SATA

• Abuelita's Song (written by Gloria Amescua ; illustrated by Mariyah Rahman) - 2025 Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, New York, NY
• Child of the Flower-Song People: Luz Jiménez, Daughter of the Nahua (written by Gloria Amescua ; illustrated by Duncan Tonatiuh) - 2021 Abrams Books for Young Readers, New York, NY

• Gloria Amescua website - https://www.gloriaamescua.com/

  Gloria Amescua (Ah MES qua) has been a writer since she was a child, writing poems and stories throughout her life. When she was a girl, she would climb into the cradle of an oak tree and enter the world of words. She is a poet and children’s book writer. Gloria loves books that reach a young person’s heart, head or funny bone and strives to do just that in her writing. Gloria is proud of her Mexican American heritage, and her writing reflects her interest in sharing cultural, historical, and social issues. Gloria’s latest picture book, Abuelita’s Song, illustrated by Mariyah Rahman, is inspired by her son and granddaughters.

  Her lyrical picture book biography, Child of the Flower-Song People: Luz Jiménez, Daughter of the Nahua, illustrated by Duncan Tonatiuh, was awarded a Pura Belpré Author Honor. It was listed as a Junior Library Guild Gold Selection, ALA Notable Books, SLJ’s Best Books, Chicago Public Library: Best Informational Books for Younger Readers; CSMCL: Best Books, and various other Best of Nonfiction/Informative lists. Her book was also a SCBWI Golden Kite national finalist for Nonfiction Text for Young Readers. A Hedgebrook alumna and a CantoMundo fellow, Gloria’s poetry has been published in a variety of literary journals and anthologies. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt has published one of her poems in their national textbook literature series. Gloria received both her B. A. and M. Ed. degrees from the University of Texas at Austin.

  She lives outside Austin, Texas, surrounded by grand oaks with Jeff, their lively dog Pixie, and sleepy cat Lovey. The grandmother of amazing grandkids, Gloria believes in children, pets and possibilities.

  Gloria is happy to be represented be her wonderful agent Taylor Martindale Kean at Full Circle Literary.

  View Gloria’s Press Kit for bios and downloadable headshots.

  Press Kit

  Quick Facts About Gloria
  Hometown: Austin, Texas, but I grew up out in the country
  Favorite Food: Mexican food and barbecue. For dessert, vanilla ice cream, yes vanilla
  Favorite season: Spring
  Favorite Colors: I can’t choose just one, so blue, green and purple!
  Fears: High places where I might fall, roller coaster motion, and not being prepared

  Frequently Asked Questions
  How do you say your last name? Ah-MES-qua Listen here.

  Where do you live? Austin, Texas, out in the country with grand spreading live oak trees

  Did you always want to be a writer? It seems to have always been a part of me since I love books. When I was about nine, I fell in love with poetry and how it could say so much in such few words. I wrote poems and stories and a very short play about a New York City family. (I had never been to NYC and didn’t know anything about life there!) Don’t do that. Write what you know or what you care about!

  Do you speak Spanish? I do but not fluently. I grew up speaking English. My parents thought it best so we wouldn’t have trouble in school, even though my father was from Mexico.

  What were you like as a kid? I was quiet and shy (and I still am). My mom said I didn’t talk until I was three. I suppose I was taking everything in. I loved to read and often played with my younger brother on the swings, seesaws and stilts our father made for us.

  What do you like to do besides reading and writing? Photography, traveling, gardening, museums, music, and sometimes doing adventurous things.

  What’s your favorite book? This is an unanswerable question. How can I pick just one? The first big book I remember reading and loving as a kid is The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum. I especially love books that touch my heart, spark my imagination and are meaningful to me.

  What do you hope your readers find in your books? When I was growing up, I didn’t see books about others who looked like me. What makes me sad is that I didn’t even question why I didn’t. I try to write books like the ones I love. I write books about social justice, tender-hearted and humorous stories, too. Most importantly, I hope kids to see themselves in my stories.

• Full Circle Literary - https://www.fullcircleliterary.com/gloria-amescua/

  Gloria Amescua
  Gloria Amescua has been a writer since she was a child, writing poems and stories throughout her life. When she was a girl, she would climb into the cradle of an oak tree and enter the world of words. She loves books that reach a person’s heart, head or funny bone and strives to do just that in her writing.

