Corazonadas

A fruitful year

2012-12-31T19:18:00.001-08:00

This was such a busy and fruitful year that I had very few opportunities to write about it. Here a brief look back at what made it wonderful:

The Mexican sun in the mornings

Yotopia, its people, and the best frozen yogurt in town

Mi sisters

Tamarindo with lemon at the park in Xalapa

My brother (and the painting of his house)

Xico, where I will live some day

The publication of Gerogia in Hawaii

The last of Soli's days

Embroidering venaditos

Miguel, Sita, and my Bay Area family

El Son and zapateado in my garden

Fogo and SF Carnaval!

Kelly

Luna


Kelly's graduation

Kelly's wisdom teeth extraction

Nest in unexpected places in my garden

Participating in America the Beautiful book


the arrival of Tigerand mojo


Alex

Visitors I love


Making Frida

Painting venadito

Becoming a citizen

Painting Jose's face for Dia de los Muertos celebration

planning tattoos

Getting my tattoo inked

My tattoo oulined


Voting (with my son Kelly) for the first time in our lives

Painting Frida

Making papel picado

Selfportrait


PBS testimonial and strangers telling me they have seen me.

Planning Kelly's tattoo

Inked tattoo

Mojo, who never left


Tim and I


Us

May new jouneys welcome all of us. My path takes me now back to Mexico where I will live part-time huging my family, making my books, and helping Kelly to forge his own path. Much love for everybody

Why I love picture books

2012-10-10T12:47:00.001-07:00

Candlewick Press is celebrating its 20th anniversary and to add to the festivities they asked many authors, illustrators, book makers, and book lovers to tell about their love for picture books in videos. These videos are part of a year-long celebration and are being posted one per day.

When I began thinking about the video I would made I was highly inspired. Picture books are very important to me because they changed the course of my life, and they gave me direction as an immigrant in this country and a as creator in this world. I wanted to make something special! So, how could I tell about my love for picture books? To me the best way is always through storytelling and, of course, pictures.

With the help of my Friend Miguelito Martinez , whose talent for music measures to his talent for love and friendship, here is the video I created to celebrate:

Author and illustrator Yuyi Morales tells her story of falling in love with picture books from Candlewick Press on Vimeo.

I hope you all like it.

P.S. Yes, those are my real pen drawings from when I was about four years old.

Talking for PBS

2012-09-20T11:53:00.000-07:00

Last year PBS came to my house to film a testimonial about the influence of public television in my life. This is what they have released just recently:

Hermosa Gente.

Reading my readers

2012-09-20T09:03:00.000-07:00

Thank YOU for the conversation

2012-04-23T11:28:00.000-07:00

8 ways to join the World Book and Copyright day celebration (recommended by the UNESCO):

1. Download books published over 100 years ago on Kindle, they’re free.
2. Share your passion for an author and offer his book to people around you.
3. Take this opportunity to discover something new from what you're used to read.
4. Leave a book on a park bench or a metro seat with a note saying “Happy Book and Copyright Day!”
5. Find out how to send your old books to schools and libraries in countries facing a post-disaster situation.
6. Educate yourself on books pirating: respect for copyright encourages the dissemination of knowledge and rewards their creators and publishers.
7. Never throw away your books, get involved in local community or online book swapping and donation campaigns and initiatives.
8. Plan local reading events in schools and libraries and encourage famous guest readers to get involved.

Books by Latinos: predicting the Pura Belpre

2012-01-21T15:59:00.000-08:00

I regularly visit bookstores looking for the new published books; among those I also look for those written or illustrated by or about Latinos. Unfortunately, these are not usually easy come about; unless you know the specific titles to look for, these books might not even be found in the stores at all.

So, when the time for the ALA children's book awards comes, while I might have my favorites to win awards such as the Caldecott, I find it difficult to have an opinion of the strongest contenders to win the Pura Belpre Medal.
(From the Pura Belpre Award site: "The Pura Belpré Award, established in 1996, is presented annually to a Latino/Latina writer and illustrator whose work best portrays, affirms, and celebrates the Latino cultural experience in an outstanding work of literature for children and youth.")

