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WORK TITLE: Daughter of the Light-Footed People
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WEBSITE: https://www.belenmedina.com/
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Kirkus Reviews Apr. 15, 2024, review of Medina, Belen: DAUGHTER OF THE LIGHT-FOOTED PEOPLE. p. NA.
School Library Journal vol. 70 no. 5 May, 2024. Strohecker, Lauren. , “MEDINA, Belen. Daughter of the Light-Footed People: The Story of Indigenous Marathon Champion Lorena Ramirez.”. p. 87.
Booklist vol. 120 no. 13 Mar. 1, 2024, Phelan, Carolyn. , “Daughter of the Light-Footed People: The Story of Indigenous Marathon Champion Lorena Ramirez.”.
Belen Medina
The daughter of Mexican immigrants, Belen Medina was born and raised in California's Central Valley. She spent her childhood summers in Mexico with her grandparents and has been navigating two cultures her entire life. A former lawyer, she currently lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and two sons, where she writes for children. Her work has earned recognition from SCBWI’s Ann Paul Most Promising Picture Book Grant, Lee & Low’s New Voices Award, Las Musas Hermanas Mentorship, and SCBWI’s Volemos Grant. Her debut picture book, Daughter of the Light-Footed People, a PW and SLJ Starred review, published in June, 2024. Forthcoming books include Emelia Wishing, by Random House Studio, and Daughters of the Sun by Little Brown for Young Readers.
Honors and Awards
2023 The Word in Diversity Editor-Writer Mentee YA
2021 SCBWI Ann Paul Award Most Promising Picture Book Manuscript Grant
2021 SCBWI Volemos Grant, second runner-up
2021 Las Musas Hermanas Mentorship
2019 Lee & Low Books’ New Voices Award Honor
Author Interview: ‘Daughter of the Light-Footed People’ by Belen Medina
June 6, 2024 Author Interviews
“From deep in the copper canyons of Mexico, her swift footsteps echo. Clip clap, clip clap.”
That’s the vivid opening of Daughter of the Light-Footed People, a forthcoming nonfiction picture book about Lorena Ramírez, a runner from Mexico’s Rarámuri Indigenous people (also known as Tarahumara). The clip-clap sounds come from the athlete’s well-worn huaraches cut from rubber tires. Ramírez, now 29, is internationally known for running in sandals and in a brightly colored skirt.
Written by Belen Medina and illustrated by Natalia Rojas Castro, Daughter of the Light-Footed People takes readers on a sixty-mile run with Ramírez. We learn that her strength comes from kicking balls across miles with her siblings, and that her patience is built from walking for hours. “Over hot, cracked earth and rocks, through cold, hard rain, she runs,” Medina beautifully writes. Castro’s illustrations are equally gorgeous, infusing rich colors and textures to the page. In one spread, Ramírez’s long, dark ponytail morphs into a memory bubble of her as a child, herding goats and cattle for her family.
Out on June 11 from Atheneum Books for Young Readers, Daughter of the Light-Footed People is not just centered around this one Mexican athlete, but offers a real-life lesson that you can persevere and achieve so much even if you don’t have as many resources as others.
Ahead of the book’s release, Medina spoke with Latinx in Publishing about the inspiration behind her debut picture book, what sets Ramírez from other runners, and more.
This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.
Amaris Castillo (AC): Congratulations on Daughter of the Light-Footed People. This book is about María Lorena Ramírez, an Indigenous long-distance runner belonging to Mexico’s Rarámuri ethnic group. What inspired you to write this story?
Belen Medina (BM): I have two kids, and during COVID I was home with them a lot. I found a Netflix documentary about her and we watched it. And I was just completely awestruck. We were all just dumbfounded by this woman who was running with just her huaraches and her Indigenous clothes. I was so profoundly moved by her grit and endurance, and her story. And so were my kids. And I just thought, Gosh, I feel every kid should know about her. Every person. And as a Mexican American, I just felt especially proud.
I’ve written other books that haven’t come out yet, but I started to look to see if there had been any books about her. I wanted to know more, and realized that there hadn’t been. So that’s how that journey started for me. But mostly, I was just so incredibly inspired by her story and I thought: What an amazing person, and what a great example of just having so little and doing so much. I thought this is a great message for kids and for adults.
