorite character would have to be Spider Grandma. Both of my grandmothers did so much with their hands. They were constantly making, crafting, cooking, and crocheting. It’s a big part of the culture. In general, Latin culture is very crafty, we love to make things - and we like our little espresso cups too!

TG: Could you talk a bit about culture and how it is represented in this story? I see a lot of elements of El Día De Los Muertos, which derives from Mexico and their homage to deceased loved ones.

SJ: I love to draw and I’ve had this world in my head for a long time. Skeletina has Calavera markings on her face because it’s a shorthand way to show that she’s from the in-between world. She’s not like the kids that visit her in their dreams. She’s from another time completely which makes it more magical. I’m a huge admirer of the work of Jose Posada and I wanted to marry his sensibility with that of Tim Burton and Edward Gorey - both artists I loved growing up. There’s also quite a bit of MC Escher to Skeletina’s world as space and time function in a completely different way. It’s a vibrant place with lots of nostalgic details and hopefully the humor and the energy of the place comes through.

TG: The lessons in the story very much apply to adults as well, was that something you intended to do?

SJ: Yes! Most of us don’t realize that we are having the same nightmares, and these all come from similar experiences. With the Skeletina books, I’ve distilled a given nightmare into the work of a particular monster who can be easily diffused, once you get the hang of what it responds to. The trick is to remember that NOTHING can hurt you in the in-between world. You are truly in control of everything, and once you crack that - amazing things can happen. This definitely applies to both kids and adults alike.

TG: Do you have advice for parents with children who have nightmares frequently?

SJ: My best advice is to talk to your children about their dreams and see if you can get at what’s bothering them. If they can identify this and talk about it, chances are the bad dreams will go away. Empathize with them, and make sure they know you believe them. See if you can come up together with the way the dream should end. That will help children go back to sleep with confidence.

TG: Can we expect to see more of Skeletina and The In-Between World? Any other projects on the horizon that we can expect?

SJ: Skeletina will continue to help kids, one nightmare at a time! With our next book, we will take a deep dive into a dream that is super common, find out who’s behind it, and how we diffuse it. It’s one of the most common and strange dreams that we all have… and it’s all because of a greedy tooth fairy!

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Susie Jaramillo is an artist, a storyteller, an entrepreneur and a mom. An eternal student of cultures from around the world, she was born in Venezuela and raised between Caracas and Florida. At the age of 17, she moved to New York to study art at Pratt Institute where she honed her crafts in painting and printmaking, and she now resides in Brooklyn with her husband and two children. As a kid, she had nightmares frequently until she discovered that she was in control of her dreams. She created Skeletina to empower children like her to take control of their fears and be brave.

Tiffany Gonzalez is the Marketing Manager at Astra House and the Communications Co-Director for Latinx In Publishing. She previously worked in Production at HarperCollins Publishers. She has worked on the Publicity and Marketing campaign for Dreaming of You by Melissa Lozada-Oliva and on the Marketing campaigns for Becoming Abolitionists by Derecka Purnell, The Sex Lives of African Women by Nana Darkoa Sekiyamah and The Town of Babylon by Alejandro Varela. She has earned her Bachelors and Master's degrees from Rutgers University - NB. She is Dominican-American and fluid in Spanish. She is a Publisher’s Weekly 2022 Star Watch Honoree. You can follow her on Instagram @wandering_tiff_ or visit her website at wanderingtiff.com

#SalaSundays with Lauren Ortiz

Lauren Ortiz hosted our Instagram on October 16th for our weekly #SalaSundays series. Below are a few questions that we asked Lauren.

Latinx in Pub (LxP): What do you do?

Lauren Ortiz (LO): I am a publicist at Little, Brown and Company, an imprint of Hachette Book Group, working specifically on the Voracious and Little, Brown Spark imprints.

LxP: How did you get started?

LO: I started my career in publishing in September of 2020. I was lucky to be connected to the publicity team at Little, Brown for an associate role and we hit it off right away!

LxP: What do you wish you knew before getting into the industry?

LO: Before getting into the industry, I had no idea how many incredible people were involved in creating a book, from managing editorial, to designers, to marketing, and more. It takes a village to publish great books!

LxP: What book are you currently working on or reading?

LO: I am currently working on the memoir for Outlander’s Sam Heughan, titled WAYPOINTS, and a fun interactive cocktail book called POUR ME ANOTHER by J.M. Hirsch.

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Lauren Ortiz joined Little, Brown in 2020 as an Associate Publicist with Little, Brown Spark and Voracious imprints focusing on lifestyle, cooking, health and wellness, science, and psychology titles. Prior to joining Little, Brown, she worked at NBCUniversal as a Page in NBCU’s Page Program and later as a publicity coordinator with NBC Entertainment, where she assisted in publicity campaigns for late night and prime time television shows including Saturday Night Live, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Law & Order: SVU, and The Blacklist. In her time at Little, Brown, she’s had the opportunities of working with talented authors such as Sam Heughan, Leah Thomas, Mamadou Ndiaye, Christopher Kimball, among others. A graduate of Rutgers Business School – New Brunswick, she earned her BS in Business Marketing.

Exclusive Excerpt: Charlie Hernández & the Golden Dooms by Ryan Calejo

Inspired by Hispanic folklore, legends, and myths from the Iberian Peninsula and Central and South America, this third book in the Charlie Hernández series follows Charlie as he fights against an army of the dead.

After hitchhiking across Central and South America to rescue the Witch Queen and face off against La Mano Peluda, Charlie Hernández is pretty much grounded for life. But after all he's been through, some quiet time at home with his parents might be nice. Though it would be better if he didn't have to share his room with his obnoxiously perfect cousin Raúl, who's staying with them.

But quiet is hard to come by when you're the fifth and final morphling, and it's not long before death walks back into Charlie's life. Or at least, the dead do, starting with a mysterious young calaca who corners him at school, dropping cryptic hints about trouble brewing in the 305. With the League of Shadows focused on repairing fractured alliances and tracking gathering armies, this one's up to Charlie to solve.

Following the clues only leads to more questions, and not even teenage investigative journalist extraordinaire Violet Rey can figure out how a sudden rooster infestation, earthquakes, missing persons, and a pet-napping gang of lizard-men--whom Charlie doesn't recognize from any legend--are all connected. Most concerning of all is when they learn a map has been stolen that reveals the locations of the Golden Dooms, the twelve ancient calaca watchmen who form the magical barrier between the realms.

To stop the impending invasion, Charlie and Violet must outwit an ancient evil and unravel the most sinister of schemes. That is, unless they'd rather watch the Land of the Living get overrun by the dead.

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Exclusive excerpt from Charlie Hernández & the Golden Dooms:

V and I stashed our bikes between the pair of big, stinky, rusted-out dumpsters at the corner, and then all three of us slipped into the trees, edging our way through saw grass and shadows until we were about twenty yards from the back of Pierre’s. A large green cargo truck with a canvas top and huge mud tires was backed up maybe five yards from the small loading bay door. The suspicious-looking dude we’d seen inside the shop was helping two other suspicious-looking dudes (these with a little less neck and a lot more hair) load something like boxes into the rear of the truck. Thick black cloths were draped over the boxes, which made it impossible to tell what they were or what was inside. The whole thing practically screamed ILLEGAL ACTIVITY UNDERWAY— AVERT YOUR EYES! 

