New Children's Books from Piñata Books- Arte Público Press

Dalia's Wondrous Hair/ El cabello maravilloso de Dalia

by Laura Lacámara

Spanish-language translation by Gabriela Baeza Ventura

ISBN:978-1-55885-789-6
Publication Date: May 31, 2014
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 32
Ages: 4-9

One night, while Dalia slept safely wrapped in her mother’s cool silken sheets, her hair grew and grew. By the time the rooster crowed, her hair had “grown straight up to the sky, tall and thick as a Cuban royal palm tree.” Her mother was amazed, and wondered what her daughter would do with her wondrous hair.

As Dalia looked at the flowers blooming in the garden, an idea sprouted inside her. She decorated her hair with leaves from the forest and mud from the marsh. Her mother was puzzled and could not imagine what she was. “Are you a leaf-crusted mud-tree?” she guessed incorrectly. That night, while Dalia slept safely cocooned in her mama’s sheets, something stirred and unfolded. When the rooster crowed, the girl ran outside and everyone watched in awe as she carefully unwrapped her towering hair. Could it be? Is Dalia a . . . blossoming butterfly tree?!?

In this whimsical bilingual picture book, Dalia’s hair becomes a magical force of nature, a life-giving cocoon. Author and illustrator Laura Lacámara once again delights children ages 4-9 with her vibrant illustrations and an imaginative story about a girl’s fanciful encounters with nature.

Bonus features include a guide for how to create your own butterfly garden at home, as well as a bilingual glossary of select plant and animal species native to the island of Cuba.

Dale, dale, Dale: Una fiesta de números/ Hit It, Hit It, Hit It: A Fiesta of Numbers

by René Saldaña, Jr.

Illustrations by Carolyn Dee Flores

ISBN: 978-1-55885-782-7
Publication Date: May 31, 2014
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 32
Ages: 4-8

“Today is my birthday, and I am so excited. / One piñata filled with candy. / Two hours until the party. / Three tables set for all of the guests.” Mateo counts to twelve as he anticipates the fun he’ll have at his party!

There will be family, friends and lots of goodies for the children: tops, marbles and even toy cars! But before the children can hit the piñata, they will sing the birthday boy a song and enjoy eating a delicious cake. And then Mateo will be “the happiest boy in the whole wide world,” because he gets to swing at the piñata first with everyone cheering him on: ¡Dale! ¡Dale! ¡Dale!

Acclaimed kids’ book author René Saldaña, Jr. creates another winner with his first picture book, illustrated in vibrant colors by Carolyn Dee Flores, for children ages 4-8. In this birthday-themed counting book, children will relish practicing their counting skills while dreaming about hitting a piñata at their very own fun-filled fiesta.

LA CURANDERA’S ROLE IN CHILDREN'S BOOKS

Hola Blogueros,

This is Ruldolfo Anaya's week in La Bloga. We are celebrating the 40th anniversary of his book Bless Me, Ultima. Today Wednesday, Children's Book Authors Monica Brown and Laura Lacámara discuss the use of a curandera in their new books.

But first what is a curandera? Ruldolfo Anaya gives us his definition of a curandera and talks about his book Bless Me, Ultima in this video.

*   *  *

Interview with Monica Brown

Clara and the Curandera

Clara y la Curandera

What is your definition of a curandera?

A curandera can mean many things to many different people, but most often it refers to a traditional healer in Latin America. Our most well known curandera in literature is Rudolfo Anaya's Ultima, immortalized in his novel, Bless Me Ultima.  Curandera's can work with physical or spiritual illnesses and are in touch with the traditions of their ancestors.

In my book, Clara and the Curandera, the curandera is really just a wise older woman who lends her wisdom to the members of her community, especially the children.

What did you decide to write about a curandera?

I wanted to honor the role that our elders can play in a community and also an ethic of generosity, of giving, which the Curandera teaches to little Clara.

What role does the curandera take place in your book?

This is the story of a little girl named Clara, who is grumpy. Like many others, she lives in a small space with lots of people and she gets tired of having to share her toys with her seven brothers and sisters, not to mention her chores and homework. She is especially grumpy about having to read a book a week for school.

When her Mami gets frustrated tired of Clara's grumpy face, she sends her daughter to the curandera to ask for help. The curandera gives Clara a list of things to do in the coming week: take out her own trash and the neighbors' as well; give all of her favorite toys to her brothers and sisters; and read five books instead of one!