However, not been able to find these books easily, doesn't stop me from becoming the fan of some I have managed to find during the year. And so, this time, these three are my favorites for the 2012 Pura Belpre illustrator Award Winner:

Waiting for Biblio Burro, written by Monica Brown, and illustrated by John Parra

John has an illustration style that feels nostalgic and earthy, that seems filled with memories and colors from the past. I have always loved everyone of his books. This one is not an exception. Here is John's site.

The Cazuela that the Farm Maiden Stirred, written by Samanthat R. Vamos, and illustrated by Rafael Lopez.

About a year ago, in one of my trips to Mexico, I was able to visit Rafael at his studio in San Miguel de Allende, and see some of his work in progress for a book about Tito Puente. Rafael never ceases to amaze me with his work.

Diego Rivera: His Wold and Ours, by Duncan Tonatiuh.

Ok, tell me, who can resist illustrations such as these ones?

When trying to find more titles written and /or illustrated by Latinos in the last year, I finally found a good list of books (both picture books and chapter books) at the REFORMA mock Pura Belpre.

Here, the titles:

• 21: The Story of Roberto Clemente - Santiago, Wilfred
• Alicia Alonso: Prima Ballerina - Bernier-Grand, Carmen T.
• Clara and the Curandera/Clara y la curandera - Brown, Monica
• The Cazuela That the Farm Maiden Stirred - Vamos, Samantha R.; illus by López, Rafael
• Dancing Home - Ada, Alma Flor & Gabriel M. Zubizarreta
• Diego Rivera: His World and Ours - Tonatiuh, Duncan
• Good-bye Havana! Hola New York - Colón, Edie
• Hey, 13! - Soto, Gary
• How Tía Lola Ended Up Starting Over - Alvarez, Julia
• How Tía Lola Saved the Summer - Alvarez, Julia
• Hurricane Dancers: The First Caribbean Pirate Shipwreck - Engle, Margarita
• I Kick the Ball/Pateo el balón - Zepeda, Gwendolyn
• If I Could Fly - Cofer, Judith Ortiz
• Illegal - Restrepo, Bettina
• The Land of Lost Things/El país de las cosas perdidas - Bursztyn, Dina
• Ladder to the Moon - Soetoro-Ng, Maya; illus by Morales, Yuyi
• Let's Dance!/¡A Bailar! - Cofer, Judith Ortiz
• Mamá and Me - Dorros, Arthur; illus by Gutierrez, Rudy
• A Mango in the Hand: A Story Told through Proverbs - Sacre, Antonio
• Marisol MacDonald Doesn't Match/Marisol McDonald no combina - Brown, Monica
• Maximilian and the Mystery of the Guardian Angel - Garza, Xavier
• Milagro of the Spanish Bean Pot - Romero-Anderson, Emerita
• The Monster in the Mattress and Other Stories/El monstruo en el colchón y otros cuentos - De Anda, Diane
• Pepita and the Bully/Pepita y la peleonera - Lachtman, Ofelia Dumas
• SkateFate - Herrera, Juan Felipe
• Ten Little Puppies/Diez perritos - Ada, Alma Flor
• Tía Isa Wants a Car - Medina, Meg
• Under the Mesquite - McCall, Guadalupe Garcia
• Waiting for the Biblioburro - Brown, Monica

If you know of other books that could be included in this list, please, let me know. In the mean time, I'll be getting ready to watch the webcast anouncement of the ALA Media Awards this Monday Jan. 23, 2012 - 7:45 CT.

Raising Soli

2011-10-01T13:24:00.000-07:00

The last four months of my work have been impregnated and defined by a dog. And not any dog but a dangerous one, some would say.

Soli arrive to our family in May when her original foster person, one of my neighbors, became too terrified of the pup to be able to handle him any more due to his aggressive behavior. At the time Soli was about four months old.

Last week, Soli was accepted at Miranda's animal Rescue, thus beginning a new journey of recovery and learning for both Soli and our family. Here is a series of images I have collected of our journey with my Soli.