“We have to get a closer look,” Violet whispered. And so we crouched in the tall grass, swatting at mosquitoes and moths, waiting for the three dudes to finish. 

When they finally did and had disappeared back into the store, we snuck up alongside the truck—on the opposite side—then quickly climbed into the back. The canvas curtains were so thick that they blocked out every scrap of moonlight, but Violet already had her phone out, the harsh white cone of her flashlight app illuminating the boxes we’d watched them load in. There were about ten of them, stacked two high and five deep. But the weirdest part? They seemed to be making the strangest sounds: I could just make out faint panting and sniffing, and some small, soft scratching sounds. 

“What do you think’s in ’em?” asked Raúl, sounding very much the part of a soon-to-be victim in some scary movie. 

“Let’s find out,” answered Violet, sounding like the very first victim. But when she lifted one of the covers, all we could do was gape. 

“A . . . golden retriever?” whispered Raúl, frowning. 

“And a Russian blue,” said V, peeking underneath another. 

So we peeked under maybe five or six more, and that was exactly what we kept finding: more dogs and cats. (Oh, and a hamster the size of a turkey.) 

Raúl, his eyes all big and round and shiny, glanced up at me. “Can we keep one?” he whispered. 

“What? No. Well—” I glanced at Violet. “Maybe?” 

“They’re not ours to keep,” she said. “Check it out. . . . They’re all wearing collars. They’re all somebody’s pets.” 

“But why would those guys have so many pets?” I rasped. I mean, I’m a huge animal lover and all. In fact, I’m part animal. But geez . . . 

“I don’t think they do,” Violet said. “Look at the collars again. All different owners.” 

She was right. In the glow of her phone, I could see five different tags, and all five had different addresses and different phone numbers. 

“So, what, then?” I said. “They’re a petnapping ring posing as an antique shop? These people are sick!” Honestly, that was the only thing that made any sense to me. The question was: What could any of this possibly have to do with Esperanza’s sister? 

Next thing, Violet was opening one of the cages. A cat’s. Its collar read Kitty Purry in swirling golden letters. 

The blue-furred kitty blinked and its eyes sparkled, and it purred appreciatively as Violet brought it out of the cold shadows of the cage.

“Hey, what are you doing?” I whispered, and Violet said, “I know this address. . . .” 

I shook my head. “Whose is it?” 

“Not sure, but I’m positive I’ve seen it before. Like, onehundo.” The cat purred again, louder this time. And now I watched Violet’s lips pull down into a frown. “Where’s Raúl?” she hissed. 

“Huh?” I glanced left, right, left, spun all the way around, in fact—and realized my cousin had flat vanished on us. Like poof! “Where the heck did he go?”

Just then I heard a click. Somewhere close by, a door banged open. Then came the sound of voices. And then of footsteps—approaching footsteps! 

“Someone’s coming!” whispered Violet. “Go, go!” 

We hurried out the rear of the truck, climbing backward down the tailgate, and had barely started to turn around when we ran into something—or rather, someone. 

And, unfortunately, it wasn’t my cousin. . . . 

“Hello, snoopers,” a voice whispered by my ear.

I didn’t need to turn around. 

I recognized it. 

And I recognized it because I’d just heard it. 

Then Mr. Sospechoso—aka the suspicious weirdo from inside the shop—wrapped me up in his bulky arms, lifting me off my feet even as I kicked and twisted, trying to wiggle free. 

Next to me, one of the other goons we’d seen helping him grabbed Violet. She struggled and screamed, and the cat leapt from her arms with a loud meoooow! to scamper underneath the truck.

“VIOLET!” I shouted. Then, yanking one arm free, I twisted around, already rearing back to pop this petnapping punk square on the nose— 

Only what I saw when I finally got all the way around nearly made me swallow my tongue! (And a couple of teeth, too . . .) 

What I’d expected to see—duh—was a human face. But what I actually saw was something else entirely. Up close, the best (and kindest) way to describe it was humanish . . . except there was waaay more ish mixed in there than I was completely comfortable with. The skin on the sides of his face and under his chin was scaly, greenish, and bonedry, like a crocodile’s. His nose, which had just looked a little busted from across the shop, was, in fact, upturned, U-shaped, and rounded at the end, sort of like a shovel. A few long, crooked teeth (too big to be human, too sharp and serrated to be fake) stuck down over his lower lip, and I could hear this totally creepy, rattlesnake-like hiss rising from deep inside his throat. But the freakiest thing about him? No doubt about it, his eyes! They were greenish, yellowish, and black, with dark vertical slits for pupils. Those are the eyes of a reptile, I thought numbly. The eyes of a PREDATOR! 

Resisting the temptation to go all Little Red Riding Hood and shout, “GRANNY, WHAT FREAKY EYES YOU HAVE!” I swung my head around and saw that his buddy (the one who’d grabbed Violet) had the same weird skin and the same reptilian eyes! Call me thick, call me slow—call me whatever you wanna call me!—but it was slowly beginning to dawn on me that these guys weren’t exactly human . . .

Panic rose like a hot-air balloon in my throat. But not just because we were outmuscled, outarmed, and completely outsized. But because I didn’t have the slightest clue what the heck these things even were! When I was growing up, my abuelita had taught me hundreds, if not thousands, of myths from all over the Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking world. She’d taught me them in order to protect me, knowing that one day I’d probably run into a few. And it had worked, too. Her stories had saved my life more times than I’d ever admit. (Especially to my mom, because she freaks out about stuff like that . . .) But now, as I took a panicky nosedive into the ocean of my hippocampus, searching through murky memories for stories of croc people, of walking, talking alligator monsters, I came back up with a big fat nada burger. Nothing! Which of course begged the question: Had my grandma never heard of these things? Had she forgotten about them? Or—and maybe most concerning of all—had she not told me about them on purpose? 

“What are we gonna do with ’em?” asked one of the goons—er, croc things. ‘

“Exactly what Mr. C would want us to . . . ,” answered the croc thing currently squeezing me like his favorite stuffed teddy. “Make ’em disappear.”

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Ryan Calejo is the author of the Charlie Hernández series. He was born and raised in south Florida, where he graduated from the University of Miami with a BA. He teaches swimming to elementary school students, chess to middle school students, and writing to high school students. Having been born into a family of immigrants and growing up in the so-called “Capital of Latin America,” Ryan knows the importance of diversity in our communities and is passionate about writing books that children of all ethnicities can relate to.

Most Anticipated July 2022 Releases

July is here and so are some good reads. Below are the latest additions to my reading list; each one with it’s one unique attraction. Whether a memoir that touches on the supernatural or a fiction read that is far from the ordinary, this list is my idea of a summer party.