It's a difficult, busy week for Clara. But, her neighbors are grateful for her help, and give her hugs. Her siblings are so happy that they are extra nice to her and invite her to play with them. She has fun jumping rope, playing checkers and soccer. Her mother takes her to the library to check out books and she reads lots of interesting things. When the week is over, Clara realizes that she has not had time to feel grumpy. The wise curandera gives her a new doll and relieves her of all her new duties.  Clara thinks she'll be relieved, but she misses the hugs and the stronger relationship with her siblings. She learns that helping others maker her feel happy.

Tell us more about your book.

The end of the book is fun, because when Clara runs down the hall to thank the Curandera for her newfound insight, she sees that the curandera is busy talking to "naughty Nicolas" from three doors down.

Visit Monica at www.monicabrown.net

* * *

Interview with Laura Lacámara
 

Floating on Mama's Song

Flotando en la canción de Mamá

What is your definition of a curandera?

In my story, Floating on Mama's Song/Flotando en la canción de mamá, the curandera is based on a Cuban santera. Santería is a Cuban religion that mixes Catholicism with African-based religions.  In addition to using herbs and magical incantations to heal and help people, santeras use divination to predict the future, cast daños or spells, and practice animal sacrifice (usually of chickens and goats).

Why did you decide to write about a curandera?

I used a curandera in my book because the story is set in Cuba and santeras are such an integral part of Cuban culture.  Santeras, or folk healers, are everywhere in Cuba. Seeking counsel from a folk healer in Cuba is like a person here going to see their therapist.  Most people will go at least once, if not regularly. 

I’ll never forget when I was in my teens and my dad returned from a trip to Cuba wearing two long, beaded necklaces -- one red and one white.  It turned out that my father, the confirmed atheist, went to see a santera while he was there.  The local “bruja,” bestowed the necklaces on him to help heal his sick brother.

What role does the curandera play in your book?

In my book, Anita seeks help from the curandera or santera who lives down the street (every Cuban neighborhood has one).  The curandera does a coconut shell divination to get answers about how to heal Anita's mama, who has been sad ever since she stopped singing.

After peering at the way the shells had fallen, the healer declares, “There’s nothing I can do to help your mama.  Her spirit is sick.” 

The curandera in my story has limited powers in healing matters of the heart.  Bringing music and happiness back to her mama and to her family is a job that Anita, who loves her mama, is best equipped to do. 

Tell us more about your book.

Anita comes home from school one day and hears her mama singing.  When Anita runs into the kitchen, she finds her mother floating in the air! Outside, the family dog is floating, too!
“Every time I sing whoever hears my singing floats!” Anita’s mama tells her. 
When Anita’s grandma forbids Mama ever to sing again, Mama (and everyone else!) is miserable.  Anita wants to see her mama smile again, so she goes on a quest to restore happiness to her family. 
Seeking help from the neighborhood healer is one of the things Anita tries.  But when that doesn’t work, Anita relies on her own instincts.  This leads Anita to discover a family secret that turns everything around.

In the end, thanks to Anita, Mama sings again and everyone happily floats on Mama's song! 

Visit Laura at www.lauralacamara.com

* * *

Ruldofo Anaya writes picture books.

This is a partial list of his books for children.

The story of a young Mexican girl who saves her village by making the first tortilla with the help of the Mountain Spirit.

In this bilingual story of faith, Don Jacobo has a dream that, in the end, is a reminder that miracles do happen.

In these ten stories, Rudolfo Anaya draws on a rich Hispanic and Native American folklore tradition, capturing the rhythm of life along New Mexico's RÍo Grande valley.

Luz carries on her grandfather's tradition of gardening in order to keep his memory alive. During her first Christmas without him, she carries on the tradition of lighting farolitos in his honor. Warm, color illustrations and a heartfelt tale portray the pain of loss and the joy of remembrance.

It's Christmas in San Juan, New Mexico, and young Luz worries that with her grandfather sick and her father in the hospital, wounded from the war, their usual Christmas celebration will not be. Then Luz decides to make her own little lanterns or farolitos to light the path for the oncoming celebration, and for her father, who returns home in time for the holiday.

