Cover Reveal: LUPITA’S BROWN BALLET SLIPPERS

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When I was a little girl, most of the characters in children’s books looked enough like me so that I felt seen even though nobody wore glasses or was as height-challenged as I was…but they were white…and so was I. These days we know now how critical it is for young kids to see themselves…not only as the child characters in stories, but also as adults in positive leadership roles. And that’s why I’m so excited to share the COVER of a new picture book, written by Steena Hernandez and illustrated by Melissa Castillo that launches October 15th from Beaming Books.

Huge props to Melissa Castillo for this GORGEOUS cover!!!! And don’t you love how the little girl’s pose is directing us to open the book?

Here’s a little bitt about the book from the Amazon sales page:
Everyone deserves to shine.

Lupita’s big ballet recital is approaching. The music is perfect. Her ballet moves are strong. But her peachy pink ballet slippers don’t match her skin tone. Lupita searches for the right pair only to discover it will take hard work–and messy measures–in order for her shoes to dance with her.

Inspired by the author’s own experiences as a Latina dancer, Lupita’s Brown Ballet Slippers is a charming story filled with determination. The final few spreads teach readers about the history of ballet slippers as well as the crucial changes the industry has seen for dancers of all races and ethnicities.

This is definitely a book that needs to be in classroom and public libraries, as well as home bookshelves. And guess what? We can help!!!
Please share the post widely on your social media.
You can put it on your Goodreads WANT TO READ shelf.
You can review it.
You can ask your local library to order copies for their collection.
And of course, you can pre-order a copy.

Here’s a bit about author Steena:
Steena Hernandez holds a BFA in theatre, music, and dance from Texas Tech University, and has performed with the Rent Broadway tour, the Trans-Siberian Orchestra as a vocalist, and the United Service Organization (USO) tour, and more. She now resides in San Antonio, Texas, with her family. She’s a storyteller at heart, and when she’s not writing or cooking, you can find her curled up in a cozy spot reading with her two children.

And here’s a little about illustrator Melissa:
Melissa Castillo’s work is heavily inspired by her Peruvian culture and heritage. With the lack of diverse representation of Latinx culture in illustration, she hopes to properly represent people of color and create relatable art for all cultures

We love these beautiful new picture books that are popping up in the pipeline. And we are grateful to the writers, artists, and publishers who are creating them!



19 thoughts on “Cover Reveal: LUPITA’S BROWN BALLET SLIPPERS”

  2. Steena and Melissa – I am so excited for you both! What a beautiful cover for a beautiful book! I have already pre-ordered and I can’t WAIT to get my copy. I wish you both many successes!

    Liked by 1 person

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  7. What an amazing concept for a book. One of the women in my book “Women Who Changed The World” is African-American ballerina Misty Copeland. I just did an image search to look at her ballet slippers, and sure enough they match her darker skin tone. I never would have thought of that. Bravo for you!

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  8. I’m so excited to see this cover reveal and announcement. So proud of my friend and fellow critique group member. Can’t wait for this story to dance through every book shelf and the hearts of those who read it!

    Liked by 1 person

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  14. Pingback: Cover Reveal: LUPITA’S BROWN BALLET SLIPPERS – Naja Lund Aparico

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