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THE MAN WHO COULD MOVE CLOUDS: A Memoir | by Ingrid Rojas Contreras | On Sale July 12, 2022

A good memoir is a staple for every reading list, so when I heard about The Man Who Could Move Clouds, it was an instant add to my TBR. This is a story about magic and not just figuratively. Rojas Contreras was raised amid the political violence of 1980s and ’90s Colombia, in a house filled with her mother’s fortune-telling clients. Her maternal grandfather was a well-known curandero with the power to talk to the dead, tell the future, treat the sick, and move the clouds. Yes, this is NOT a fiction book. —Rojas Contreras always felt distant from this part of her history, until a head injury left her with amnesia. After having only regained partial memory, she goes on a journey to Colombia with her mother, who to her surprise experienced a very similar path. In her quest to relearn her past, she uncovers a family divide that dates back to her Indigenous and Spanish roots. A story about the power of storytelling and healing; with the help of not only the past, but also the unimaginable. This is a book that is sure to leave the reader enchanted with every turn of the page.

CRYING IN THE BATHROOM: A Memoir | by Erika L. Sánchez | On Sale July 12, 2022

I know, another memoir, but after the high acclaim of I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter (currently being adapted for the screen by America Ferrera,) this is simply a must read. In a series of essays, Sánchez writes about topics that are of great interest to me: sex, self-awareness, mental health, feminism (with very blunt thoughts on white feminism…I’m here for it) and many more insightful ideas that I’m curious to dive into. A book that will have you feeling like you’ve been having conversations with Sánchez for years.

THE DAUGHTER OF DOCTOR MOREAU | BY Silvia Moreno-Garcia | ON SALE JULY 19, 2022

From the New York Times bestselling author of Mexican Gothic, Silvia Moreno-Garcia brings us yet another story that is bound to be a page-turner. I’ve been anticipating this for quite awhile as it is different from anything that I’ve read before. Set in nineteenth-century Mexico, in a distant and luxuriant estate, away from the Yucatán peninsula, a mad scientist, Dr. Moreau, his daughter, his assistant and the people he genetically engineered live in harmony. —That is until the abrupt arrival of the careless son of Dr. Moreau’s patrons, Eduardo Lizalde. Monsters, history, action, romance; a total blend of genres, this without a doubt will be a wild ride.

Twice a Quinceañera: A Delightful Second Chance Romance | by Yamile Saied Méndez | ON SALE July 26, 2022

I am a firm believer in always having a romance book accessible, for the days when the world becomes a little too heavy. Cue in the upcoming release from the author that brought us Furia, Yamile Saied Méndez. —Let me set the scene: a woman is about get married and turn 30, but turns out her fiancé is a cheater. Womp. The good thing is that instead of drowning in sorrow, she decides to celebrate her birthday by using her already paid for wedding venue to throw herself a Quinceañera! Genius. Single, making moves and living her best life, until she discovers that the man in charge of the venue is none other than her college fling. Uh oh (or is it?!) Lighthearted, fun and filled with good energy. This is just what the doctor recommends on a rainy day.

Why Didn't You Tell Me?: A Memoir | by Carmen Rita Wong | On sale July 12, 2022

Okay, so maybe I have a thing for memoirs but I really enjoy reading about people’s journeys. Especially, a journey that leads to self-discoveries and revelations. —A former national television host, advice columnist, and professor, Carmen Rita Wong has written about her search for answers and quest to belong. Torn between identities and deciphering her new White suburban American life, Wong’s relationship with her mother becomes full of tension and conflict. Much later in life secrets are revealed that unravel Wong’s life. Though filled with clarity, she’s still left with many more questions, upon her mothers death. A story about identity and what defines us. This one that will leave us all in deep thought.

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Tiffany Gonzalez is the Marketing Manager at Astra House. She previously worked in Production at HarperCollins Publishers. She has worked on the Publicity and Marketing campaign for Dreaming of You by Melissa Lozada-Oliva and on the Marketing campaigns for Becoming Abolitionists by Derecka Purnell, The Sex Lives of African Women by Nana Darkoa Sekiyamah and The Town of Babylon by Alejandro Varela. She has earned her Bachelors and Master's degrees from Rutgers University - NB. She is Dominican-American and fluid in Spanish. You can follow her on Instagram @wandering_tiff_ or visit her website at wanderingtiff.com

‘You Sound Like A White Girl’ Review and Interview with Julissa Arce

You Sound Like A White Girl: The Case For Rejecting Assimilation by Julissa Arce is an empowering, revealing, bold and most importantly, necessary book. It is a perfect book club selection filled with many points of discussion. — In just about 200 pages, the author uses this book to present the case that assimilation is a trap, “a matter of survival,” that is by no means meant for our liberation. It’s a reminder to the reader that Latino history is American history.

As a formerly undocumented immigrant from Mexico, who arrived to San Antonio, Texas, in 1994, Arce uses her life journey and her path to citizenship, to recount historical events. By doing this, she outlines the deep rooted racism in America and how this has shaped the Latino culture.

Arce does a beautiful job of writing history in a digestible and engaging way. It does not only educate but leaves the reader wanting more; our histories have been blurred for far too long. Just in the first few pages, you learn about the Mexican-American War and how that later shaped what is today Texas, California and New Mexico, Segregation cases like Roberto Alvarez v. the Board of Trustees of the Lemon Grove School District, where race and language questioned the identity and the belonging of Mexican-Americans, and how The Great Depression and World War II can also serve as points of reference to the disadvantage, exploitation and mistreatment that overshadow people of color.

Our systems are flawed and Arce believes that the only way to see true change is by imaging and implementing completely new systems, devoid of racist and discriminatory foundations. Once we start seeing true justice with “representation, equality, intersection and freedom” then we can start believing in an America that’s for the people.

I left this book with this notion: Leaning into ideals of “whiteness” will only keep people of color in an ongoing journey to “prove themselves.” Rejecting assimilation is embracing the uniqueness in our heritages; our greatest strength.

“…one of the most painful aspects of assimilation: the loss of our heritage, language, and family” —Julissa Arce, You Sound Like A White Girl

I had the opportunity of asking Julissa Arce a few questions about her book. She discusses the ideas of colonization that are still present today in our communities, the importance of speaking our truth and of course provides us with some great recommended reads.

TG: One of my favorite parts about reading this book was how you intertwined your personal experiences with historical events, in order to give context, further elevate a point and/or for educational purposes. With the vast Latinx history that exists, how did you decide which ones to highlight? And how difficult was it conducting all of the research? You mentioned that many events aren't digitized and are only available through printed records.

JA: The history that I share in the book barely begins to scratch the surface of the history of Latinos in the United States. One of the hardests things to do was to decide what to keep in and what to leave out. Ultimately, it was my personal experiences that informed what historical stories I should include to make a point that the issues that impact our communities have deep roots. 

At first, it was challenging to find books that discussed American identity through the lens of Latinos. Oftentimes books only included a paragraph, or a chapter, but then I looked at their notes sections and found source material. It was a journey! 

And now I have material for many more books!

