Find out what Monica Brown has to say about children's books and literacy here and here.

To hear Monica Brown on Arizona NPR radio, click here or here. She lives with her husband and two daughters in Flagstaff, Arizona. She is a recipient of the prestigious Rockefeller Fellowship on Chicano Cultural Literacies from the Center for Chicano Studies at the University of California. She also writes and publishes scholarly work with a Latino/a focus, including Gang Nation: Delinquent Citizenship in Puerto Rican and Chicano and Chicana Literature and numerous scholarly articles and chapters on Latino/a literature and cultural studies. Latino Literature and Multicultural Literature. Monica Brown is a Professor of English at Northern Arizona University, specializing in U.S. Her other books include Chavela and the Magic Bubble (Clarion), Pelé, King of Soccer/Pelé, el rey del fútbol (Rayo/HarperCollins), My Name is Gabito: The Life of Gabriel Garcia Márquez/Me llamo Gabito: La vida de Gabriel Garcia Márquez (Luna Rising), and the forthcoming Side by Side: The Story of Dolores Huerta and Cesar Chavez/Lado a lado, La Historia de Dolores Huerta y César Chávez (Rayo/HarperCollins). I don't think it is ever too early to introduce children to the concepts of magical realism, social justice, and dreaming big!' In my biographies, the lives of my subjects are so interesting and transformational that I am simply giving them voice for a young audience.

'I write from a place of deep passion, joy, and commitment to producing the highest possible quality of literature for children. Monica's books are inspired by her Peruvian-American heritage and desire to share Latino/a stories with children. Her second picture book, My Name Is Gabriela: The Life of Gabriela Mistral/Me llamo Gabriela: La vida de Gabriela Mistral (Luna Rising) shares the story of the first Latina to win a Nobel Prize. is the author of awardwinning bilingual books for children, including My Name Is Celia: The Life of Celia Cruz/Me llamo Celia: La vida de Celia Cruz (Luna Rising), a recipient of the Américas Award for Children's Literature and a Pura Belpré Honor.

Waiting for the biblioburro