  A native Austinite, Gloria received both her B. A. and M. Ed. degrees from the University of Texas at Austin. She has worked in education in a variety of roles. A workshop presenter for youth and adults, she is an alumna of Hedgebrook’s Writers-in-Residence program. Gloria was also accepted as a CantoMundo fellow, a national Latino/a organization for poets, and was awarded the Lee & Low’s New Voices Honor Award in 2016. Gloria’s poetry has been published in a variety of literary journals and anthologies, including Rattle, Weaving the Terrain, Ocotillo Review, Bearing the Mask, Entre Guadalupe y Malinche, The Crafty Poet II, and Echoes of the Cordillera. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt recently acquired one of her poems for their upcoming national textbook series.

  Gloria’s debut book, Child of the Flower-Song People: Luz Jimenez, Daughter of Nahua (illus by Duncan Tonatiuh, Abrams), has been named a 2022 Pura Belpré Author Honor Book. The book is a biography of the indigenous Naha woman who grew up in Mexico during the early 1900s and became a model for 20th-century artists, worked with scholars to preserve Nahuatl language and stories, and was known as the “soul of Mexico”. She is a member of SCBWI and was a finalist in the Austin Chapter Cynthia Leitich Smith Mentorship Award AND We Need Diverse Books’ (WNDB) Mentorship program. A nature lover, Gloria believes in children, pets and possibilities. Read Gloria’s interview with Cynthia Leitich Smith, Cynsations New Voices Interview, featuring Lee & Low New Voices Award winners. Read Gloria’s The Writing Barn Success Story Spotlight interview. Follow Gloria on Twitter @GloriaAmescua

• The Writing Barn - https://thewritingbarn.com/celebrating-10-years-of-wb-an-interview-with-gloria-amescua/

  Celebrating 10 Years of WB: An Interview with Gloria Amescua!
  Posted on July 28, 2023
  The Writing Barn’s 10th Anniversary celebration continues in an interview with our friend and WB Success Story, Gloria Amescua! We are so thrilled to catch up with the author of Child of the Flower-Song People: Luz Jiménez, Daughter of the Nahuaand reflect on a writers journey and our time together.

  Complete this sentence: My favorite line in the Writing Barn manifesto is__________ because…(and/or what it means to me/how it adds to my literary life).
  My favorite line in the Writing Barn Manifesto is ”We strive to get comfortable with the uncomfortable,” since so much of this writing life is waiting and rejection. It’s hard to get used to how long it takes to get a book published, but I’m thrilled I have one published and two waiting. (This leads to another favorite line “It takes the time it takes.”) Oh, it’s so difficult, but we keep on keeping on. More on getting comfortable with the uncomfortable—facing new situations in almost every facet of the publishing process is also difficult for me, an introvert. We have gotten used to whatever else is in our lives, but this is all new! We don’t know quite what to expect from agents, editors, and marketing our books. All the courses and classes I’ve taken at The Writing Barn (and they are many) have helped me grow as a person who accepts what is and still works at perfecting my craft. And they have helped me understand so much about the process of publishing and promoting my books and have given me the confidence to do it.

  I first came to The Writing Barn (when) and was expecting…(what). I continue to support The Writing Barn as a published author because…
  I first came to The Writing Barn in 2013 not sure what to expect and feeling like I might not belong at our first meeting. But I soon realized I was in the right place with others like me who wanted a chance to follow their dreams. I continue to support The Writing Barn as a published author because I’ve gained more than I ever thought I would. I wouldn’t be where I am now without it. I have lifelong writer friends and am still learning about so much of this writing life.

  How has publishing changed (as you moved from pre-agented or pre-published author) and your experience changed in the 10 years The Writing Barn has been around?
  Publishing has become more and more supportive of diversity in content and authors. It is also slowly making an effort to include more diversity in all aspects in the publishing business itself with their hires. As book censorship has increased, publishers are joining with others to fight against book banning and continuing to support books by and about LGBTQ+, POC, and differing abilities. However, more transparency and effort are definitely needed. We have a long way to go.