TG: You discuss the complexity in Latinidad and how white supremacy has made it so that we are constantly against each other; aspiring and measuring the amounts of whiteness that one can possess, whether physically, materialistically or idealistically. You wrote, "We have to face the fact that a Latino doesn't exist without the violence, rape, and genocide of Indigenous peoples carried out by European colonizers. A Latino doesn't take shape without the brutal history of slavery." How does one start breaking away from this type of thinking that has been passed down for generations; sometimes it being so ingrained in us that we are blinded to it.

JA: It is a long process to unburden ourselves from the ideas of colonization that are very much still alive in our communities. For me, a starting point was learning the history-- that’s why it takes up so much space in the book. To understand, and then breakaway, we have to start at the beginning. It was also helpful to uncover the history behind phrases we hear every day- like “marry someone who is lighter skin para mejorar la raza.” That was a literal way, the only way, people in colonial times could have access to better opportunities. But if colonial times are technically over, why are we still subjecting ourselves to those harmful systems? 

It’s a process-- but we have to start somewhere.

TG: You have moments where you talk about confronting a racist or a friend who makes a racist remark. You talk about how hard it feels because we are conditioned to feel uncomfortable for the privileged. What's your advice for situations like this? Many people want to speak up to loved ones, friends, that frustrating neighbor but are unsure of how to; one thing that I am learning is that silence and avoidance gets us nowhere.

JA: Exactly- silence gets us nowhere. So my best advice is short and simple- speak up! It is going to be uncomfortable, you might lose some people, but that’s ok! The more we speak truth, the easier it gets.

TG: The census. I was so happy to see you brought it up. I found your idea of having "Latino" as a race so interesting. What I appreciated the most about this was the fact that you were making it a point to explain that a system that was created can also be altered to better accommodate the needs of the people. How can we organize to make changes to something as important as the census? Though enraged by it, the only reason that I filled it out was because I learned how it helps our communities and neighborhoods to obtain the proper federal funding and representation for our needs, but if every Latino/a/x is putting "other" or "white," we will never truly see the changes that are needed.

JA: Elections matter. I didn’t know this until I finished writing the book. But the 2020 Census was supposed to have a “Latino” race option. And the former President nixxed it, along with adding the citizenship question that was ultimately taken out. But we have to keep pushing our elected officials so that we are more accurately counted. So our issues are more present.

TG:Educating ourselves to break away from assimilation, approval and acceptance from white people; to ultimately "rejecting the notion that success is found in whiteness" is a central theme in YOU SOUND LIKE A WHITE GIRL. Apart from this wonderfully written text, what other books do you recommend?

JA:

• A Latinx and African American History of the United States

• I am Joaquin

• Manifest Destinies & Inventing Latinos

• Finding Latinx

• A Wicked War

• A Ballad of Love and Glory

• Olga Dies Dreaming 

• Citizen Illegal

• The Likeability Trap

…… There are so many!!

TG: With all of the great learnings from this book, what is the one thing that you wish for readers to walk away with?

JA: I want them to walk into every room in their gorgeous Brown bodies and know that they deserve to be there. I hope they start conversations with their families and friends and get curious to learn more about our history.

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Julissa Arce is a nationally recognized author, sought-after speaker, producer, and social changemaker. She is the best-selling author of My (Underground) American Dream and Someone Like Me. Arce is a Crooked media contributor and a frequent writer for TIME Magazine, and has provided political commentary across numerous TV networks including NBC News, Bloomberg TV, CNN, and MSNBC. She is the cofounder of the Ascend Educational Fund, a college scholarship and mentorship program for immigrant students regardless of their immigration status. She lives in Los Angeles with her family.

Tiffany Gonzalez is the Marketing Manager at Astra House. She previously worked in Production at HarperCollins Publishers. She has worked on the Publicity and Marketing campaign for Dreaming of You by Melissa Lozada-Oliva and on the Marketing campaigns for Becoming Abolitionists by Derecka Purnell, The Sex Lives of African Women by Nana Darkoa Sekiyamah and The Town of Babylon by Alejandro Varela. She has earned her Bachelors and Master's degrees from Rutgers University - NB. She is Dominican-American and fluid in Spanish. You can follow her on Instagram @wandering_tiff_ or visit her website at wanderingtiff.com

Black Latinx Bookstores to Shop this Month

As we observe Black history month, let’s also celebrate Black joy, culture and perseverance.

Below are 5 Black Latinx bookstores to support this month.

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THE LIT. BAR (Bronx, NY)

Opened April 27, 2019, the only indie bookstore in the borough of the Bronx. Owned by Bronx Native Noëlle Santos.

BRONX BOUND BOOKS (BRONX, NY)

Launched in May of 2019, Latanya DeVaughn started the first mobile bookstore in The Bronx

CAFé CON LIBROS (Brooklyn, NY)

An “Intersectional Feminist Bookstore & Coffee Shop” owned by Kalima Desuze and husband Ryan Cameron.

TAINO STUDIOS (DOVER, DE)

Founded in 2021 and owned by Justin Williams. “An independent socially conscious book store & creative studio.”

ESTELITA’S LIBRARY (Seattle, WA)

Opened in 2018, a “Justice focused community library” owned by Edwin Lindo and his partner, Dr. Estell Williams.

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Know of any other Black Latinx Bookstores in the US and Puerto Rico? Let us know in the comments or email latinosinpub@gmail.com.

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Tiffany Gonzalez is the Marketing Manager at Astra House. She previously worked in Production at HarperCollins Publishers. She has worked on the Publicity and Marketing campaign for Dreaming of You by Melissa Lozada-Oliva and on the Marketing campaigns for Becoming Abolitionists by Derecka Purnell, The Sex Lives of African Women by Nana Darkoa Sekiyamah and The Town of Babylon by Alejandro Varela. She has earned her Bachelors and Master's degrees from Rutgers University - NB. She is Dominican-American and fluid in Spanish. You can follow her on Instagram @wandering_tiff_ or visit her website at wanderingtiff.com

Review: Olga Dies Dreaming

Earlier this month, Xochitl Gonzalez’s debut novel, Olga Dies Dreaming, was released to the world. Now a New York Times Best Seller, this proud Puerto Rican story about two siblings, in gentrifying Brooklyn, is making its way through countless media publications, while leaving readers with plenty to discuss. 

Gonzalez depicts a striking portrait of Latine family dynamics, along with powerful complexities that are so often hidden beneath the surface, stressing many of the emotional dilemmas that are frequently buried within. Though apart from the overarching plotline of familial strife and complicated relationships, plus emotions, there is undoubtedly something unique for each reader to gravitate towards. In just under 400 pages, there’s plot lines tackling subjects that range from loss, abandonment, identity and trauma to capitalism, elitism, privilege, corruption and radical revolution.  

Olga Dies Dreaming starts off in 2017 with Olga Acevedo, a Nuyorican Brooklyn native, discussing napkins. In what feels like a political statement wrapped in satirical prose, the reader learns that Olga is a prominent wedding planner that has made a name for herself by using what the elite has to offer her, money and status. As we continue to dive further into Olga’s journey, we come to discover that she suffers through her traumas in silence, and that her life decisions are shaped by her past. 

