New Book
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.
About the Author:
From laurennesalabooks.com- My first job was renting out VHS tapes to customers and reminding them to rewind. Things have changed quite a bit, but what I fell in love with at that job is the same: people. I am fascinated by humans and their stories. I love when I get to write their stories or help them tell their own. And I’ll never tire of telling my own story, or at least stuffing all of my experiences into some part of my brain and sprinkling them out through my fingertips to help someone somewhere. My story began in Chicago, passed through Spain, Miami, and New York before it landed in Los Angeles where I now live with my sweet daughter Lucía and husband Sam. I’m on a constant quest to perfect my Spanish since my Spanish/Puerto Rican dad decided it wasn’t important to teach me (Qué horror!). I’m the lucky author of two picture books that make parents cry: You Made Me a Mother and You Made Me a Dad. Plus, the sweet customizable book, We Hope You Remember, and the forthcoming book Mi Casa Is My Home. With each book, I’ve been fortunate to work with some pretty talented illustrators like Zara Gonzalez Hoang (her characters and plants and spreads are awesome!!!).
About the Illustrator:
Zara González Hoang grew up in a little bungalow in the frozen tundra of Minnesota. Surrounded by snow she spent her days dreaming, doodling and listening to the colorful stories of her Dad’s life growing up in Puerto Rico while trying to figure out where she fit in as a Puerto Rican Jew in a sea of Scandinavians. (She’s still figuring that out.) These days, she lives outside of DC in a magical suburban forest with her Mad Man husband, human-shaped demons and curly coated corgi. She still spends her days dreaming and doodling, but now instead of listening to stories, she’s starting to tell some of her own.
Laurenne Sala discusses Mi Casa Is My Home
Mi Casa Is My Home by Laurenne Sala Reviews:
“This sweet family story will be best enjoyed by readers who speak both Spanish and English, as Lucía uses Spanglish, seamlessly moving back and forth between the two languages. The accompanying illustrations have a charming childlike feel that complements Lucía’s cheer and provides visual context for readers who don’t speak Spanish. Lucía’s family members represents the Latinx community’s racial diversity. A warm family account that will ring true with many Latinx children.”—Kirkus Reviews
“Laurenne’s sweet story, written in the perfect mix of Spanish and English is paired with Zara’s bright colors and warm details like lively plants and jars of habichuelas, which make the story and the characters feel relatable and fun.”—Las Musas
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