And now Soli becomes also art.Threshold, by Yuyi Morales. toilet paper tubes , paper, and light.
Assignment for Heroes Art Journey workshop

Mexican summer production

2011-08-20T23:20:00.000-07:00

At the silversmith workshop this year, Lalo taught me how to do lost wax work. I began carving and sculpting my pieces in wax.
A botanical sacred heart, a seashell pendant,

And a necklace with a stone insert

Lalo attached all of my pieces, and other student's productions, into a wax tree to make a plaster mold.

The melting of the silver took place in Lencho's ovens at his studio in Coatepec. Vulcano's place was invaded by wild cats. I couldn't count them all, neither pet them.

Melted silver entered the mold in a centrifugal machine

The mold accepted the silver and it looked like sushi

The water boiled instantly while it liberated the silver from the plaster mold

Now a silver tree still to be separated piece by piece. Nothing looked like silver artwork yet

but soon things began to appear...

Here the finished pieces:

My Mexican production

2011-07-16T08:33:00.000-07:00

My friend Alex deserved to have a cumbia made to him. He would dance it, I know. That was how masses of friends from his Zumba class decided to join me and made this video for him. Yes, he is that kind of teacher who would take his shirt off in the middle of the class. Below are the lyrics.

LA CUMBIA PROMETIDA
by Yuyi morales and Kelly O

Ay, sabrocita
Esta cumbia la tengo muy bien pegadita.

Ay, sabrocita
Esta cumbia la tengo muy bien pegadita.

Es la cumbia de la Zumba que un día yo a el prometí.
Es una cuenta concentrada de virtudes y valores,
excedentes, pertinentes, ocurrentes, oponentes
que tan solo son posibles en cholos aquí presentes.

Ay, perdí la cuenta, me distrajo su boom boom.
Ay, perdí la cuenta, me distrajo su boom boom.

El es perfecto. Si
No es creído. No
Un papichulo. Si
Muy pizpireto. Yo?

El es muy guapo. Si
Comprometido. No
Conmigo zumba. Si
Solo conmigo. Hmmm...

Yo era muy bien portadita, niña buena, aerobics girl,
cuando sin ni mas ni menos escuche su regatón.
Ay chiquito, que fue eso? De repente apareció,
como bajado del cielo, llego Alex es Amor.

Los gritos fueron mi alivio, los bochornos acepte,
que el corazón se acelere , y que el sudor a mi me de.
800 calorias, cada dia el prometio,
si le muevo al merengue y le salto al hip -hop

Ay, perdí la cuenta, me distrajo su boom boom.
Ay, perdí la cuenta, me distrajo su boom boom.

Tentaciones―Si
Artimañas―No
Una samba―si
La lambada. Ay Dios.

Se cree muy sexi―Si
No es celoso―No
a mi me quiere.―Si
Zumba!

Ay mamita, santa madre, no me juzgues por favor.

Es cierto que había puesto a san Antonio en un rincón,
lo tenia de cabeza y le ofrecí una oración.
La respuesta fue del cielo. Así fue como paso,
que llegara un Zumba instructor como el que quería yo.

Ay, perdí la cuenta, me distrajo su boom boom.
Ay, perdí la cuenta, me distrajo su boom boom.

Mueve los hombros―Si
Shakea las nalgas.―No
Da vuelta y media.―Si
Ay, que impresión!

Da el warming up―Si
Trae substitutos―No
Tira besitos―Si
La camisa se quito!

Que puedo hacer, mamita linda, si del cielo me bajo,
un Dios tatuado, acelerado, bien peinado, muy bronceado,
acholado, PUA entrenado, zumbeando al ritmo de cumbia,
tantísima perfección.

El lo sabe de antemano, la verdad es su prisión,
que el carece de defectos la mejor de sus virtudes
es que el me quiere un montón.
el me quiere un montón
el me quiere un montón

Ay, perdí la cuenta, me distrajo su boom boom.
Ay, perdí la cuenta, me distrajo su boom boom.

Photos from the show

2011-07-16T08:17:00.000-07:00

Some images from this years ALA in New Orleans are in PW
Here my own offerings Can you tell who there people are?:

Getting ready for the Quiceañera!