  The Writing Barn is known for its craft classes. What do you think makes the Writing Barn programming special? If you teach with us, what does it mean to you to support writers who were once deep in craft studies, as you were (and are–we writers are always learning.)
  The craft courses are amazing and essential. But the community and knowledge building, support and guidance for the whole publishing journey are, too. As I experienced the roller coaster of finding an agent and working on marketing, etc., learning about how to navigate the ins and outs of publishing became invaluable. What makes TWB special are the people, the instructors, the staff, and the participants, who truly care! The Barn is special because Bethany Hegedus has put her whole heart and spirit into creating a magical place for writers!

  Lots of your manuscripts are now BOOKS! Which ones did you work on in any of our programming or intensives?

  If you recall the Manifesto line “it takes the time it takes,” then you will understand that I wrote the original manuscript of Child of the Flower-Song People: Luz Jiménez, Daughter of the Nahua in 2014 in Picture Book II, revisited it in a Nonfiction Course in 2016 and it was finally published in 2021. I have two other books currently under contract but unannounced which I hope will be published in 2025. I also worked on these in courses with awesome faculty that helped me hone my writing.

  My favorite funny memory of The Writing Barn is…and any favorite or memorable interactions with Bethany or current or prior staff you’d like to share?
  I have many incredible memories of having Bethany as my instructor since I was in many of the early courses and was lucky enough to have her leading us. I loved sitting around the table in the Barn and being real with each other. I loved putting our wishes for the future in a bottle to be opened at a later date, so many of the fun activities including painting our rocks, and just eating together and getting to know each other. I remember the times we all laughed and cried together, And I also remember that Bethany suggested I try writing my Luz Jiménez manuscript lyrically and submit it to Lee and Low’s New Voice contest and that it received an honor award, which helped me get an agent. She put it into the universe that Duncan Tonatiuh would be the perfect illustrator and that my book would win a Pura Belpré award—both of which came true!

  If I could grant the Writing Barn a 10 birthday gift for reaching a DECADE of serving writers, I would give the Barn:
  I want the Barn family to feel all the love and appreciation of every single person whom Bethany and the staff throughout the years have helped move in the direction of their dreams. And the reminder that The Writing Barn has many more “yeses” to come, for whatever the dream is for the future.

  What do you wish for the Writing Barn and all the writers who will study with us in the next 10 years?
  I truly treasure all the writing friends and critique partners that have become part of my writing journey with all its ups and downs. Beyond all the craft lessons, I wish that future participants will find that same sense of community. I hope that TWB continues to be a safe place to share our dreams and that it continues to serve many more aspiring writers.

  We want to send a sincere thank you to our friend Gloria Amescua for joining us in this milestone celebration. We are so grateful we’ve been able to contribute to her writing journey! Cheers to 10 more years, and to Gloria!

  Gloria Amescua (Ah MES qua) has been a writer since she was a child, writing poems and stories throughout her life. When she was a girl, she would often climb into the cradle of an oak tree and enter the world of words. She loves books that reach a young person’s heart, head or funny bone and strives to do just that in her writing. Gloria is proud of her Mexican American heritage. She is an educator, poet and children’s book writer. Her lyrical picture book biography, Child of the Flower-Song People: Luz Jiménez, Daughter of the Nahua (2021), was illustrated by Duncan Tonatiuh, and published by Abrams Books for Young Readers. It received a Pura Belpré Author Honor. It was also a co-winner of the Américas Award, and received three International Latino Book (ILA) Awards (English): Alda Flor Ada (Gold), Best Educational (Gold) and Most Inspirational (Bronze). It was listed as a Junior Library Guild Gold Selection, ALA Notable Books, SLJ’s Best Books 2021 and various other Best of Nonfiction/Informative lists for 2021/2022. Her book was also a 2022 SCBWI Golden Kite finalist for nonfiction text for Young Readers and a 2023 RISE Feminist Book Project Top Ten (ALA).

• Book Q&As with Deborah Kalb - https://deborahkalbbooks.blogspot.com/2021/12/q-with-gloria-amescua.html

  Tuesday, December 14, 2021
  Q&A with Gloria Amescua

  Photo by Sam Bond Photography

  Gloria Amescua is the author of the new children's picture book biography Child of the Flower-Song People: Luz Jiménez, Daughter of the Nahua. Also an educator and poet, she lives near Austin, Texas.

