Today, we are excited to celebrate the release of El cuarto turquesa / The Turquoise Room by Monica Brown, illustrated by Adriana M. Garcia!
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Ties That Bind Across Generations: A Guest Post by Monica Brown
In this guest post, author Monica Brown shares the magic that is passed down through generations of women in her family in the form of creativity and dreams. El cuarto turquesa / The Turquoise Room will be published September 27 and is available for pre-order now.
Continue readingCelebrating the 10th Anniversary of Marisol McDonald Doesn’t Match/Marisol McDonald no combina by Monica Brown
We’re so excited to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of Marisol McDonald Doesn’t Match/Marisol McDonald no combina by Monica Brown and illustrated by Sara Palacios. Over the years, the iconic, titular character, Marisol, has touched the hearts of young readers everywhere through play, imagination, and just being her amazing self!
Renowned author Monica Brown wrote this title as well as others in this lively series—Marisol McDonald and the Clash Bash/Marisol McDonald y la fiesta sin igual and Marisol McDonald and the Monster/Marisol McDonald y el monstruo—to bring her own experience of being multiracial to life. Fans of the award-winning Marisol McDonald series will be encouraged to embrace their own uniqueness like Marisol who takes pride in her individuality.
Turn a Blanket into a Scarf! Book-Inspired DIY Projects
In Maya’s Blanket/La Manta de Maya, written by Monica Brown and illustrated by David Diaz, Maya takes an old blanket that her abuela sewed for her and turns it into many different things. Her blanket turns into a dress, then a skirt, then a rebozo, a scarf, a headband and even a bookmark! Maya teaches us that something old can be turned into a new and beautiful something else.
Interview: Monica Brown on Her New Book Maya’s Blanket
Out this September from the Children’s Book Press imprint of LEE & LOW, Maya’s Blanket/La manta de Maya puts a child-focused Latino spin on the traditional Yiddish folk song “Hob Ikh Mir a Mantl” (“I Had a Little Coat”) about a piece of fabric that is made into smaller and smaller items. We interviewed author Monica Brown about how she’s been inspired by the book.
1. What inspired you to write a children’s book based on the Yiddish folk song “Hob Ikh Mira Mantl”?
I’ve always loved the idea song, which is as much about creativity as it is about recycling and creating something from nothing. The song has inspired several books, in fact, and still inspires me. I often draw on my cultural heritage for inspiration, and Maya’s Blanket/La manta de Maya is no exception, paying homage to different aspects of my Jewish and Latina identity. It celebrates the two languages I speak, side by side on the page, along with a history of multigenerational storytelling passed down from both sides of my family. Continue reading
New Spring and Fall Releases from LEE & LOW BOOKS and Tu Books!
Summer is here in full force. It’s the perfect time to curl up pool- or beachside with a good book! Look no further than our new spring and fall releases!
Monica Brown on Dehumanizing Language and the Immigration Debate
Monica Brown is the author of several award-winning 
children’s books, including the Marisol McDonald series, and is a Professor of English at Northern Arizona University. Brown recently spoke to KNAU Public Radio about the power of dehumanizing language after a politician used the word “deportable” to refer to an immigrant. She has allowed us to reprint her comments below, and you can hear her radio segment here:
Deportable. The prefix de signifies removal, separation, reduction or reversal, as in deforestation or demerit. De reverses a verb’s action, as in defuse ordecompose. De is not often used with a noun, but it was last week. That’s when Republican Representative Steve King referred to one of First Lady Michelle Obama’s guests as “a deportable.” He tweeted it.
5 Books for Hispanic Heritage Month
Hispanic Heritage Month runs from September 15 to October 15, a period chosen because it bookends the independence days of five Central American nations (Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador and Costa Rica, Sept. 15), Mexico (Sept. 16) and Chile (Sept. 18), as well as Columbus Day/Dia de la Raza (Oct. 14 this year in the United States). In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, we’ve rounded up five great books that celebrate Latino culture and history.
1. Gracias~Thanks by Pat Mora, illustrated by John Parra