2011-06-23T11:23:00.000-07:00

It is only a few hours before I fly to New Orleans for an grand ALA celebration.
If you are around, here are a few places where you will find me:

Saturday, June 25
9:30-11 am, Maya Soetoro-Ng and I will be signing Ladder to the Moon in the Candlewick booth #1023
12:00-1:30pm, Maya and I will be speaking at Many Voices, One Nation, at the Hotel Monteleone --Queen Anne Br.
3:00-4:00pm. Signing in the HMH booth #1539-1540

Sunday, June 26
a great day!
1:00-4-00pm The Pura Belpre Award celebrates ist 15th aniversary with a big "Quinceañera" party. (convention Center-RM 293-296).
7:00pm. Caldecolt/Newberry Awards Banquet, including a reception with a Red Carpet event.

Who want s to come with me?

Lisali and I made dolls

2011-06-10T18:06:00.000-07:00

Hers was inspired in one of my skeletons, and it had a tattoo on the back of her head.

Mine was a reproduction of the doll I depicted in my book, Ladder tot the Moon.

And it went home with Maya.

Ladder to the Moon Preview

2011-04-11T22:03:00.001-07:00

In just a few more hours, on Tuesday 12, the newest book I have illustrated, LADDER TO THE MOON, written by Maya Soetoro-Ng, will be released in stores. To mark the day my publisher has released a book preview where you can take a look a some of the first pages of the book.
On my side, I have added A LADDER TO THE MOON page to my website with some information and links related to the book. Tomorrow nigh I will be with friends welcoming the new publication. May you join me.

Happy Cesar Chavez Day

2011-03-31T08:09:00.000-07:00

We are celebrating Cesar Chavez birthday with a day of service.

Here are some resources for today, offerings of mine:

Family activities:While growing up, Cesar Chavez learned important lesson from his parents. When he was ten, he and his family became migrants, working on farms where they earned barely enough money to survive. But Cesar believed in change; as an adult he overcame his shyness and dedicated his life to uniting people in a nonviolent fight for justice. Click here for a page of Family Activities

A teacher's guide:Cesar Chavez is known as one of America's greatest civil rights leaders. When he led a 340-mile peaceful protest march through California, he ignited a cause that improved the lives of thousands of migrant farmworkers. But Cesar wasn't always a leader. As a boy, he was shy and was often teased at school. His family slaved in the fields, earning barely enough money to survive. Cesar believed such conditions had to change. He thought that, maybe, he could bring about those changes. So he took charge. He spoke up, and an entire country listened.
Click here for a Harvesting Hope teacher's guide

Activity pages: this can be downloaded, printed, and shared. Click here for these activities.

Happy serving. Happy day.

New Year in Mexico

2011-01-17T11:07:00.000-08:00

It had been fifteen years since I last visited Mexico in December. This year I couldn't miss it; my sister Elizabeth was been inaugurated as the first woman Mayor of our hometown , Xalapa, the state capital of Veracruz. In addition, my mother was inaugurated as the president of the municipal DIF, a position traditionally given to Mayor's spouses. But my mother is perfect for the task, and this time the DIF would be getting its hardest worker ever. I know it because I know my mom.

During my time there I managed to do most of the following:

Run in the Xalapa Stadium.
Eat bread from Xico.
Walk from Xalapa to Coatepec.
Learn that there is a clown's school in Puebla.
Make a silver key for my next book.
Travel to San Miguel de Allende.
Visit Rafael Lopez and his family.
Make Quetzaly sleep.
Work at the Esdrujuluz studio.
See my cousins that I hadn't see in nearly 30 years.
Take African dance class with Huicho.
Celebrate Dia de Reyes with my family.
Watch the ALA youth media award announcements (which can still be watched here)
Witness children strip their shirts in order to win a dancing contest.
Visit with my mother the Aldea, the boy's home in Xalapa.
See my prima Vanessa again.
Sleep under a mountain of blankets in Mo's house.
Find the Amarillo Gallery open, at last!
Gain two pounds. Sigh.

