Happy Book Birthday: HOW TO EAT A MANGO Plus Giveaway

Posted on July 16, 2024 by viviankirkfield

Are you ready to blow out the candles and enjoy a yummy piece of cake? I hope so, because we are celebrating a book birthday today of HOW TO EAT A MANGO, written by Paola Santos and illustrated by Juliana Perdomo and published by Neal Porter Books! And guess what? Author Paola stopped by to chat with us…and she’s offering a giveaway of a copy of this gorgeous new book (USA addresses only) – so please make sure you leave a comment and SHARE the post on your social media for extra tickets in the giveaway hat.

What a gorgeous cover!!! Engaging and inviting…kids will definitely want to grab this one from the library shelves!

Here’s a little bit about the book from the Amazon sales page:
Abuelita teaches Carmencita that you can’t rush mango-eating: it takes five steps to appreciate the gift and feel the love.

Carmencita doesn’t want to help Abuelita pick mangoes; she doesn’t even like them! They’re messy, they get stuck in her teeth, and it’s a chore to throw out the rotten ones.

But Abuelita adores mangoes, and patiently, she teaches Carmencita the right way to eat them. Together, they listen to the tree’s leaves, feel its branches and roots above and below, and smell and feel the sweet, smooth fruits. Each step is a meditation on everything Mamá Earth has given, and in the Earth’s love, Carmencita feels the love of her Mami, her Papi, her little brother Carlitos, and of course, Abuelita.

When they finally bite in, the juice running down their arms, Carmencita understands. The mangoes are more than just mangoes… and she’s ready for another!

Inspired by her own childhood in Venezuela, Paola Santos’s mango-sweet story is a grounding, life-affirming take on gratitude for nature’s gifts and connection with family and culture. Juliana Perdomo’s cheery artwork brings Carmencita, Abuelita, and their mango tree to life with all the warmth of golden fruit under the sun.

Simultaneously released in Spanish as Cómo se come un mango.

And now we get to welcome Paola to Picture Books Help Kids Soar!

ME: Hello, Paola. Thanks so much for stopping by! We always want to know what inspired an author to write a particular story. Can you tell us about why you wrote HOW TO EAT A MANGO?

PAOLA: Thank you for helping me celebrate the book launch, Vivian. The inspiration for “How to Eat a Mango” came from my abuelita and my deep connection to my Venezuelan roots. I remember her in the backyard, fully immersed in eating a mango, her delight like a poem in motion. Despite initially disliking mangoes, I loved watching her savor every bite. In Venezuela, the matriarchal presence is crucial, and my abuelita, though not as sweet as the grandmother in my book, was a strong, bustling figure in our home. The ripe mangoes often meant work for me, but they also brought moments of community as neighbors took bags of them. Today, mangoes evoke nostalgia for my family and homeland, knowing I may never relive those cherished moments or see my country as it once was.

Thank you so much, Paola! This is a book that will help many children feel seen.

Here’s a little bit about Paola:
Paola Santos is a children’s book author born and raised in Venezuela. After moving to Canada, she found the courage to share the words and stories that had long been enclosed in her imagination. Her stories are now woven with her culture, experience in a new country, hope, happiness, and diversity. Paola holds a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in Literature and Children’s Literature and Reading Promotion. She is the author of How to Eat a Mango / Cómo see come un mango (Neal Porter Books / Holiday House), 2024, and the forthcoming picture book A House in My Barrio (Henry Holt / Macmillan), 2026. She lives in Edmonton.

And here are ways to connect with her and find out more about her books:
Website: www.paolasantos.com
Twitter and Instagram: @pgsantosb
Twitter: https://x.com/pgsantosb
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pgsantosb/

And here’s a super cool graphic with info about upcoming book launch events:

Please make sure you leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of HOW TO EAT A MANGO. And please share the post widely to help folks find out about this wonderful new book!

What else can you do to help new books success?
Buy the book
Review the book
Place the book on your Goodreads Want to Read Shelf

I hope you all have a wonderful week!! Thank you for spending your precious time with us.

Happy Book Birthday: AVA LIN: BEST FRIEND Plus Giveaway

Posted on June 4, 2024 by viviankirkfield

Hurray! So glad you stopped by! Today’s a very special day because it’s the book birthday of AVA LIN: BEST FRIEND, a brand-new chapter book in a brand new chapter book series. And it’s written and illustrated by someone who holds a very special place in my heart. Vicky Fang approached me back in 2016, right after the first #50PreciousWords, and offered to design a logo for the contest. And then, when I added the challenge for kids in 2018, she created the logo for that as well. And now, when it’s HER book birthday, SHE’S giving the gift…a copy of AVA LIN to one lucky blog follower. Our kid lit community is the BEST!