  Q: Why did you decide to write a picture book biography about Luz Jiménez (1897-1965)?

  A: After finding a pamphlet about Luz Jiménez and being awed by her life, I kept it, not know what I would do with it. Several years later when I started writing children’s stories, I knew I had to write about her.

  I was greatly affected by Luz Jiménez’s story because of the many obstacles she overcame, including the shaming of her native language and culture when she was a child, as has happened in this and other countries.

  I felt connected to the shaming of her language and traditions, the attempted erasure of the Nahua culture and her pride in her people.

  I didn’t get to have that connection to my culture and language because of the way society treated Mexican Americans when and where I was growing up.

  My parents didn’t speak to us in Spanish to make it easier on us. So I lost much of Spanish and culture, even though my father was from Mexico and my mother was Mexican American. I’ve tried to regain as much as I can.

  I am proud of Luz for helping preserve her culture and language and felt compelled to tell her story.

  Q: How did you research her life, and did you learn anything that especially surprised you?

  A: I started out searching online and found one of the professors who had written about important indigenous peoples, including Luz Jiménez.

  I contacted a professor I knew who introduced me to Dr. Kelly McDonough. Not only did Dr. McDonough lend me resources, she offered to connect me with Luz Jiménez’s grandson in Mexico, Jesús Villanueva Hernandez.

  Jesús also sent me resources, and we corresponded through emails over the many years it took to get this book published. I am so grateful that he believed in me and continued to support my efforts.

  Besides articles online and books those led me to, the most important source was Doña Luz’s voice coming through her stories and experiences, Life and Death in Milpa Alta: A Nahuatl Chronicle of Díaz and Zapata, translated and edited by Professor Fernando Horcasitas and published after her death.

  Of course, I also researched many other aspects, including Aztec mythologies, the Mexican Revolution, Nahuatl pronunciations, the artists for whom Luz modeled and their art work, etc.

  I was surprised and saddened that even though Luz became a model for many famous artists, she struggled financially all her life.

  She worked as housekeeper and/or nanny for some of them, especially assisted by Jean Charlot, but she was never paid nor acknowledged for her stories written down by Anita Brenner and illustrated by Jean Charlot, both of whom were godparents to her daughter.

  Q: What do you think Duncan Tonatiuh's illustrations add to the book?

  A: Duncan’s unique artwork is perfect for this book about a Nahua girl and her life. His pre-Columbian Mixtec style connects her and her surroundings to the indigenous past but also the present through his collages.

  I love the different flowers echoing the flower-song of the Nahua, especially where Luz is teaching and the words become floating shaded flowers, then brightly colored, and finally planted blooming by the students. It’s visual poetry!

  I love the outlined carvings in the mountains depicting stories, the speech bubbles, Luz’s head filled with Nahuatl, the colors, and the natural landscapes.

  Many of his illustrations are a take on the art for which Luz modeled, which helps readers connect to it.

  I can’t say enough about how Duncan’s illustrations create a beautiful visual story bringing Luz Jiménez to life! I am greatly honored that Duncan wanted to illustrate this story.

  Q: The Publishers Weekly review of the book says, “Jiménez is portrayed as a curious, ambitious person who, from a young age, treasured her heritage and was determined to preserve her threatened culture despite hardship, discrimination, and colonialism.” What do you think of that description, and what do you see as her legacy today?

  A: That review captures the essence of the story beautifully. Luz Jiménez’s legacy lies in how she shared the dignity of the indigenous people and honored them by sharing their culture through art, stories and language. She exhibited her pride in being Nahua.

  Luz’s grandson, Jesús Villanueva, has worked to preserve her legacy.

  I hope this book extends the impact of this amazing woman and that readers realize that we all have a culture of which we can be proud. Luz’s culture not only looked to the traditions of the past but also what she dreamed for the future.

  I hope that kids see the value in their own and others’ cultures. Everyone has a culture, not only what is passed down to you but also what you choose. It’s important to be proud of who you are.

  Q: What are you working on now?

  A: I’ve been working on another picture book biography and a fictional bedtime picture book. Both are on submission.