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What she was doing wasn’t just for her. It was for her family. It was for her people. She’s running as a community, which I felt was really moving and powerful.
AC: Your story beautifully follows María Lorena on a run and also touches on her background, such as her strength coming from herding goats and patience built from walking for hours to buy food. Can you describe your research process to be able to include these details?
BM: I basically scoured every available information I could find. I read some books about long-distance running and Tarahumara people. There wasn’t a lot, but as much as I could watch every interview she did, read every interview she did. I just did a lot of research that way. Then I synthesized the information, because in picture books you have very few words that you can use. And then the process was just whittling it down and trying to make it concise and moving for kids to be inspired by her in as few words as I could.
As you know with editing, I have editors ask me where everything came from – and I had to go back. I have a bibliography of things, but it was fun. I really do like research. I love learning about the Tarahumara people. I didn’t know about them – from where they come from, which is this area that’s bigger than the Grand Canyon… I was blown away by so much that I didn’t know about Mexico.
AC: In your author’s note you write that María Lorena made international headlines when she won the Ultra Trail Cerro Rojo in 2017 – not just for her victory, but because she was wearing huaraches and a brightly colored skirt. There’s one part of the book where you write that she weaves to the front of the pack of runners without fancy gear or gadgets. It made me think about what distinguishes her from other runners. In telling this story, is there anything else you took away from what makes her unique in the running world?
BM: What stands out for me – and not so much in terms of Lorena, but Lorena and her family and her people – is that they don’t just run for themselves. She’s running for her family and to make a better life for other people. I sometimes find that – and I’m generalizing – in America, in our culture, we tend to be very individualistic-minded. We do it for our own selves, or maybe for our ego or whatever we’re proving to ourselves. But we’re not running, or whatever we’re trying to do, because we’re bringing up everyone around us. And that’s what I felt like I learned from her: What she was doing wasn’t just for her. It was for her family. It was for her people. She’s running as a community, which I felt was really moving and powerful. That just gives her that extra motivation.
AC: Your prose is beautiful, and so are the illustrations by Natalia Rojas Castro. What do you think her illustrations add to your text?
BM: Oh my gosh. It brought the words to life. And it’s funny because I thought to myself, Maybe I could illustrate this [Laughs]. Because I do portrait illustration. I was laughing at myself because of the things that I tried to draw. And then I gave up pretty quickly. What she did just elevated the story – the movement, the color. I fell in love with the colors. They reminded me of the colors I think of, of Mexico: just a real richness and deepness and vibrancy to the colors, and the movement. I think she really made the book. I had really little feedback. I think she nailed it. And I’m so happy that she decided to take a chance on my words, and made it her own thing. I was so amazed by some of those spreads that incorporate and then add to my words. I was so thrilled.
AC: What are you hoping readers take away from Daughter of the Light-Footed People?
BM: As I alluded before, I want people to be aware of Lorena and her community. A lot of people say you can do hard things, and you can. You don’t have to have all these resources to put limitations on yourself. Kids can see that you don’t need all the stuff to be successful and that, with grit and perseverance, you can accomplish amazing things. I think that’s a great message – not to make excuses for ourselves… But seeing a woman who is from a modest background able to achieve these amazing things against people with so many more resources – now they can also accomplish whatever it is that they want to do, even if they don’t have all the things that they think they need.
Belen Medina, the daughter of Mexican immigrants, was born and raised in California’s Central Valley. She spent her childhood summers in Mexico with her grandparents and has been navigating two cultures her entire life. Still a Californian at heart, she now lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and two sons. Daughter of the Light-Footed People is her debut picture book.
Medina, Belen DAUGHTER OF THE LIGHT-FOOTED PEOPLE Atheneum (Children's None) $18.99 6, 11 ISBN: 9781665931427
A Rarámuri runner's strength and pride in her roots lead the way to triumph.