Shortly after meeting Olga, we are introduced to Pedro “Prieto” Acevedo, her brother. Prieto has lived his entire life living the role of the ‘golden child;’ the one who makes minimal mistakes and has everyone’s admiration. However, just like his sister, we learn that Prieto dwells alone, with secrets that haunt him and baggage that weighs him down. A once well supported congressman in his community, now finds himself struggling to keep the support of his constituents. With Prieto’s story, Gonzalez shows us that nothing is ever what it seems to be in America. 

The Acevedo siblings were abandoned by their mother Blanca, and shortly after had to endure the loss of their father. However, with the love of their grandmother they weathered the storm. Though despite Blanca’s abandonment to pursue her own aspirations, she never seemed to be too far away; managing to keep an eerie and toxic hold on her children. A hold that throughout the years strongly affects them both.

Olga Dies Dreaming is a compelling debut with surprises at every turn of the page. The multifaceted characters in this bold plot line will have you in a constant state of shifting emotions. If you haven’t read this yet, you might have just found your next binge read! 

“Olga Dies Dreaming is a compelling debut with surprises at every turn of the page.”

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Xochitl Gonzalez received her M.F.A. from the Iowa Writers' Workshop, where she was an Iowa Arts Fellow and the recipient of the Michener-Copernicus Fellowship for Fiction. Olga Dies Dreaming is her debut novel. Prior to writing, Xochitl wore many hats, including entrepreneur, wedding planner, fundraiser and tarot card reader. She is a proud alumna of the New York City Public School system and holds a B.A. in Art History and Visual Art from Brown University. She lives in her hometown of Brooklyn with her dog, Hectah Lavoe.

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Tiffany Gonzalez is the Marketing Manager at Astra House. She previously worked in Production at HarperCollins Publishers. She has worked on the Publicity and Marketing campaign for Dreaming of You by Melissa Lozada-Oliva and on the Marketing campaigns for Becoming Abolitionists by Derecka Purnell, The Sex Lives of African Women by Nana Darkoa Sekiyamah and The Town of Babylon by Alejandro Varela. She has earned her Bachelors and Master's degrees from Rutgers University - NB. She is Dominican-American and fluid in Spanish. You can follow her on Instagram @wandering_tiff_ or visit her website at wanderingtiff.com

Interview with Zoraida Córdova, author of The Inheritance Of Orquídea Divina

A Poetic Trance That Transports The Reader

It would be too ordinary to simply call The Inheritance Of Orquídea Divina “magical.” This story is beyond that. It is mystical, a poetic trance that transports the reader into an enchanted world that is filled with a sense of belonging, a source of empowerment and belief in the impossible.

The story follows the Montoyas, an Ecuadorian family who lived in an ordinary town, but who were far from ordinary themselves. For years, they all lived their lives without questioning the mysterious occurrences that surrounded them. 

Then came the request of their matriarch, Orquídea Divina, to attend her funeral. A funeral that brought the family more confusion than answers, but also provided them with an inheritance of unconventional gifts. This is the start of the Montoya’s journey; fueled by the powers of the earth and surrounded by the enchantment of the cosmos. They must learn to find strength within themselves and each other, in order to discover their hidden past, save their present and protect their inheritance; their future. 

I got to talk to Zoraida Córdova, on behalf of LatinX In Publishing, to learn about her history and passions, what brought her to writing The Inheritance Of Orquídea Divina, her connection to her audience and her wish for our community.

““...Bad luck woven into the birthmarks that dotted her shoulders and chest like constellations. Bad luck that felt like the petty vengeance of a long-forgotten god.” ”

— The Inheritance Of Orquídea

TG: I was immediately mesmerized by your lyrical writing but also your ability to subtly craft foreshadow so early in the storyline, in a way that makes the reader just get lost in the poetry of it all ..."Bad luck woven into the birthmarks that dotted her shoulders and chest like constellations. Bad luck that felt like the petty vengeance of a long-forgotten god." --- Where does your inspiration come from? Was there something in particular about this storyline that brought out something magical inside of you?  

ZC: Thank you so much! My inspiration comes from everywhere. I’ve read fantasy my whole life and I think that the reason I write is because I’m filling in the gaps that I see. When was the last time that you read about a magical Ecuadorian family? I know I haven’t, but I’ve been waiting for my whole life. It’s not always that things don’t exist, because I believe that they’re out there. It’s about access and discoverability, and most of the worlds I’ve discovered have shaped me but have left me with my own need to create.

TG: This story brought Guayaquil to life! I was lost in your descriptions of the culture: food, scenery, customs. The airport scene made me laugh. It was so on-point. It was exactly what I experienced when visiting Ecuador. Did you draw from your own personal experiences to bring life to Guayaquil in the storyline? 

ZC: I was born in Guayaquil, and I grew up in Queens, New York. Still, I went back most summers to see my father and other family. As an adult, I try to make it back, but life gets in the way. My last trip in 2018, I did go to the sites in this book. The chapel at the tip of the hill, the cemetery to visit my great grandmother. A lot of Orquídea is a composite of my grandma and mom, but also older stories from ancestors that I barely know from pictures, but we keep them alive through stories. 

TG: To draw from the previous question, this story has been resonating with so many who are seeing themselves and their experiences through the Montoyas, how does that make you feel, and will you continue to connect with readers, who don't necessarily see themselves in mainstream stories, through your writing?

ZC: It’s the most incredible feeling, really. I mean, my debut novel, The Vicious Deep, had side characters that were part Ecuadorian. Because of previous rejections I thought that’s all I could sneak into a book, the way you sneak veggies into a little kid’s meal. But then I wrote the Brooklyn Brujas which is my love letter to the urban fantasy I read as a teen and follows three sister Brujas. I wrote romance novels with Latina protagonists. Middle grade with Ecuadorian families. So, yes, I got over my fear and I’ve been writing this ever since. Maybe readers are finding me now because Atria has done an incredible job at making me visible, but I’ve been here for almost a decade, and will continue to write the stories I love. 

TG: Orquídea's story is one of many: infidelity, loneliness, abandonment, cruelty but also one of strength, resilience, courage, love. What is your advice to the women who read The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina? 

ZC: I don’t like to give advice because I’m a disaster! But I can say that we are worth it. Whatever “it” is, we are worth it. We are worth dignity and love and safety. 

TG: I have to ask, how did you come up with the character names? Is there a particular story behind them? I thought they were clever but also so interesting. 

Reymundo – King of the world/earth.

Marimar – My favorite telenovela, OBVIOUSLY. But I explain it a bit more poetically in the book.

Rhiannon – My favorite Fleetwood Mac song, but it also means queen or goddess which echoes Rey.

Orquídea – In the short story that inspired the book, her name was Rosa Montoya. But as I got to know her backstory more, I felt like Orquídea fit more. A flower that can grow on trees or “air plants.” She is always looking for roots.

