Whether you are participating in Global Read Aloud 2020 or not, you can tune in and join me for a Global Read Aloud Live Event this Friday at 10am Pacific/1pm Eastern. Duration is approximately 30 minutes. I cannot wait to see you then!

Thank you for participating in the #GRA20! Thank you for reading my books!

See you LIVE on Friday!

Swashby and the Sea was released just this year on May 5th. I hope you enjoy the book and it brings you good memories of Summer, the beach and the ocean. Don’t miss visiting the book’s page for interviews, videos, podcasts and more.

Please post your questions below as comments by Wednesday. I’ll gather the questions and see you on Thursday in a new video with the answer to your questions.

Thank you for participating in the #GRA20! Thank you for reading my books!

See you on Thursday!

Thank you to all who read La Princesa and the Pea this week. Thank you for posting your questions about the book and my work. I hope you like this video!

I will post to prepare for the #GRA20 Week 4 on Sunday.

Thank you for participating in the #GRA20! Thank you for reading my books!

See you soon!

La Princesa and the Pea was awarded the 2018 Pura Belpré Medal for Illustration, among other recognitions. I hope you enjoy learning about Peru, the country where I was born and raised. Don’t miss visiting the book’s page for interviews, videos, podcasts, activities and more.

As we have been doing, please post your questions below as comments by Wednesday. I’ll gather the questions and see you on Thursday in a new video with the answer to your questions.

Thank you for participating in the #GRA20! Thank you for reading my books!

See you on Thursday!

Thank you to all who read and are reading  Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story this past week. Thank you to those of you who posted their questions about the book and my work. Thank you for your patience, too. I hope you enjoy the video!

I will post to prepare for the #GRA20 Week 3 later today.

Thank you for participating in the #GRA20! Thank you for reading my books!

See you Sunday!

 Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story was awarded the 2020 Sibert Medal, 2020 AIYLA Picture Book Honor, among many other awards and recognitions. I hope you enjoy diving into this title, especially this week since tomorrow we celebrate Indigenous People’s Day. Make sure to visit the book’s page for interviews, videos, podcasts and more.

As last week, please post your questions below as comments by Wednesday. I’ll gather the questions and see you on Thursday with the answer to your questions.

Thank you for participating in the #GRA20! Thank you for reading my books!

See you on Thursday!

Thank you to all who read and are reading Alma and How She Got Her Name and Alma y cómo obtuvo su hombre this week. It means the world! Thank you to those of you who sent questions, too. As promised, I’m back with a video answering to them. I hope you enjoy it!

I will post this Sunday to prepare for the #GRA20 Week 2.

Thank you for participating in the #GRA20! Thank you for reading my books!

See you Sunday!

“The Global Read Aloud started in June of 2010 with one small idea; a book to connect the world.  And connect it did, spanning nearly 90 countries, five continents, and millions of students connected.  We grew together, we worked together, and we read together.”

This video is my intro to the event to the next six weeks of posts. On Sundays each week, I’ll have a post dedicate to the book of the week. Please post your questions about that title as comments on the post. Each Thursday, I’ll pick some questions and record a new video with my answers and post later that same day.

With that said, this week is all about Alma and How She Got Her Name and Alma y cómo obtuvo su hombre. Please post your questions below as comments. I’ll see you again later this week.

Thank you for participating in the #GRA20! Thank you for reading my books!

See you Thursday!

I’m waking up my blog for Spring, and to share some wonderful and amazing news! I just received my author’s copies of Alma, my first picture book as an author and illustrator! This can only mean that the book is coming out very soon!

Alma will release from Candlewick Press on Tuesday, April 10th – less than 2 weeks from today in a simultaneous English and Spanish release. Alma and How She Got Her Name and Alma y cómo obtuvo su nombre will be out in the world so soon! You can read a little bit about Alma in a previous post I wrote announcing that the book had been sold.

This book has been a dream come true, and there are so many people to thank for their help and support! My editor Mary Lee at Candlewick who helped make the book what it is today. My agent Stefanie at Full Circle Literary who has been the biggest cheerleader since we starting working together. Thanks to her Alma is a book now! Laura, my Candlewick publicist, who has been busy getting all these books out in the world and in the right hands. A whole-hearted thank as well to everyone on my wonderful Candlewick team! There are not enough words to express how grateful I am!

