Bio:
Angela Cervantes is the published author of several children’s novels. Her latest releases include: Lead With Your Heart published by American Girl Books and Disney’s Encanto: The Junior Novelization.
Angela’s other novels include Lety Out Loud which was named a 2020 Pura Belpré Honor Book by the American Library Association.
Other novels by the author include Gaby, Lost and Found; Allie, First At Last and the Frida Kahlo-inspired mystery novel, Me, Frida and the Secret of the Peacock Ring.
Angela also wrote the junior novelization of Disney Pixar’s animated film, Coco.
Angela grew up in Topeka, Kansas and began writing stories when she was nine years old because she wanted books that reflected her friends and community. Many of Angela’s novels have been translated to Spanish for the Spanish-speaking market and include Latinx main characters. Presently, she’s working on her next novel from her home in Shawnee, Kansas.
What drew you to write for young readers?
AC: First, as a shy kid growing up in Topeka, Kansas I was drawn to books because it provided an outlet to explore new worlds and a way to make friends. I loved books, but at some point, I realized that books didn’t love my Mexican American community. I remember sitting down in front of a fifth-grade “required reading” bookshelf and not seeing any books written by Latinx authors nor any books that included Mexican American characters. It lit a fire in me. What message does it send to Latinx children if there are no books with Latinx protagonist? What message does it send to non-Hispanic children? Are stories about Latinx children not worth telling? Are we invisible? From that point on, I knew I wanted to write stories with brave, smart and fun Latinx characters that reflected my comunidad.
What themes and messages do you feature/explore in your work?
I write middle grade novels for children ages 7 to 12 and my goal is to always write stories that I would have loved to read when I was nine years old.
Due to that, I draw inspiration from my childhood and from my Mexican American community. My stories always have contemporary Latinx protagonists trying to save the world, save a cat, or solve a mystery, which I know that nine-year-old Angela would have loved and I’m very lucky that a lot of kids love my books.
Please tell us more about Me, Frida, and the Secret of the Peacock Ring, as well as any other past or future work you’d like to share about.
AC: My mystery novel, Me, Frida and The Secret of the Peacock Ring is my tribute to Mexico and the iconic artist Frida Kahlo. It’s a middle grade novel that centers around twelve-year-old Paloma Marquez. She is Kansas girl who accompanies her mom on a four-week trip to Coyoacan, Mexico. While there, Paloma is quickly entangled in a mystery involving a missing piece of jewelry that once belonged to the artist Frida Kahlo.
Kids have been begging me for a sequel, which I hope to write one of these days.
My next project is a scary story that is currently untitled. It’s a story about 12-year-old Rafael Fuentes, who must confront ghosts from his past as well as a real-life haunting. It’ll be published by Scholastic in the Fall 2023.
Where can we find more information about you and your work?
AC: You can find more information about me at my website: angelacervantes.com or follow me on Instagram and Twitter. Thanks for the interview!
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