  Frankly, I’ve been so busy learning about the promotional aspect of being a published author that I haven’t been writing any new stories, though I have quite a few already written that I want to get published.

  I’ve found that being involved in debut groups, presentations for conferences and schools, interviews, and social media take up most of my time. I admire others who do all this and continue to write new stories.

  Q: Anything else we should know?

  A: I’d like to explore writing in other genres, especially middle grade, perhaps novels in verse or possibly a graphic novel. I’m taking very small steps in this direction, which actually just means I’m thinking about it and I’ve read a lot in these genres.

  --Interview with Deborah Kalb

• Wikipedia -

  Gloria Amescua

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  From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

  This biography of a living person needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately from the article and its talk page, especially if potentially libelous.
  Find sources: "Gloria Amescua" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (March 2017) (Learn how and when to remove this message)
  Gloria Amescua
  Born Austin, Texas
  Nationality Mexican American
  Citizenship American
  Education University of Texas at Austin (BA, MEd)
  Occupation(s) Writer, poet, educator
  Notable work "Windchimes" and "What Remains"
  Gloria Amescua is a Latina and Tejana writer from Austin, Texas. Amescua is most known for her poetry chapbooks, "Windchimes" and "What Remains." She won Lee and Low's Award Honor (2016) for her picture book manuscript in verse originally titled: Luz Jiménez, No Ordinary Girl.[1] Her most recent book is Child of the Flower-Song People: Luz Jiménez, Daughter of the Nahua, a picture book illustrated by Duncan Tonatiuh and published by Abrams Books for Young Readers in 2021.[2][3]

  Early life and education
  Amescua was born in Austin, Texas.[citation needed] Her father was born in Michoacán, Mexico.[4] Her mother was Mexican-American. She has dedicated poems to her mother, including "Fall into the Fig," which appeared in Entre Guadalupe y Malinche: Tejanas in Literature and Art.[3]

  Amescua received her B.A. and Masters of Education from University of Texas at Austin, and began her career as an English teacher.[citation needed]

  Career
  Amescua became a high school assistant principal and the Secondary Language Arts Curriculum Director for a school district in Texas. In 2013, she won the Austin International Poetry Festival Contest, the Austin Poetry Society Award, and the Christina Sergeyevna Award for poetry.[5] She was chosen to receive the 2016 Lee and Low New Voices Award Honor for her poetry manuscript, Luz Jiménez, No Ordinary Girl.[1] She is an inaugural member of CantoMundo, a national Latinx poetry community.[6] Additionally, she is a member of the Austin, Texas chapter of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators,[7] and an alumna of Hedgebrook's Writers-in-Residence program.[citation needed]

  Her most recent book, Child of the Flower-Song People: Luz Jiménez, Daughter of the Nahua, features a Nahua woman who overcomes various cultural obstacles through her experience as a teacher and art muse in Mexico.[8] In 2022, it received three International Latino Book Awards: Alda Flor Ada Best Latino Focused Children’s Picture Book Award – English (Gold); Best Educational Children’s Picture Book – English (Gold); and Most Inspirational Children’s Picture Book – English (Bronze).[9] It was also named as a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection,[10] a 2021 School Library Journal Best Books for Nonfiction,[11] a 2022 Pura Belpré Children's Author Award Honor Book,[10] a 2022 SCBWI Golden Kite finalist for Nonfiction Text for Younger Readers,[12] and a 2023 Rise: Feminist Book Project Top Ten.[13]

  As of 2017 she has been a workshop presenter for youth and adults in Austin, Texas.[5]

  Publications
  Amescua's work has appeared in several publications:[5]

  Acentos Review (2012);
  Texas Poetry Calendar (2013);
  di-verse-city (2000-2016);
  Kweli Journal (2014);
  Generations Literary Journal (2011);
  Texas Poetry Calendar (2013-2016);
  Pilgrimage Magazine (2014);
  Lifting the Sky Southwestern Haiku & Haiga (2010);
  Bearing the Mask: Southwestern Persona Poems (2016);
  The Crafty Poet II: A Portable Workshop (2016);
  Entre Guadalupe y Malinche: Tejanas in Literature and Art (2016)
  Bibliography

