It’s year four of #LatinxPitch, which means that we’ve started to see some #LatinxPitch projects
be published and that are now available for purchase or to be added to Goodreads. We’re excited to be highlighting some of these projects on our blog this week!
ABUELO’S FLOWER SHOP BY JACKIE MORERA ILLUSTRATED BY DEISE LINO
“Te recuerdo y te extraño.” I remember you, and I miss you.
Elena is finally old enough to sell flowers with her abuelo in his shop. But she notices that many
of the people who visit have tears in their eyes. Abuelo tells her the shop is the last stop before
people visit the garden beyond the gate. A place for telling the ones you’ve loved and lost, “Te
recuerdo y te extraño,” I remember you, and I miss you.
Tender and insightful, Abuelo’s Flower Shop celebrates the beauty of intergenerational love
while gently teaching readers about grieving the loss of a loved one. Grandparents and
grandchildren will delight in Elena and Abuelo’s heartfelt relationship, and readers of all ages
will be inspired to find their own ways to say, “I remember you, and I miss you.” This thoughtful
story is the perfect resource for navigating difficult conversations about grief.
ABUELO’S FLOWER SHOP is available for preorder here and you can add to Goodreads here.
CHLOE VEGA AND THE AGENTS OF MAGIC BY LESLIE ADAME
When her undocumented parents are taken by a sorcerer disguised as an immigration officer,
twelve-year-old Chloe Vega joins a magical resistance academy to get them back. But things
take a turn when she realizes the resistance will sacrifice everything to defeat the sorcerer—
even her parents.
CHLOE VEGA AND THE AGENTS OF MAGIC recently found a home and is being edited by
Alice Jerman of HaperCollins. Find out more here.
MIGUEL MUST FIGHT! BY JAMIE OFELIA ILLUSTRATED BY SARA PALACIOS
A charming story with bilingual appeal about a young artist in a family of sword fighters, whose
passions are put to the test when a dragon attacks the village.
Miguel was like a paintbrush in a family of steely swords …
All his life, Miguel’s familia told him he must fight! But his family’s art of sword fighting never
captivated him as much as the sway of his colored pencils did.
When his village is threatened by El Dragón, Miguel must make a will he stand with his familia
and fight, or can he prove that the pencil is mightier than the sword?
With vibrant illustrations from award-winning artist Sara Palacios, this charming story of family
tradition and self-discovery will inspire young readers to always follow their passions.
You can add MIGUEL MUST FIGHT! to Goodreads here.
SALT AND SUGAR BY REBECCA CARVALHO
The grandchildren of two rival Brazilian bakeries fall in love despite their families’ feud.
Trust neither thin-bottomed frying pans nor Molinas.
Lari Ramires has always known this to be true. In Olinda, Brazil, her family’s bakery, Salt, has
been at war with the Molinas’ bakery across the street, Sugar, for generations. But Lari’s world
turns upside down when her beloved grandmother passes away. On top of that, a big supermarket
chain has moved to town, forcing many of the small businesses to close.
Determined to protect her home, Lari does the unthinkable—she works together with Pedro
Molina to save both of their bakeries. Lari realizes she might not know Pedro as well as she
thought—and she maybe even likes what she learns—but the question remains: Can a Ramires
and a Molina truly trust one another?
Salt and Sugar is out and available for purchase here and you can add to Goodreads here.
THE TREE OF HOPE: THE MIRACULOUS RESCUE OF PUERTO RICO’S BELOVED
BANYAN BY ANNA ORENSTEIN-CORDONA AND JUAN MANUEL MORENO
The true story of a beloved banyan tree and a community that fought to save it in the wake of
Hurricane Maria.
On the tropical island of Puerto Rico, there was an ancient banyan tree. His enormous twisted
trunk rose up beside the San Juan Gate. Long roots hung from his wide-spreading branches and
his emerald, leafy crown greeted all who passed by. This beloved tree stood on the shore of the
island for over a hundred years–until the fateful time when the biggest hurricane in Puerto Rico’s
history slammed into the island, devastating communities and uprooting that very tree.
This lushly illustrated and evocatively written picture book tells the story of the majestic jagüey
blanco, one of the most beloved trees in the city of Old San Juan. Puerto Rican author Anna
Orenstein-Cardona weaves an epic tale based on the true story of this bearded watchdog of the
island, how the tree was impacted by Hurricane Maria, and how a group of people rallied
together to save it. With gorgeous illustrations by Juan Manuel Moreno, this picture book serves
as an account of the devastating impact of Hurricane Maria and the strength of the people who
continue to rebuild to this day.
The Tree of Hope is out and available for purchase here and you can add to Goodreads here .