ZC: Most of the names are family names, like Bolívar and Gastón, but others have different origins.

TG: The family tree! I kept going back to look at it. How was that process and how did you keep up with all of the different characters? Did the tree come first, the story or did you build along the way? I find that to be so metaphorical to the blissful chaos that is being a part of a big family. 

ZC: Oh man, that’s a challenge. I use the app Scapple (from the makes of Scrivener) and make a tree as I write to keep track of everyone. Sometimes characters just appear because they’re needed and so loud (like the twins).  

TG: Being that this is a magical book of wishes, what is your wish for our LatinX community?

ZC: My wish is for us to learn our histories and preserve them. My wish if for us to have more than one story and more empathy. We have a lot of work to do. 

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Zoraida Córdova is the acclaimed author of more than a dozen novels and short stories, including the Brooklyn Brujas series, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge: A Crash of Fate, and The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina. In addition to writing novels, she serves on the board of We Need Diverse Books, is the coeditor of the bestselling anthology Vampires Never Get Old, and is the cohost of the writing podcast Deadline City. She writes romance novels as Zoey Castile. Zoraida was born in Guayaquil, Ecuador, and calls New York City home. When she’s not working, she’s roaming the world in search of magical stories. For more information, visit her at ZoraidaCordova.com.

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Tiffany Gonzalez earned a Bachelors of Arts in Journalism and Media Studies and obtained her Masters in Communication and Media from Rutgers University – NB. She has worked in the Publishing industry for over 4 years. She currently works for Astra Publishing House as the Marketing and Publicity Coordinator for Astra House. She’s excited to start working with underrepresented stories and bringing them to the hands of all readers. You can follow her on Instagram @wandering_tiff_ or visit her website at wanderingtiff.com

October 2021 Latinx Releases

ON-SALE OCTOBER 1ST, 2021

THE WITCH OWL PARLIAMENT: CLOCKWORK CURANDERA #1 | YOUNG ADULT GRAPHIC NOVEL

by David Bowles; Illustrated by Raúl the Third (Lee & Low/Tu Books)

Discover a graphic novel unlike any other--a brilliant steampunk reimagining of Frankenstein set in colonial Mexico.

In the Republic of Santander, non-Christian magic is frowned upon, if not outright prohibited. But when Cristina Franco, an apprentice shaman, is killed by witch owls, her brother Enrique cannot let her go. With forbidden alchemy and engineering, Enrique brings her back to life: part human, part machine. Though her very existence is an abomination to Santander's citizens, Cristina vows to use her new abilities to protect her country from attack.

With help from a handsome skinwalker named Mateo, Cristina and Enrique track down the witch owl coven and uncover a sinister plot to bring Santander under the rule of the Witch Owl Parliament, whose legendary cruelty would dismantle the country's hard-won freedoms. At the same time, Indigenous folks and immigrants are disappearing from Santander--including Enrique's beloved, Gaspar. Could the attacks and the disappearances be related? As the witch owls attack more trains and more refugees go missing, the trio must uncover the witch owls' origins to understand their weakness.

Energetic illustrations by Pura Belpré Award winner Raúl the Third bring to life the words of award-winning author and poet David Bowles. Don't miss this amazing first volume of the Clockwork Curandera trilogy!

ON-SALE OCTOBER 5TH, 2021

EVERYTHING WITHIN AND IN BETWEEN | YOUNG ADULT CONTEMPORARY

by Nikki Barthelmess (HarperCollins/Harper)

Color Me In meets I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter in Everything Within and In Between, a deeply honest coming-of-age story about reclaiming a heritage buried under assimilation, the bonds within families, and defining who you are for yourself.

For Ri Fernández's entire life, she's been told, "We live in America and we speak English." Raised by her strict Mexican grandma, Ri has never been allowed to learn Spanish.

What's more, her grandma has pulled Ri away from the community where they once belonged. In its place, Ri has grown up trying to fit in among her best friend's world of mansions and country clubs in an attempt try to live out her grandmother's version of the "American Dream."

In her heart, Ri has always believed that her mother, who disappeared when Ri was young, would accept her exactly how she is and not try to turn her into someone she's never wanted to be. So when Ri finds a long-hidden letter from her mom begging for a visit, she decides to reclaim what Grandma kept from her: her heritage and her mom.

But nothing goes as planned. Her mom isn't who Ri imagined she would be and finding her doesn't make Ri's struggle to navigate the interweaving threads of her mixed heritage any less complicated. Nobody has any idea of who Ri really is--not even Ri herself. 

Everything Within and In Between is a powerful new young adult novel about one young woman's journey to rediscover her roots and redefine herself from acclaimed author Nikki Barthelmess.

IN THE SPIRIT OF A DREAM: 13 STORIES OF AMERICAN IMMIGRANTS OF COLOR | PAPERBACK BIOGRAPHY

by Aida Salazar; Illustrated by various artists (Scholastic/Orchard Books)

Celebratory, triumphant, and inspiring, In the Spirit of a Dream is a tribute to American immigrants of color, written in poems and illustrated by 14 first- and second-generation immigrant artists.

In the spirit of a dream, many immigrants of color set out across continents, oceans, and borders, travelling to the United States in pursuit of opportunity. This book is a celebration of 13 American immigrants of color, from world-famous to local heroes, politicians, surgeons, athletes, activists and more. The biographies included feature engineer and astronaut Anousheh Ansari; Paralympic athlete and entrepreneur Alejandro Albor; surgeon Ayub Khan Ommaya; jazz musician Candido Camero; dancer Conceiçao Damasceno; Sriracha inventor and businessman David Tran; basketball player Dikembe Mutombo; author Edwidge Danticat; politician Ilhan Omar; comic artist Jim Lee; environmental activist Juana Guttierez; cellist Yo-Yo Ma, and the Undocupoets, a group of undocumented poets. These stories are told in poems by Aida Salazar and artwork by Alina Chau, Bianca Diaz, Dion MBD, Fahmida Azim, Gaby D'Alessandro, Jose Ramirez, Ken Daley, Nicole Xu, Paulo D. Campos, Rahele Jomepour Bell, Tracy Guiteau, Vanessa Flores, and Yasmin Imamura.

MIOSOTIS FLORES NEVER FORGETS | MIDDLE GRADE CONTEMPORARY

by Hilda Eunice Burgos (Lee & Low/Tu Books)

Perfect for fans of Meg Medina and Barbara O'Connor, this heartfelt novel about family, pets, and other things we hold close is one that you'll never forget.

Miosotis Flores is excited about three things: fostering rescue dogs, goofy horror movies, and her sister Amarilis's upcoming wedding. School? Not on that list. But her papi cares about school more than anything else, so they strike a deal: If Miosotis improves her grades in two classes, she can adopt a dog of her own in the summer.

Miosotis dives into her schoolwork, and into nurturing a fearful little pup called Freckles. Could he become her forever dog? At the same time, she notices Amarilis behaving strangely--wearing thick clothes in springtime, dropping her friends in favor of her fiancé, even avoiding Miosotis and the rest of their family.