In 2017, Lorena Ramírez won the Ultra Trail Cerro Rojo, a 31-mile race. Since then, she's won races all over the world, including ultramarathons that are more than 60 miles long. Running is an integral part of her heritage; Medina explains that the very word "Rarámuri" means "the light-footed people" or "those who run fast" and that the Rarámuri--Indigenous people who live in Chihuahua, Mexico--are known for their great endurance. Medina follows Lorena as she runs day and night across rugged terrain, against "hundreds from other countries." She stands out because of her huaraches, which are "cut from rubber tires," and her home-sewn skirt. Unlike the other athletes, Ramírez competes "without fancy gear or gadgets." Swirling images of animals, flowers, and family members appear in the background, highlighting the grit and fire that fuel Lorena. When the dark-haired, brown-skinned runner crosses the finish line ahead of her competitors, her family is there to cheer her on, among her many fans. This tale of endurance, ancestral pride, and remarkable athleticism culminates in backmatter about Ramírez that provides more context for her accomplishments and information about her Rarámuri heritage. Brought to life by vivid illustrations and reverent, energetic prose, Ramírez's story will delight readers.
A vibrant homage to a celebrated athlete, her supportive community, and Indigenous resilience. (Informational picture book. 4-8)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2024 Kirkus Media LLC
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"Medina, Belen: DAUGHTER OF THE LIGHT-FOOTED PEOPLE." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Apr. 2024, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A789814700/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=c38744ce. Accessed 13 Sept. 2024.
MEDINA, Belen. Daughter of the Light-Footed People: The Story of Indigenous Marathon Champion Lorena Ramirez. illus. by Natalia Rojas Castro. 40p. S. & S./ Atheneum. Jun. 2024. Tr $18.99. ISBN 9781665931427.
Gr 1-4--This is a striking introduction to ultramarathon runner, Lorena Ramirez, who belongs to the Indigenous Raramuri people of Mexico. The book follows Ramirez as she runs 60 miles, all while wearing the traditional shoes and clothing of her people. As she runs, readers gain insight into her rural upbringing and lifestyle, as well as the intense physical demands of the race. Peppered with figurative language, the spare text is lyrical, at times echoing the rhythm of Ramirez's steadfast footsteps. The digital illustrations are rich, evocative, and thoughtful in composition; the art beautifully blends present and past and gives readers a view of the race from a variety of perspectives--from her white rubber shoes to the clouds and birds soaring above her. Vibrant florals illuminate Ramirez's strength and persistence and add movement throughout the story. An author's note at the end expands on Ramirez's achievements, her community, and her pride in her heritage. Runners are depicted in a variety of skin tones. VERDICT An exceptional addition to all collections. --Lauren Strohecker
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2024 A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/
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MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
Strohecker, Lauren. "MEDINA, Belen. Daughter of the Light-Footed People: The Story of Indigenous Marathon Champion Lorena Ramirez." School Library Journal, vol. 70, no. 5, May 2024, p. 87. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A797499923/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=57fc683b. Accessed 13 Sept. 2024.
Daughter of the Light-Footed People: The Story of Indigenous Marathon Champion Lorena Ramirez. By Belen Medina. Illus. by Natalia Rojas Castro. June 2024. 40p. Atheneum, $18.99 (9781665931427). PreS-Gr. 3.796.42092.
A marathon runner, 29-year-old Lorena Ramirez is one of the Raramuri, "the light-footed people," who live surrounded by canyons and mountains in a remote Mexican region. Lorena grew up herding her family's cows and goats, as well as playing a game that involved kicking a ball for long distances through the canyon, and walking or running for miles to buy food and other supplies. Now running in marathons around the world, she stands out, always wearing sandals made from rubber tires and a colorful, traditional long skirt, made by her mother. Her father and brothers are fine runners, too, and like Lorena, they help support the family with their winnings. The narrative introduces her as a child growing up in the canyon and, some years later, running a 60-mile marathon with her family cheering at the finish line. The back matter fills in the details of her intriguing story. Created with vivid colors, imaginative details, and a fine sense of movement, the illustrations capture the celebration of watching an Indigenous woman excel in the modern world.--Carolyn Phelan
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2024 American Library Association
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MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
Phelan, Carolyn. "Daughter of the Light-Footed People: The Story of Indigenous Marathon Champion Lorena Ramirez." Booklist, vol. 120, no. 13, 1 Mar. 2024, pp. 36+. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A786417462/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=044496b8. Accessed 13 Sept. 2024.