Illustrator Laura Lacamára talks about her picture book The Runaway Piggy

Last year, I completed illustrations for my first picture book. The Runaway Piggy, written by James Luna (Piñata Books / debuts Nov. 30, 2010) is a Latino take on the Gingerbread Man story, featuring a Mexican sweet bread cochinito (piggy cookie).

I had been sending postcard samples of my art to Piñata Books (an imprint of Arte Público Press) every six months or so for several years.  I had never heard a peep from them until I received an email from the production manager asking if I would be interested in providing Piñata with a “character concept” for a new bilingual picture book called, The Runaway Piggy.  I was thrilled!  There were other artists trying out for the same job (four illustrators total, I later found out).  Piñata would choose one illustrator based on the character concept they submitted, and that person would win the contract to illustrate the book.  I jumped at the chance to break into children’s picture book illustration  --  a long-held dream of mine.

In order to execute the black and white character concept “audition” drawing, Piñata provided me with the manuscript and requested that I select a scene from the story to illustrate.  I purposely chose a scene of medium complexity  --  one that showed a lot of action, yet would not require a huge crowd or an aerial perspective.  I worked almost one month on the research and creation of the drawing I would ultimately submit. 

One of the biggest challenges for me with that first drawing was that the story was set in an inner-city neighborhood.  I had avoided rendering buildings or cityscapes my entire artistic career.  I had always been most comfortable drawing and painting “organic” earthy figures and shapes.  Well, I needed to say goodbye to comfort and face my fears head on.  I knew if I were going to draw buildings, I would have to find a way to make the buildings work for me, to somehow translate them into my own style.  One morning, on a walk through my neighborhood in Venice, Calif., I took a turn down Abbott Kinney Blvd.  I noticed the unique mixture of quaint and artsy-hip architecture, which created an atmosphere of a city street with a small-town feeling.  I took out my notebook and pen and made sketches of my favorite doorways, windows and awnings.  When I got home, I began doing the rough sketches for my concept drawing.  At first, the buildings looked too stiff, as I had feared.  That is when I stopped to look at other picture books for inspiration.  This usually helps me free up and loosen up.  It worked  --  the solution was simple!  I would curve the lines of the buildings and streets and make them just as alive and organic as any of the figures.  The sketch was finally coming together.

Now, all I needed to do was to create the mischievous piggy cookie that would run through the streets, eluding the townspeople at every turn. 

When I first got the manuscript, I was familiar with some Mexican sweet bread, but I had never heard of cochinitos (piggy cookies).   Being from a Cuban background, I grew up eating pasteles de guayaba, frituritas de papa, and flan.  

A trip to the neighborhood Mexican bakery was in order.  (Hey, it was in the name of research!)  I bought my first piggy cookie, took it home to study, make sketches based on its simple piggy shape, and, of course, to enjoy it with my morning coffee!  Next, I collected photo references from the web of more Mexican sweet bread cochinitos (no two bakers bake alike), of actual pigs running, and, finally, illustration samples from traditional Gingerbread Man books.  Combining all these visuals helped me come up with an animated version of the piggy cookie. 

Then, to figure out how the cookie would look in action  --  from different angles and positions  --  I made a clay model of my piggy and used it to further develop the character in my drawing.  

OK, so all this may sound like a lot of work, but, in the end, it paid off.  Two weeks after submitting my drawing, I received an e-mail telling me that my character concept drawing was chosen, and I had won the Piñata contract to illustrate The Runaway Piggy!  I was so excited, I ran around my kitchen like a piggy with its head bitten off!  I was on my way to becoming a full-fledged picture book illustrator.

The character concept I had spent a month perfecting set the stage for the rest of my work on the book.  I had visually established a town, some of its local residents (Lorenzo, the mechanic, and Mama Nita, the beauty shop owner) and the animated piggy cookie that would race through every scene.  After signing the contract with Arte Público/Piñata, the many months that followed of sketches, final drawings and paintings were as exhilarating as they were exhausting!  I breathed a huge sigh of relief on the day of that final brush stroke, but nonetheless, it was a bittersweet goodbye to The Runaway Piggy. 

Luckily, there is a recipe in the back of the book, so I can bake my own cochinitos at home.  And, if one of my homemade piggy cookies should happen to escape, it just might be found running down Abbott Kinney Boulevard.

JAMES LUNA is an elementary school teacher in Riverside, California. This is his first published book.