Take a good look at this engaging cover! I love so much about it – especially the notations that tell us what things are most important to Ava Lin. So many kids will relate to loving tiny treasures…and having a special notebook.

And lucky us…Vicky stopped by to share some thoughts about the path to publication for this book.
ME: Welcome, dear Vicky! Thank you for popping in. It was so good to see you at NCTE in Ohio last year. I love how our paths intersect every now and then.

VICKY: Thank you for having me on to talk about my new chapter book series, Ava Lin! Ava Lin is about a 6-year-old girl navigating school, family, and friends—with a knack for getting herself into (and out of) sticky situations. I wanted to write something intensely funny that featured a Chinese American girl, and I hope that young readers find these books both relatable and hilarious!

Okay, a funny story on the path to publication for this book…

In Book 1, there is a scene where Ava goes to a Chinese restaurant with family friends and another kid puts something gross in her bubble tea. Final art for the book was done, ARCs were in progress, when I did a presentation at my kids’ school and they all said, “ Do you mean boba?” I panicked! I’m familiar with both terms, but I typically call it “bubble tea” and wondered if that was a dated term that wouldn’t resonate with kids! I went down a long and frantic rabbit hole to find out if kids call it “bubble tea” or “boba” or gosh maybe also, “boba tea”, these days. I roped in my editor who kindly did a quick mockup of the book with “bubble tea” replaced with “boba” throughout and helping me weigh the options.

AVA LIN: BEST FRIENDS written & illustrated by Vicky Fang

It turns out, “bubble tea” vs “boba” is a regional thing, and I must have picked up “bubble tea” from my time in New York way back when and passed it along to my kids, while most kids in California say “boba.” Lately, “boba” seems to be gaining traction, though “bubble tea” is still pretty common. Trader Joe’s has a “boba” product, Google maps lists “bubble tea” shops, etc… can you feel the depths of my rabbit hole?? In the end, we decided to stick with “bubble tea” because that’s what my kids and I call it and my editor felt the term was appropriately descriptive for all kids to understand, especially with illustrations.

Phew! All that to say, when a book is getting ready to launch, I have these little panic moments often! It’s hard to let your book baby out into the world. I’m so grateful for my critique partners and my agent and my editors who are so understanding and help me survive the path to launch.

If you do read AVA LIN (and I hope you do!), rest assured that I had a similar panic about the term “pupu platter” and please laugh with me as you read it.

You can order AVA LIN anywhere books are sold, but if you order from my favorite indie bookstore: Linden Tree Books,

Thank you so much for having me, Vivian! For anyone in the SF bay area, come join me for my launch on Sunday, June 9 at 11am at Linden Tree books!

Thank you so much, Vicky…and thank you everyone, for spending your precious time with us! Please remember to leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of AVA LIN. And remember that our support helps books get noticed. You can buy the book, review the book, put the book on your Goodreads Want to Read shelf, tell friends about the book (by sharing the post on social media), and you can ask your local library to purchase copies for their collection.
I hope you all have a wonderful week!

Jackie Morera: Will Write for Cookies Plus Giveaway

Posted on June 1, 2024 by viviankirkfield

WILL WRITE FOR COOKIES

INSIGHT – INFORMATION – INSPIRATION

FOR WRITERS, ILLUSTRATORS, PARENTS, TEACHERS, LIBRARIANS,
AND BOOK LOVERS EVERYWHERE

TODAY’S GUEST

JACKIE MORERA – Janet Randolph Photography

Jackie Morera is a Cuban-American author of books for young readers of all ages. Born and raised in Miami, Jackie now lives in Central Florida with her husband, son, and goofy pup where she enjoys telling stories, savoring pastelitos, and cozying up for a good nap. Her picture books include Abuelo’s Flower Shop, illustrated by Deise Lino; Together We Remember, illustrated by Violeta Encarnación, coming in the Summer of 2025; and an unannounced book slated for Fall 2026.

Jackie invites you to visit her online at jmorerabooks.com and on TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter/X @jmorerabooks. She also has a monthly newsletter sharing the details of her publishing journey. Signed copies of Abuelo’s Flower Shop can be ordered from her local indie, White Rose Books & More, here!

Jackie would also love to invite you to a Virtual Launch Party on June 2nd at 12pm ET. RSVP here to receive the Zoom link.

ME: Welcome, Jackie! We are so very happy to have you here. I know everyone is excited to learn more about you, so let’s get started!
Who were your favorite authors/illustrators when you were a child?