When she finally discovers her sister's secret, Miosotis faces some difficult choices. What do you do if someone is in danger, but doesn't want your help? When should you ask for support, and when should you try to handle things on your own? And what ultimately matters most--what Miosotis wants, or what's right for the ones she loves?

TINY DANCER | YOUNG ADULT GRAPHIC NOVEL

by Siena Cherson Siegel; Illustrated by Mark Siegel (S&S/Atheneum)

A teenage ballet dancer struggles to find her next step, and her place in the world, in this exquisite graphic memoir--a follow-up to the Sibert Honor-winning To Dance.

All her life, Siena has dreamed of being a ballerina. Her love of movement and dedication to the craft earned her a spot at the School of American Ballet, with hopes of becoming a member of George Balanchine's world-famous New York City Ballet company. Siena has worked hard for many years to be a professional ballet dancer, but injury and doubt are starting to take their toll.

Maybe it's time to look beyond the world of dance--but Siena's whole identity has been shaped by ballet. When you have spent your entire life working toward something, how do you figure out what comes next? And how do you figure out who you are without the thing that defined you? This is a moving and beautifully drawn memoir of a dancer struggling to find her next step--and a young woman finding her true footing in the world.

LUPE WONG NO BAILA (LUPE WONG WON’T DANCE SPANISH EDITION) | MIDDLE GRADE FICTION

by Donna Barba Higuera (Levine Querido)

My gym shorts burrow into my butt crack like a frightened groundhog.

Don't you want to read a book that starts like that

Lupe Wong is going to be the first female pitcher in the Major Leagues.

She's also championed causes her whole young life. Some worthy...like expanding the options for race on school tests beyond just a few bubbles. And some not so much...like complaining to the BBC about the length between Doctor Who seasons.

Lupe needs an A in all her classes in order to meet her favorite pitcher, Fu Li Hernandez, who's Chinacan/Mexinese just like her. So when the horror that is square dancing rears its head in gym? Obviously she's not gonna let that slide.

Not since Millicent Min, Girl Genius has a debut novel introduced a character so memorably, with such humor and emotional insight. Even square dancing fans will agree...

ON-SALE OCTOBER 12TH, 2021

¡VAMOS! LET’S CROSS THE BRIDGE | PICTURE BOOK

by Raúl the Third (HMH/Versify)

Little Lobo and Bernabé are back in this joyful story about coming together and celebrating community, a lively follow-up to ¡Vamos! Let's Go Eat, by Pura Belpré Medal-winning illustrator Raúl the Third.

People are always crossing the bridge for work, to visit family, or for play. Some going this way; others going that way. Back and forth they go. With friends on foot and in bicycles, in cars and trucks, the bridge is an incredibly busy place with many different types of vehicles.

Little Lobo and his dog Bernabé have a new truck and they are using it to carry party supplies over the bridge with their pals El Toro and La Oink Oink. The line is long and everyone on the bridge is stuck. How will they pass the time? Eventually everyone comes together for an epic party on the bridge between two different countries. Richard Scarry's Cars and Trucks and Things That Go gets Mexican American makeover in this joyful story about coming together.

THE LAST CUENTISTA | MIDDLE GRADE NOVEL

by Donna Barba Higuera (Levine Querido)

Había una vez . . .

There lived a girl named Petra Peña, who wanted nothing more than to be a storyteller, like her abuelita.

But Petra's world is ending. Earth has been destroyed by a comet, and only a few hundred scientists and their children - among them Petra and her family - have been chosen to journey to a new planet. They are the ones who must carry on the human race.

Hundreds of years later, Petra wakes to this new planet - and the discovery that she is the only person who remembers Earth. A sinister Collective has taken over the ship during its journey, bent on erasing the sins of humanity's past. They have systematically purged the memories of all aboard - or purged them altogether.

Petra alone now carries the stories of our past, and with them, any hope for our future. Can she make them live again?

Pura Belpré Honor-winning author Donna Barba Higuera presents us with a brilliant journey through the stars, to the very heart of what makes us human.

CERTAIN DARK THINGS | FANTASY, HORROR

by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (Macmillan/Nightfire)

From Silvia Moreno-Garcia, the New York Times bestselling author of Mexican Gothic, comes Certain Dark Things, a pulse-pounding neo-noir that reimagines vampire lore.

Welcome to Mexico City, an oasis in a sea of vampires. Domingo, a lonely garbage-collecting street kid, is just trying to survive its heavily policed streets when a jaded vampire on the run swoops into his life. Atl, the descendant of Aztec blood drinkers, is smart, beautiful, and dangerous. Domingo is mesmerized.

Atl needs to quickly escape the city, far from the rival narco-vampire clan relentlessly pursuing her. Her plan doesn't include Domingo, but little by little, Atl finds herself warming up to the scrappy young man and his undeniable charm. As the trail of corpses stretches behind her, local cops and crime bosses both start closing in.

Vampires, humans, cops, and criminals collide in the dark streets of Mexico City. Do Atl and Domingo even stand a chance of making it out alive? Or will the city devour them all?

MI CASA IS MY HOME | PICTURE BOOK

by Laurenne Sala; Illustrated by Zara González Hoang

Lucia invites you to visit her bustling casa and meet an intergenerational array of loved ones in a charming Spanglish celebration of family life.

Este es el baño . . . It's where I shave my barba con Abuelo.

Bienvenidos to Lucía's home. Lucía lives in her casa with her big, loud, beautiful familia, and she's going to show you around! From la puerta, where Abuela likes to wave to the neighbors and wait for packages from Puerto Rico or Spain, to la cocina, where Lucía watches her Mamá turn empty pots into soups and arroces, to el patio, where Lucia and her cousins (and her cousin's cousins!) put on magic shows, Lucía loves her busy and cozy casa. With warmth and joy, author Laurenne Sala and illustrator Zara González Hoang celebrate home in this bilingual picture book that feels like an abrazo from your most favorite people, your familia.

ON-SALE OCTOBER 15TH, 2021

THIS FIERCE BLOOD | ADULT FICTION, LITERARY

by Malia Márquez (Acre Books)

A multicultural saga, This Fierce Blood follows three generations of women in the Sylte family.

In rural late-nineteenth-century New England, Wilhelmina Sylte is a settler starting a family with her Norwegian immigrant husband. When she forms an inexplicable connection with a mountain lion and her cubs living near their farm, Mina grapples with divided loyalties and the mysterious bond she shares with the animals.

In 1927 in southern Colorado, Josepa is accused of witchcraft by a local priest for using the healing practices passed down from her Native mother. Fighting for her family's reputation and way of life, Sepa finds strength in worldly and otherworldly sources.

When Magdalena, an ecologist, inherits her great-grandmother Wilhelmina's Vermont property, she and her astrophysicist husband decide to turn the old farm into a summer science camp for teens. As Magda struggles with both personal and professional responsibilities, the boundary between science and myth begins to blur.