  This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (March 2024)
  Child of the Flower-Song People: Luz Jiménez, Daughter of the Nahua (Abrams, 2021)

• The Writing Barn - https://thewritingbarn.com/success-story-spotlight-gloria-amescua/

  Success Story Spotlight with Gloria Amescua
  Posted on February 17, 2017
  Success Story Spotlight Interview
  with Gloria Amescua

  The Austin Literary Community is a tight knit group of talented writers, illustrators, publishers, and industry gurus, alike. When one person is successful it isn’t difficult to celebrate that success as if it were our own. Many times, we here at The Writing Barn aren’t just friends with the writers we meet and teach, but fans of them as well. That’s why we’ve created this new blog series entitled ”Success Story Spotlight,” to showcase the achievements of authors who, having studied at The Writing Barn, were able to make their dreams into a reality.

  Screen Shot 2017-02-12 at 1.07.33 PMPlease share your exciting news!

  I’m thrilled to receive the Lee and Low Books 2016 New Voice Award Honor for my picture book biography written in verse, Luz Jiménez, No Ordinary Girl. You can read more about the award here: 2016 New Voices Award Winner.

  How did the The Writing Barn aid you in achieving this goal?

  The Writing Barn has meant everything to my writing. This honor would never have happened without the courses I took and all the incredible teachers. This picture book biography was only an idea in my head. When I first encountered a pamphlet about Luz Jiménez at the UT Ransom Center, I knew I had to write about her, but I didn’t know how I would. Over a year later when I took Picture Book II at the Writing Barn and was assigned to work on a biography, I knew exactly who I would write about—Luz! The Nonfiction Picture Book course I participated in was what really helped me find the heart in all the research I had done. It was Bethany and Aimee Thomas’s urging me to write it in verse that made a huge difference. At first I didn’t think I could do it, but their encouragement, as well as the group’s, gave me that extra push I needed. I loved it, and the judges at Lee and Low Books loved “the poetic voice, the strong subject and thorough back matter.”

  Have you made friendships/colleagues as well? How has that supported you?

  The friendships I’ve made through the Writing Barn have supported me in so many ways. Many of the participants in our Picture Book I and II formed a writing group that met for many months. We live quite far apart and that has kept us from continuing to meet, but we continue to cheer each other on in our work. It’s also great to know people we’ve met in classes, be able to network with them, and be able to feel at ease at the SCBWI conferences and meetings.

  Screen Shot 2017-02-12 at 1.15.06 PM

  Why do you think attending workshops/classes is important to writers at all stages of their career?

  In the workshops and classes we continue to learn from our teachers and each other. I know I will continue to take courses; there is always something new to learn. I already know that the writing life is a long, and difficult one, and we need support and motivation as well as craft.

  What is a takeaway you will carry with you far beyond this good news as you continue to build and develop your career?

  My takeaway is that I would never have received this award without the support of the wonderful teachers and participants in of the workshops/classes I have taken. I need the feedback and suggestions from others, especially from the expert teachers. We are a writing family!

  Any advice you have for writers/creatives having trouble staying the course in pursuing their goals?

  Keep jotting down your ideas, keep writing, and find joy in the writing. Don’t give up on your dream.

  1Gloria Amescua has been a writer since she was a child, writing poems and stories throughout her life.

  Gloria received both her B. A. and M. Ed. degrees from UT at Austin. She has worked in education as an English teacher, and as the Secondary Language Arts Director of Round Rock ISD. A workshop presenter for youth and adults, she is an alumna of Hedgebrook’s Writers-in-Residence program. Gloria applied for and was accepted as an inaugural fellow in CantoMundo, a national Latino/a organization for poets. Gloria has been published in books and a variety of print and online journals. These include di-verse-city, Kweli Journal, Generations Literary Journal, Texas Poetry Calendar, The Acentos Review, The San Antonio Express News, Pilgrimage, Lifting the Sky: Southwestern Haiku & Haiga, Bearing the Mask: Southwestern Persona Poems, The Crafty Poet II: A Portable Workshop, and Entre Guadalupe y Malinche: Tejanas in Literature and Art, published by UT Press.