But since nothing tells a story better than images, here is a slide show of some of the pictures I took with my phone. The music is from Grupo Bermudas, No Voy a Trabajar. I might not need to point out that, once more, I left my heart in Mexico.

Nosotros--my familia

2010-12-27T18:19:00.000-08:00

List, more list, and Yuyilist

2010-12-18T16:12:00.000-08:00

This is the time when children's books lists naming the best of the year sprout. You might have seen them already too:

The NY public Library 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing 10 for '10: Best Books for Youth on social Justice and Intercultural Understanding K ir kus 2010 Best Children's Books
Publishers Weekly Best Children's books 2010 The New York times Best Illustrated Children 's Books of 1010
The Huffington Post Best Picture Books 2010 School Library Journal Best Books 2010: Picture Books 2010 Horn Book Fanfare

Even a couple of my favorite literary people make their own well informed list:

Fuse #8 100 Magnificent Children's books of 2010
Richie's picks: The Best of 2010

and many more.

So, why not a Yuyilist? Ok, unlike reviewers, I don't get to see even a minimal part of the about 5,000 children's books that are published every year. So my list would have to be different; it wouldn't be about naming the best of the year according to me. Instead it will have to be about 2010 books that caught my eye, that surprised me, that kept me reading late at night. And so here they are:

Dear Primo: A Letter to My Cousin. Duncan Tonatiuh (what a magnificent name; The Sun God) illustrated this book with an style that brings to modern days the indigenous art of Mexico. Notice the painting of people facing sideways like in the Mayan and Aztec art. The more I look at this book the more I admire it.

Chavela's Magic Bubble Gum. Yes, this book is illustrated by my sister Magaly, and, of course, I naturally feel close to anything she produces. But when I went to the store and looked inside the shelves, and even though I have seen the illustrations while it was being made, guess which book caught my eye? Yes, it was hers, with its warm colors and the magic of the bubble gum harvested from the sapodilla tress, with Abuelita's sweet face and pretty dresses, and the chicleros's whistling songs while they work.

Henry in Love= Yuyi in Love. To me this book is the epitome of a picture book: simple, elegant, beautiful, charming, carefully illustrated; in my opinion the right direction for picture books. An inspiration.

Me, Frida, to date the best work of David Diaz. Oh-huh, does that mean that he could win the...? He could win anything, indeed!

The Extraordinary Mark Twain (According to Susy). What a book! I loved peeking inside the little pages inserted between spread that show Susy's writing about her famous father Mark Twain. But what I loved even more what the cleverness of the compositions, the play of the illustrating elements, the light, and the use of lines.

Tortilla Sun. This middle grade novel kept transporting myself to the desert to make and savor tortillas in a different style from the one I learned when I was a child. While I didn't necessarily think of this book as magical realism (the way it has been publicized), I enjoyed it for the narrative, the landscapes it portrayed, and the familiarity I felt with the characters in this story.

Shadow. Susy Lee keeps coming with books that leave me thinking, leave inspired, and even leave me a little scared sometimes. There very few words in her books, but her designs makes for great narratives where feelings are abundant.

Petit, the Monster. Is Petit bad or is he good?. He is bad when he lies, but then he is good when he tells stories, right? I used to have the same problem as Petit; as a child I couldn't figure out if I was good or bad. I actually think, like this story suggest that, like in Petit's case, duality simply runs in my family.

Any Small Goodness: A small Novel of The Barrio. OK, I know, I know. This is not a 2010 book. I know! But it was only this year that I read Tony's novel, and I was wowed. This book is a little jewel, like a secret kept inside a little box in Abuelita's closet. What a pleasant surprise to find a book with inexplicable characters like Abuelita who arrived from Aguascalientes on a Norteño bus carrying her prayer book, a photograph of Grandfather, and her lava grinding stone molcajete. Or Mami, who's got possum-pavor, because she is convinced that they will give her tlacuachazos big possum hits when she take the garbage out at night. One of my favorite reads this year.

Now I must confess, I got a soft spot for City Dog, Country Frog. At first I wasn't warmed up to the image in the cover, but open it up and the images are tender, engaging, and funny. A book to love.