Thanks to Laura and Elsie at Candlewick, Alma is an Indie Next List Top Ten Pick and has received some wonderful reviews so far!

• Publishers Weekly (STARRED REVIEW):
  

  “It’s an origin story that envelops readers like a hug.”

• School Library Journal (STARRED REVIEW):
  

  “A beautifully illustrated, tender story to be shared with all children, sure to evoke conversations about their names.”

• Booklist (STARRED REVIEW):
  

  “While Alma feels enriched by learning her family’s history, she is also empowered by the knowledge that she will give her name, Alma, its own story.”

If you are interested in getting a copy, why not support an independent bookstore? You can pre-order signed and personalized (dedicated) copies of Alma from Changing Hands, my indie bookstore. Pre-order and I’ll include stickers and signed prints when I’m signing your copy. Wondering if the good guys at Changing Hands ship worldwide? Yes, they do!

[note]Pre-order signed and personalized (dedicated) copies by April 14th by visiting this page or calling 480-730-0205 or 602-274-0067.[/note]

Laura has and continues to line up some amazing events for the book! In April, I will be at the Texas Library Association (TLA) Conference, San Antonio Book Festival, LA Times Festival of Books and bookstore events at Changing Hands in Tempe, The Cellar Door in Riverside and Palabras Bookstore in Phoenix.

In May, I’ll be visiting NYC and attending Phoenix Comic Fest. This Summer, I will be at the American Library Association (ALA) Conference and International Literacy Association (ILA) Conference. I’ll also be visiting bookstores in RI and CT.

Please check my events page for more details and events, as more bookstore readings and events will be announced.

Hope to see you this Spring, Summer or Fall!

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Much has happened since I last posted here but little has been blogged about. With that in mind, some changes have been made, and I’m integrating my instagram account with the blog -since I’m a bit more active there –@juanamartinezn But do not fret, instagram post will be also posted here. No need to open an instagram account.

With that out of the way, let’s move on to “La Princesa and the Pea” and the updates I have to share about the book. Ready? Here we go:

1. The book is out. It was released September 5. You can place your orders online here:

2. Shortly Shortly after release (like a week after), the book went on its second printing! New book orders will arrive October 3rd (today!) so go ahead and place your orders. You’ll get your copies super fast!
PS – I’ve been told that Changing Hands still has copies from the First Edition -if that something that interests you. Signed copies will go out after Saturday.

3. Reviewers have been very kind with “La Princesa and the Pea”.

• • • School Library Journal gave it a starred review and said: “A must for every library.“
    • School Library Connection “Highly recommended.“
    • The Bulletin said: “Martinez-Neal’s graceful illustrations (…) really make this title a winner.“
    • Booklist shared: “With eye-catching details on every page, this book is sure to capture the imaginations of young readers.“
    • “La Princesa and the Pea” is a Junior Library Guild Selection
    • Mr. Schu added the title to his Best Books of 2017 list.

4. Matthew Winner who is a famous podcaster, invited Susan Middleton Elya, the author of the book, and I to be part of one the episode of the All the Wonders Podcast. We discussed inside stories behind the book, and other top secret Princesa details. You can listen to the podcast here: All the Wonders – Podcast Episode 387

5. I made some fun Book Activities for you that tie-in with the book! Scroll to the bottom of the page and print or download here.

6. We have stickers! Because we all love stickers! Come see me at one of my events, and I’ll share some with you -events include the Texas Book Festival in Austin, 18th AASL National Conference in Phoenix, and visits to bookstores in Washington, DC.

7. If you prefer, you can borrow a copy of the book at your Local Library. Your library requests help the book and us authors! So request away! We are already thankful!

8. As always, you can save the book to your to read list at Goodreads.

9.If the last two do not apply to you and you already have a copy of the book, please consider writing a review on Amazon and/or Goodreads. We’ll be forever grateful!

10. Finally, the Book Release Party for “La Princesa and the Pea” will be at Changing Hands Tempe on Saturday, October 7th. Stop by if you can. I’d love to see you!

LA PRINCESA AND THE PEA Storytime and Book Launch Party

Thank you all for your support throughout the years. It means a lot!

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