Rich in historical and cultural detail, This Fierce Blood combines magical realism with themes of maternal ancestral inheritance, and also explores the ways Hispano/Indigenous traditions both conflicted and wove together, shaping the distinctive character of the American Southwest. Readers of Téa Obreht and Ruth Ozeki will find much to admire in this debut novel.

ON-SALE OCTOBER 19TH, 2021

CONCEALED | MIDDLE GRADE CONTEMPORARY

by Christina Diaz Gonzalez (Scholastic Press)

What if you had no name, no past, and no home?

Award-winning author Christina Diaz Gonzalez has created a twisty, action-packed story about a life on the run.

Ivette. Joanna. And now: Katrina

Whatever her name is, it won't last long. Katrina doesn't know any of the details about her past, but she does know that she and her parents are part of the Witness Protection Program. Whenever her parents say they have to move on and start over, she takes on a new identity. A new name, a new hair color, a new story.

Until their location leaks and her parents disappear. Forced to embark on a dangerous rescue mission, Katrina and her new friend Parker set out to save her parents -- and find out the truth about her secret past and the people that want her family dead.

But every new discovery reveals that Katrina's entire life has been built around secrets covered up with lies and that her parents were actually the ones keeping the biggest secret of all. Katrina must now decide if learning the whole truth is worth the price of losing everything she has ever believed about herself and her family.

SCI-FU: IT TAKES 2 | MIDDLE GRADE GRAPHIC NOVEL

by Yehudi Mercado (Oni Press)

The highly anticipated sequel to SCI-FU is jam-packed with all kinds of hip-hop, sci-fi, and kung-fu goodness!

Wax, aspiring DJ and sci-fu master-in-training, made it back safely from the alien robot planet of Discopia, where he defeated the Five Deadly Dangers and became the rightful king of Discopia. He doesn't want the crown, though. He just wants things to go back to normal. Wax and his crew thought the robot trouble was behind them, but strange creatures have been showing up in Brooklyn, and Wax is determined to take care of them once and for all. Little does he know, there's a new villain in Discopia, and she'll do anything to take the crown from Wax. Wax starts to worry he doesn't have what it takes to protect his family, friends, and all of Brooklyn from the new threats. Wax will need to kick his hip-hop and sci-fu training into high gear--and learn to rely on his family and friends for help--if he's going to have a shot at saving his neighborhood.

From legendary cartoonist Yehudi Mercado comes the much-anticipated followup to his hit Sci-Fu: Kick it Off. With a second volume jam-packed with all kinds of hip-hop, sci-fi, and kung-fu goodness, Sci-Fu: It Takes 2 spins the perfect track of friends working together to protect their home.

THEY’RE SO FLAMBOYANT | PICTURE BOOK

by Michael Genahart; Illustrated by Tony Neal (Magination Press)

flam·boy·ant – a person (or bird!) who tends to attract attention because of their confidence, exuberance, and stylishness

This fun and funny bird's-eye tome to individuality, community, and harmony follows the reactions of a neighborhood full of birds when a “flamboyance” of flamingos moves in. Each band of birds—a gaggle of geese, a dole of doves, a charm of finches, a brood of chickens, a scream of swifts, and an unkindness of ravens—all have their feathers ruffled and express their apprehension about the new and different arrivals. Bright pink colors, long legs, how dare they! Even a watch of nightingales patrols after dark. When the band of jays decides it is time to settle down the neighborhood, the pride of peacocks takes the lead, with support from a waddle of penguins, a venue of vultures, a mob of emus, and a gulp of cormorants. Finally, they all land at the flamingos’ welcome party only to realize that they had all been birdbrained. Their new neighbors are actually quite charming, and not so scary and different after all. Includes a note from the author on helping children to learn about acceptance, avoid stereotyping, and model welcoming behavior.

SHEEP COUNT FLOWERS | PICTURE BOOK

by Micaela Chirif; Illustrated by Amanda Mijangos (Levine Querido)

If people count sheep to fall asleep, then.
what do sheep count?

Flowers, says this beautifully fanciful dream of a book. Sunflowers, roses, geraniums, jasmine. And there's lots of OTHER things you probably don't know about sheep.Sheep have neither pajamas nor pillows nor slippers. They tell bedtime stories about rhinoceroses and airplanes. They ONLY fly when they're sleeping, like butterflies circling the sun. In fact, there are sheep that sparkle in the dark like stars and fireflies.

Or are there?

Look closer at the light-as-a-laugh paintings by Amanda Mijangos, and you just might start wondering if all those adventurers are children in sheep's clothing!

ON-SALE OCTOBER 26TH, 2021

I’LL HOLD YOUR HAND | PICTURE BOOK

by Maggie C. Rudd; Illustrated by Elisa Chavarri (Macmillan/FSG BFYR)

This sweet picture book celebrates the unbreakable bond of a parent's support for a child though life's milestones, from learning to walk to the first day of school and all the highs and lows in between.

From the night you arrive to your first night away,
from learning to crawl to healing a broken heart,
and for all the highs and lows in between. . .
through every season, every challenge, and every joy, you are loved.

With sweet, lyrical text and stunning art,I'll Hold Your Handcelebrates the unbreakable bond of family, and all the ways our actions can say "I love you" louder than words.

NEVERFORGOTTEN | MIDDLE GRADE CONTEMPORARY

by Alejandra Algorta; Illustrated by Iván Rickenmann (Levine Querido)

Fabio flies through the streets of Bogotá on his bicycle, the children of his neighborhood trailing behind him. It is there that life feels right--where the world of adults, and their lies, fades away. But then one day, he simply forgets. Forgets how to ride his bicycle. And Fabio will never be the same again.

From Colombia comes a special debut talent, Alejandra Algorta, and a first novel of discovery and heartbreak. Algorta's distinct and poetic prose has been translated by award-winning author Aida Salazar, and presented in English and Spanish.

ON-SALE OCTOBER 31ST, 2021

JOSEFINAS HABICHUELAS: LAS HABICHUELAS DE JOSEFINA | PICTURE BOOK

by Jasminne Mendez; Illustrated by Flor de Vita (Arte Público/Piñata Books)

Like all kids, Josefina loves to eat sweets. She loves warm chocolate chip cookies right out of the oven, cupcakes and candy! One night, while eating a piece of flan, Mami asks her to consider giving up sweets for Lent, the 40 days leading up to Easter. "That's impossible!" Josefina says. When Mami promises to teach her how to make her favorite dessert, habichuelas con dulce, she agrees to give it a try. Josefina can't wait to end her fast and eat the delicious sweet cream beans, her family's traditional Easter dessert. While she and her mom, tias and abuela prepare the dish, they dance to merengue music and tell stories about life back in the Dominican Republic. The kitchen fills with the aromatic smells of cinnamon and sugar, but it's the feelings of love and happiness Josefina will never forget. On Easter, when the family eats her special dessert, the girl's grandmother says it's the best she has ever tasted! This heart-warming, bilingual picture book for children shares a universal story about food, music and family stories, while focusing on a cultural tradition specific to the Dominican Republic. The recipe for this special dessert is included in both English and Spanish!