Other books I greatly enjoyed:
Little Owl Lost
The Dreamer
Side to Side: The Story of Dolores Huerta and Cesar Chavez
My Shoes and I
The Boss Baby
Dave the potter (what an elegant and beautiful book)

One book I haven't gotten to see yet, but that I am awaiting to read before the year is finished is Mr. Mendoza's Paintbrush. this is a graphic novel, and I am very taken with the description and the art in the cover. Take a look.

What I am anticipating to see next year are two books with art from two of my favorite illustrators, Rafael Lopez and John Parra respectively, La Cazuela That The Farm Maiden Stirred (just look at this artwork!)

and Waiting For The Biblioburro.

I, for once, can't wait.

Ways to give a book

2010-11-27T17:28:00.000-08:00

In preparation for the holiday giving, Mother Reader has posted her 105 ways to give a book, and I am very, very inspired with her ideas. A book has always seemed to me a present good enough to be given on its own, but matching a book with something that relates to that particular book's experience, seems to me the ultimate gift. And, so, in preparation for my own holiday giving, and inspired by Mother Reader's ideas, here I am offering some ideas for giving books. These books are among my recent favorites. They are also particular to what I know; my own cultural experience. I would love to hear your own ideas for your favorite books.

1.Give Chave la and the Magic Bubble with some pieces of Mexican bubble gum. I went to my local Mexican produces store and I found a few choices, but I ultimately decided to order online a bag of Chicles Motita, which were the classic gum I chewed when I was a child. They were not easy to find, but here is where you can order them too.

Now, here is a second idea for giving Chavela and the Magic Bubble; pair it with a hand made doll in a blue dress, like the one that is featured and shared by the protagonist of this book. I am a firm believer and practitioner of handmade gifts and here are some places and tutorials to make a doll:

You can learn how to make a cloth and paper clay doll at Jane Desrosier's online group for a yearly fee of $10 (I am a member of this group).

A tutorial for making a felt doll can be found here at The Purl Bee.

Or perhaps even a corn husk doll. The skirt can be dyed blue following these instructions.

2. Me, Frida.

This gorgeous book can be paired with a handmade portfolio and easel. Tutorial at the Giver's Log.

Or with a Frida paper doll by Donal Hendricks.

3. Diego, Bigger than life is one of my favorite books ever.

This poetic exploration of the life and artwork of the Mexican Muralist Diego Rivera can be given along a set of homemade stripey sidewalk chalk like this one:

Once more find the tutorial for this fabulous chunky clacks at the Giver's Log.

4. Playing Loteria/El Juego de la Loteria book can be wrapped together with a Loteria Game set. Then have a family day of playing loteria. A traditional set can be purchased here, and he re, as well as a Day of the Dead Loteria here. But you can also make your own loteria. Here is a tuto rial from Maison Celeste. In need of inspiration? Look at this Space Loteria by Chepo Peña!

5. P is for Piñata: A Mexican Alphabet, is a book full of riches. Every time I read this book I find myself traveling trough the Mexican landscape of the paintings of John Parra. It is a nostalgic book for me and I plan to give it to people I love so that they themselves discover the tomb of the Mayan king Pakal, and learn how the Aztecs used to drink chocolate cold, bitter, and mixed with flowers. This book is so packed with information that the choices of what to pair it with are endless. But here I am going with a piñata.

From Simply Modern Mom, here are instructions for a beautiful ice cream piñata.

Except making piñatas can prove laborious. Here is a tutorial for an easy star piñata. And here one to make a piñata from a paper bag.

Now, my mother, who worked for many years as an elementary school teacher in Mexico, also knew that piñatas can be dangerous. So here is a safe piñata version like the ones she used to make for her students. This one from Ikatbag is to be pulled by hanging ribbons rather than hit with a stick.

6.The Dreamer. This novel based in the childhood of the poet Pablo Neruda can be given together with a magnetic poetry kit.

Even better, how about pairing it with these poetry kit cookies? I found the instructions at The Decorated Cookie blog.