LAURA LACAMARA is a Cuban-American artist and author. Floating on Mama’s Song / Flotando en la canción de mamá, her picture book illustrated by Yuyi Morales, was published by HarperCollins in 2010.  The Runaway Piggy is the first picture book she has illustrated. Laura lives in Venice, California, with her family.

Floating on Mama’s Song Virtual Book Tour

Follow the virtual book tour and you can be the lucky winner of a signed copy of this wonderful bilingual book. Leaving a comment on any of the tour's host sites enters you in the drawing to win a copy of Floating on Mama’s Song!  So I hope you will check out all the stops on the tour:

Monday, Aug. 30 - Floating on Mama's Song synopsis, reviews
http://www.dianebrowningillustrations.com/(Out of the Paintbox)      

Tuesday, Aug. 31- Laura Lacámara (author) interview
http://www.onbeyondwordsandpictures.com/ (On Beyond Words & Pictures) Megan Frances

Wednesday, Sept. 1- Katherine Tegen (editor) interview -- book comes out today!
http://www.tinanicholscouryblog.com/(Tales from the Rushmore Kid)

Thursday, Sept. 2 - Yuyi Morales (illustrator) interview
http://www.latinbabybookclub.com/ (Latin Baby Book Club) René Colato Laínez

Friday, Sept. 3 - Announcement of contest winner!
http://www.dianebrowningillustrations.com/(Out of the Paintbox)

Anita's mama loves to sing. She sings such beautiful, happy songs that something magical happens: Everyone who hears her music floats high above the ground. But then Mama stops singing. Can Anita find a way to bring back happy times and magical moments for her family? Debut author Laura Lacámara's lyrical, uplifting tale is paired with Yuyi Morales's stunning art for a magical celebration of family, music, and happiness.

A la mamá de Anita le encanta cantar. Sus canciones son tan bonitas y felices que crean algo mágico: todo el que escucha su música se eleva y flota en el aire. Pero la mamá de Anita deja de cantar. ¿Logrará Anita recobrar los tiempos felices y los momentos mágicos para ella y su familia?
La lírica e inspiradora historia de Laura Lacámara y el arte espectacular de Yuyi Morales retratan una celebración mágica de la familia, la música y la felicidad.

From North to South/ Del Norte al Sur

Today is the publication day of my new bilingual book. Visit your favorite bookstore or internet store and take a look at From North to South/ Del Norte al Sur.

"From North to South  shines a light on the painful experience of family separation from both sides of the border—the questions, the anxiety of waiting, and the hope of a child and his parents. ¡Si se puede!" —Dolores Huerta, activist, organizer and co-founder of The United Farm Workers of America, AFL-CIO

"The child’s perspective makes this a particularly moving glimpse of an increasingly common experience." —Kirkus Reviews

"With the latest in unjust immigration upheavals in Arizona and beyond, José and his parents—and too many of Laínez’s students—are some of the actual faces of real people, real families being torn apart by seemingly arbitrary, anonymous laws. From North to South—presented in both English and Spanish for even broader appeal and reach—is an effective, necessary reminder beyond just the numbers of how human lives are at the mercy of policymakers who are far, far away from the real people." —Smithsonian's BookDragon Blog

"Told in English and Spanish, the story and illustrations focus on the loving ways families devise to have hope and stay together in trying circumstances." —ForeWord Reviews

From North to South / Del Norte al Sur es un nuevo libro bilingue escrito por René Colato Laínez e ilustrado por Joe Cepeda. El autor inmigrante salvadoreño residente de Los Ángeles se convierte en el portavoz de estos niños, los que quedaron atrás, los que esperan volver a juntarse con sus padres para retomar una vida de normalidad que, dice, quizás vuelva con la reforma migratoria. Las ilustraciones; de hecho, pinturas al óleo, de Joe Cepeda, realmente complementan la historia haciendo de la lectura una fiesta para los ojos.- Gabriel Lerner La Opinión- Hispanic LA

Author Laura Lacamára talks about her picture book Floating on Mama’s Song

Floating on Mama’s Song  
by Laura Lacamára

Illustrated by Yuyi Morales

A few years ago, when a fellow artist suggested my images would be ideal for picture books, I signed up for a children’s book illustration class at Otis College of Art and Design. Students were expected to finish a black and white dummy and one full-color illustration by the end of the ten weeks.  Our teacher believed in students illustrating their own stories, so I wrote the first draft of Floating on Mama’s Song simply to have something I could get excited about illustrating.

