Imagination Fridays

The author/illustrator of Our Day of the Dead Celebration discusses her new picturebook about a family who gathers to enjoy favorite foods, play games, and tell stories to celebrate the lives of family members for Día de los Muertos. Aranda’s whimsical, bright illustrations are full of joy and love, and the story is a powerful reminder that our loved ones are always with us.

, author of El Niño. Watch Ryan discuss her novel that combines reality, fantasy and myth. This novel follows Kai Sosa, a competitive swimmer, who discovers an underwater realm and mysterious library that help him cope with the loss of his sister.

Watch the author explore her new book, Abuelita’s Gift: A Día de Muertos Story about a young girl who is eager to honor her Abuelita’s spirit on Día de Muertos but struggles to find the perfect gift. Mariana introduces her new book and her process of writing this book, invites children to consider a gift they would give to a loved one, and answers questions.

Author-illustrator Christ Grabenstein discusses his new graphic novel, Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library. This bestselling book is now a full color, fun-packed graphic novel in which a group of game-loving kids must solve every clue to find the hidden escape route out of the town’s new library. Visual clues and book covers are embedded into the panels. Chris introduces his new book and process of writing, invitse children to solve puzzles, and answers questions.

Watch this author and illustrator duo discuss their middle grade graphic novel Rise of the Halfling King, which follows the adventures of a magical boy from Maya mythology and is the first of a series based on ancient Mesoamerican myths and legends.