7. Since seven is my favorite number, here is (for now) my last book to give away. The Lacuna surprised me, delighted me, infuriated me too! It is a book to provoke many emotions. More than anything else I was surprised at how I believed that the author had been there, at every moment of the story, in a country that is mine, with characters that are part of my history, and yet showing me something new and unexpected.

I would give this book to any adult friend (and also to some big kids I know) along with a box of pan dulce.

Freshly backed Mexican pan dulce can be found at your local Mexican bakery or store. But, if you are adventurous enough to make the beard yourself, here is a recipe from Joy the Baker.

Happy giving.

Thank you. Gracias.

2010-11-25T08:25:00.000-08:00

Thank you for stories. Gracias.
Thank you for my drawing table. Gracias.
Thank you for my hands. Gracias.
Thank you for my son still sleeping. Gracias.
Thank you for Crazy Luna and always-hungry Chacho. Gracias.
Thank you for my fiery bougainvillea. Gracias.
Thank you for persimmons. Gracias.
Thank you for my husband's warm feet. Gracias.
Thank you for hot pink. Gracias.
Thank you for pastel de tres leches. Gracias.
Thank you for my writers group, The Revisionaries. Gracias.
Thank you for Skype and my sister, my brother, and Monica on the other side of the monitor. Gracias.
Thank you for Pat Mora and her poems. Gracias.
Thank you for my mandolin. Gracias.
Thank you for Ollin. Gracias.
Thank you for Tim's salsa verde. Gracias.
Thank you for my sewing machine. Gracias.
Thank you for John Parra and his paintings that remind me of my childhood. Gracias.
Thank you for books. Gracias.
Thank you because I could never be done saying gracias.

Talking about Ladder to the Moon

2010-11-17T16:59:00.000-08:00

It was last September that I began drawing and painting the illustrations of Ladder to the Moon, a picture book written by Maya Soetoro-ng. This fall , as the book is going through the printing process, our publishers, Candlewick, is sharing two video interviews. one with Maya and another one with me, were we talk about the making and the inspiration behind Ladder to the Moon.

I am particularly fond of hearing Maya speak. I love this woman's both strength and tenderness.

For more news and interviews about Ladder to the Moon, you can follow the book's progress in Facebook

Blog Tour and book giveaway: A visit from an Abuelita and her Chocolate

2010-11-13T22:56:00.000-08:00

Latina author Mara Price recently shared with me the joy of bringing to the world her new book Grandma's Chocolate/ El Chocolate De Abuelita. To celebrate, I am opening the blog tour for her book about this traveling grandma who carries ancient treasures inside her suit case--amongst them stories of brown princesses and delicious chocolate.

I met Mara a few years ago at the Feria del Libro in LA, a true barrio book celebration, and she and I talked about books, illustrating, and her work in Iguana Magazine. Mara is also one of the founders of Los Bloguitos, a blog in Spanish where Mara and other authors share poetry, drawings, stories, riddles and much more to children.

Now, Mara not only is giving me a chocolate craving (one of my earliest memories of chocolate is the irresistible smell that came from the old Chocolate Locomotora factory a few block away from where my grandmother lived), but Mara is also bringing presents.

First she is sharing for the first time the video trailer for Grandma's Chocolate/El Chocolate De Abuelita. The second present is a book giveaway. One lucky person who leaves a comment to this post will receive a copy of her delicious book. But remember, we will need to receive at least four comments from different people to give the book away. So, are you game?

See below for more information about where to follow the blog tour.

A toast with hot chocolate (and a sprinkle of chile powder on top, the way the Aztecs used to drink it). Salud.