JACKIE: I loved so many authors as a child but a few of my favorites were Madeleine L’Engle, Frances Hodgson Burnett, Lemony Snicket, and Roald Dahl. As for illustrators, I distinctly remember squealing when I discovered The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales written by Jon Scieszka and illustrated by Lane Smith at my local bookstore. The pictures were so wonderfully odd and I was immediately obsessed with them. There were many more illustrators I admired, of course. Talent abounds!

ME: What do you know now that you wish you knew when you first started writing?

JACKIE: I wish I knew it was okay to call myself a writer outright. I hid behind aspiring writer for so long, almost as if I needed permission from someone else to take myself seriously. I believe that small but powerful mental shift kickstarted my career and, if I could go back, I might tell myself to drop the prerequisites sooner.

ME: When do you write – early morning, late in the day, middle of the night, on schedule, as the muse strikes?

JACKIE: I’m trying to be more disciplined about this but, honestly, I’ve never been successful drafting under the “butt in chair” mentality. I can’t force words on the page if I’m not quite there creatively so it’s a regular battle between finding the time and finding the inspiration. The muse is fond of striking while I’m in the middle of something “more important” and so I often find myself writing in stolen moments throughout the day.

ME: Where do you like to write – inside, outside, special room, laptop, pen and paper?

JACKIE: I bounce back and forth between my office

and “my spot” on the couch but my preference is to write somewhere with more hustle and bustle than my home. Fortunately, when it comes to coffee shops in the Greater Orlando area, we’re spoiled for choice. I also enjoy writing at the library or, if the weather allows, I’ll find a shaded spot in a park. And always on my laptop!

ME: Why do you write for children?

JACKIE: Because grownups are no fun! But in all seriousness, I write for any child who scans the shelves of their library or bookstore looking for characters who look not only like them but also like the people who fill their world. I write for the children who are curious about our differences and who are open to understanding them. I hope my books help readers, regardless of age, to grow in empathy and kindness.

ME: Also, if you have any thoughts or advice for aspiring writers, please share. As well as anything else you want to talk about that parents, educators, writers, librarians might want to hear.

JACKIE: Something that helped me tremendously while querying, and holds true for nearly everything else in this industry (i.e. contest entries, pitching conference and events, going out on submission!), is this: What you don’t already have can’t be taken from you. A rejection is not a loss because whatever “it” is—the agent relationship, editor acquisition, scholarship win, award, and so on—was never yours to begin with. Rather, they were all incredible opportunities to share your work and be considered. Try not to get too caught up in the “possibility of a thing” until it’s actually yours to be had. Doing so makes the “yeses” so much sweeter!

What a fabulous interview!!! Thank you so much, Jackie. And I know things are going to get even sweeter because you are sharing something amazing with us. Take it away, Jackie!!

Pastelitos de Guayaba (Guava Pastry) Recipe:

JACKIE: As a pastelito enthusiast, living in an (until recently) guava pastelito desert, I’ve made my fair share of at-home pastelitos de guayaba. Okay, full disclosure, it’s my husband who makes them because I’m a hazard in the kitchen but I digress … If you’re interested in trying your hand at the world’s best (yes, I said it) treat, then look no further.

Note: the following is courtesy of Marta Darby of the “My Big Fat Cuban Family” blog. Her website is a treasure-trove that’s worth exploring!

Ingredients

1 pkg. Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry Sheets
1 bar guava paste
1 pkg. Cream cheese (optional)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Thaw the puff pastry according to package directions.
Use baking parchment to line your cookie sheet so the guava won’t stick.
Unfold one of the pastry sheets and place on pan.
Cut guava into 1/4 inch slices and place on the pastry sheet.
Spread cream cheese over guava paste slices (optional).
Unfold second pastry sheet and place on top of guava paste.
Cut guava pastry to desired size before baking.
Bake at 400 for 25 to 35 minutes or until golden brown.

Dear friends…thanks to our generous guest, we have a Giveaway!!! A signed copy of Abuelo’s Flower Shop and bookish goodies (double-sided bookmark, character stickers, a plantable heart, and a selection of floral clear-backed stickers). Make sure you leave a comment and SHARE the post on your social media, place the book on your Goodreads Want to Read shelf, buy the book, review the book, and ask your local library to purchase copies for their collection.

Here’s Detailed Info About Jackie’s Book

Title: Abuelo’s Flower Shop
Author: Jackie Morera
Illustrator: Deise Lino
Publisher: Beaming Books
Age: Preschool (3-5 years); Early Grades (5-8 years)
Publication Date: June 4, 2024
Synopsis:
“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.AB

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.

And a final note from our wonderful guest:
JACKIE: I’ll leave you with a photo of my Abuelo Antonio, who sold flowers from a cart in front of his Miami home catty-cornered from a cemetery. Abuelo, te recuerdo y te extraño.