Hi Bookjoy Friends,

A challenging time for our country with COVID and the recent tragedies. I derive hope from so many in our United States who live their commitments to liberty and justice for all.

I also derive solace from the natural world. Enjoying warm weather in the High Desert is such a pleasure. Pine trees seem to stretch, lizards dart and cactus bloom. The desert, high and low, has inspired me for years to write children’s books such as The Desert Is My Mother (1994), and books for adults, such as Encantado: Desert Monologues (2018).

I look forward to sharing my new picture book, My Magic Wand: Growing with the Seasons,, due out next spring from Lee & Low Books. A special girl is the star. I look forward to meeting the new illustrator Amber Alvarez one day. I don’t always meet the illustrators though I’d like to. Recently, I’ve been finishing a new family memoir set in my home city of El Paso, Texas, and featuring some of my favorite relatives who are with me in spirit.

How I hope that across the country, we’ll be celebrating the 25th Anniversary of Children’s Day, Book Day (El día de los niños, El día de los libros), April 30th, 2021. Unlike Mother’s Day and Father’s Day—Children’s Day, Book Day is purposefully a yearlong initiative as book lovers encourage all our young to be readers, including Summer Readers.

Wishing you health, creativity, and resilience in the coming months.

Pat