Blog Tour schedule and information:

Tuesday, November 16
On Beyond Words & Pictures
Chocolate recipe and the importance of chocolate in Mesoamerica
by Megan Frances
http://www.onbeyondwordsandpictures.com

Wednesday, November 17
La Bloga
The Story Behind the Story
by Rene Colato Lainez
http://labloga.blogspot.com

Thursday, November 18
Out of the Paintbox
Mara Price interview
by Diane Browning
http://www.dianebrowningillustrations.com

Friday, November 19
Latin Baby Book Club
Book giveaway
By Monica Olivera Hazelton
http://www.latinbabybookclub.com

*Monday, November 22
VOCES
Writing a History-based Fiction Story for Children
By Adriana Dominguez
http://adrianadominguez.blogspot.com

YOU CAN MEET MARA IN PERSON AT:
http://www.maraprice.com/presentations.html

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT MARA PRICE, PLEASE VISIT HER WEBSITE.
http://www.maraprice.com

Birthday celebration with necklaces

2010-11-13T12:07:00.000-08:00

When I went to Texas in October, my school host and escort introduced me to the work of Gabriela Sanchez. I would very much have like one of Gabriela necklaces as my birthday present last week. My husband bought me instead tiny saws, dug out from his tool box an small electric hand drill, and bought me a package of Silver Clay. And so for my birthday I made me birthday necklaces.

I drew the design, a burrito piñata and two flaming hearts. The Precious Metal Clay comes in a small quantity of material not much bigger than a piece of chewing gum. It is very sticky too. I cut the design with an X-acto knife, and then cleaned it with a rubber stick.

I let them dry until next day. They still needed sanding and smoothing the edges.

Then, using a metal mesh I fired them on my stove for about five minutes after they get glowing pink.

Once they cooled off I brushed them with a wire brush and soapy water.

And I finally strung them with beads.

I made me two necklaces. This second one it is not silver clay but silver wire that I learned to make and shape in Mexico last summer at the Taller de Plateria in Xalapa.

It was a very happy birthday for me!

The return of the loved ones dead

2010-11-02T08:46:00.000-07:00

The tradition says that today, November 2nd, the dead will return to visit--time to clean the house, prepare the food, turn on the music, and rejoice! What wouldn't you give to have some one you love to be with you again, if only for one day? Today in the Day of the Dead I await for my muertos:

Tia Siria. I remember how you made the most beautiful tortillas, softly round and always rising like a hot balloon. My mother tells me the story of how you and tio Angel eloped one day when you were lefth in charge of taking care of the little siblings.

Tia Siria carrying the baby

Tio Joel, remember how you let me take a poof of your cigarette when I was only six? I do! Then I never wanted to taste it again. We loved you at home.

My tio Joel

Abuelo Felix. The last time I saw you I was walking down your house street with my kindergarten class. You were sitting by the sunlight with a blanket on your lap. I said, "Adios, Papa Felix!" And you waved back. But then I knew you didn't know who I was when you waved to all the other children the same. You were already 104-year-old.

Grandpa Felix

Mama Pita. Legends are said about you. That your son cried in your womb, that you married an old man, that you were called La Bonita, that you raised your children alone killing chickens. What I remember the most about you is that I heard you cry the night I slept with you. I was eight. A few weeks later you were no more.

My Abuela and I

Tio Mario. How everybody loved you. I did too. more than 30 years later I still dream about your return. Will you come visit me tonight? I will play salsa and we can dance together again like when I was a child.

Uncle Mario cutting the cake with my tia Cotita, and his father next to him

Mama Mina. My Abuela Regañona. Believe it or not, grandma, you are one of the most recurrent characters of my life's story. You live grand in all of them.

Mama Mina holding my grandpa's portrait

Maestre Carlos Aceituno, I had been lost in the big city of SF until I found you--at last I was at home. You welcomed me with my toddler son into your class and your dance group, and finally I belonged. Tonight I am dancing at the SF procession in your honor. I miss you.

Carlos and I at the Sf carnaval parade

Book cover released

2010-09-30T08:32:00.000-07:00

My publisher, Candlewick , just released the cover image of the last book I illustrated, Ladder to the Moon, written by Maya Soetoro-Ng.
This picture book will be released in Spring 2011

Yes, it is true. Public libraries changed my life

2010-09-22T08:02:00.000-07:00

During the American Library Association last summer, I was asked to talk about what the public libraries meant for me. I was in my way out of the convention center, and the camera man run after me and catch me by surprise (hence my face). But what is not a surprise is that when I saw the Public Library for the first time, it changed my life.