My initial inspiration for the story was to write about my mother, who had once been an opera singer in Havana.  Imagining illustrating the character’s costumes and the lush tropical setting excited me artistically, but I still didn’t have a plot.  Then, in the middle of the night, it came to me!  What would happen if mama’s singing literally lifted her off the ground?  Who in the story would love it and be supportive?  Who might feel threatened by mama’s floating and want to stop it?

That’s when the story became deeply personal for me.  I know first-hand how crucial creative expression can be to one’s happiness.  My mother dropped her operatic career after she had had my brother and me, and our family fled Cuba. I often wondered how my mother’s life would have been different, if she had sung opera in the USA.

Growing up, it always seemed to be my father’s creative career as a graphic designer and illustrator that took center stage.  Rental pianos, on which my mother could play classical music and accompany her arias, seemed to leave the house as quickly as they arrived.  I can still hear my father’s familiar chant, “We can’t afford it.”  Thus, the early drafts of Floating on Mama’s Song feature the father as the disapproving character who feels threatened by Mama’s singing.

Anyway, getting back to the process of manuscript to publication:  One month after the children’s book illustration class at Otis ended, I joined SCBWI (the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators) and took my polished manuscript and dummy (with two full-color illustrations) to SCBWI’s “Illustrator’s Day.”  I proudly displayed my creation there for all to see.  No one paid the slightest attention to it, and I recall feeling crushed!  Realizing I was suffering from a bruised ego, I dusted myself off and got back to seeking the next opportunity to present my work.

Fortunately, my brother’s friend knows several literary agents in New York.  This friend, Phillip, liked my story and pictures, so he hooked me up with three agents to submit my work to.  The first two agents passed on it, but the third one, Bill, liked my writing and illustrations, and he was specifically interested in representing Latino manuscripts. Bill phoned one summer afternoon, and casually asked to represent me.  I could barely contain my excitement.  I said, “Yes, of course!” and the submission process began shortly thereafter  --  as soon as I duplicated my dummy twelve (!) times and FedEx’d the package to his Manhattan office.

After six rejections from big publishing houses, the seventh rejection came with an open door.  “There’s something here,” the editor said.  “I’d be willing to take another look, if Laura is willing to make a few changes.  What if Mama were a single parent?  And, what if the ending were different  --  not so simple?”

I knew this was big  --  an opportunity to better my craft, and, of course, to possibly sell my story!  The changes the editor suggested were major, yet I didn’t feel they would compromise my vision.

I set out on a mission to revise and improve my manuscript.

Instead of Papa (who I cut out), I made the grandmother (Abuelita) the disapproving and fearful character.

The ending would be more challenging.  In the original version of Floating on Mama’s Song, Anita gets her Mama to sing again (bringing back happiness to herself and her family) by begging Mama to sing a lullaby to Anita and her little brother, Orlando.  In the revised version, Anita turns the situation around, when she uncovers a family secret that explains why Abuelita is so adamantly against Mama’s singing.

My agent re-submitted my revised manuscript, and, a week later, I got a lovely rejection letter from the editor.

“Much better,” she said, “but I’m afraid the story is still not strong enough to compete in today’s picture book market.”

Next, Bill, my agent, submitted this latest version to Katherine Tegen at HarperCollins.  Two weeks later, Bill called me to congratulate me on my first sale!  There was one hitch.  HarperCollins wanted the manuscript, but not the art.  They would select their own artist.  I was momentarily hurt and disappointed  --  after all, the initial intention behind writing the story was to use it as a means to become a children’s book illustrator!  I quickly recovered, realizing what a wonderful thing was happening!  A major publisher wanted to buy my story!   I couldn’t believe it.

When it came time to choose the illustrator for Floating on Mama’s Song, editor Katherine Tegen included me in the process. We could choose among three or four different artists.  My first choice was Yuyi Morales.  I feel so fortunate that Yuyi agreed to illustrate my book!  It took a few years from signing the contract to publication, because Yuyi had other contracts to fulfill first.  Now that the book is complete and about to be released, and I see what a magnificent job Yuyi did, I can honestly say, it was worth the wait!

Laura Lacámara is a Cuban American author and illustrator. Her mother, an opera singer in Cuba, was the inspiration for Floating on Mama's Song, her first picture book. Laura lives in Venice, California, with her husband, Hal, and their daughter, Annalisa.