  She has also received the Austin Poetry Society Award and the Christina Sergeyevna Award for poetry. The author of two poetry chapbooks, Windchimes and What Remains, she is currently working on a book-length poetry manuscript and several picture book manuscripts, both fiction and biography. In addition, Gloria has received the 2016 New Voices Award Honor for her picture book manuscript, Luz Jiménez, No Ordinary Girl: Symbol of Mexico in Art and Literature.

• The Writing Barn - https://thewritingbarn.com/celebrating-10-years-of-wb-an-interview-with-gloria-amescua/

  Celebrating 10 Years of WB: An Interview with Gloria Amescua!
  Posted on July 28, 2023
  The Writing Barn’s 10th Anniversary celebration continues in an interview with our friend and WB Success Story, Gloria Amescua! We are so thrilled to catch up with the author of Child of the Flower-Song People: Luz Jiménez, Daughter of the Nahuaand reflect on a writers journey and our time together.

  Complete this sentence: My favorite line in the Writing Barn manifesto is__________ because…(and/or what it means to me/how it adds to my literary life).
  My favorite line in the Writing Barn Manifesto is ”We strive to get comfortable with the uncomfortable,” since so much of this writing life is waiting and rejection. It’s hard to get used to how long it takes to get a book published, but I’m thrilled I have one published and two waiting. (This leads to another favorite line “It takes the time it takes.”) Oh, it’s so difficult, but we keep on keeping on. More on getting comfortable with the uncomfortable—facing new situations in almost every facet of the publishing process is also difficult for me, an introvert. We have gotten used to whatever else is in our lives, but this is all new! We don’t know quite what to expect from agents, editors, and marketing our books. All the courses and classes I’ve taken at The Writing Barn (and they are many) have helped me grow as a person who accepts what is and still works at perfecting my craft. And they have helped me understand so much about the process of publishing and promoting my books and have given me the confidence to do it.

  I first came to The Writing Barn (when) and was expecting…(what). I continue to support The Writing Barn as a published author because…
  I first came to The Writing Barn in 2013 not sure what to expect and feeling like I might not belong at our first meeting. But I soon realized I was in the right place with others like me who wanted a chance to follow their dreams. I continue to support The Writing Barn as a published author because I’ve gained more than I ever thought I would. I wouldn’t be where I am now without it. I have lifelong writer friends and am still learning about so much of this writing life.

  How has publishing changed (as you moved from pre-agented or pre-published author) and your experience changed in the 10 years The Writing Barn has been around?
  Publishing has become more and more supportive of diversity in content and authors. It is also slowly making an effort to include more diversity in all aspects in the publishing business itself with their hires. As book censorship has increased, publishers are joining with others to fight against book banning and continuing to support books by and about LGBTQ+, POC, and differing abilities. However, more transparency and effort are definitely needed. We have a long way to go.

  The Writing Barn is known for its craft classes. What do you think makes the Writing Barn programming special? If you teach with us, what does it mean to you to support writers who were once deep in craft studies, as you were (and are–we writers are always learning.)
  The craft courses are amazing and essential. But the community and knowledge building, support and guidance for the whole publishing journey are, too. As I experienced the roller coaster of finding an agent and working on marketing, etc., learning about how to navigate the ins and outs of publishing became invaluable. What makes TWB special are the people, the instructors, the staff, and the participants, who truly care! The Barn is special because Bethany Hegedus has put her whole heart and spirit into creating a magical place for writers!

  Lots of your manuscripts are now BOOKS! Which ones did you work on in any of our programming or intensives?

  If you recall the Manifesto line “it takes the time it takes,” then you will understand that I wrote the original manuscript of Child of the Flower-Song People: Luz Jiménez, Daughter of the Nahua in 2014 in Picture Book II, revisited it in a Nonfiction Course in 2016 and it was finally published in 2021. I have two other books currently under contract but unannounced which I hope will be published in 2025. I also worked on these in courses with awesome faculty that helped me hone my writing.

  My favorite funny memory of The Writing Barn is…and any favorite or memorable interactions with Bethany or current or prior staff you’d like to share?
  I have many incredible memories of having Bethany as my instructor since I was in many of the early courses and was lucky enough to have her leading us. I loved sitting around the table in the Barn and being real with each other. I loved putting our wishes for the future in a bottle to be opened at a later date, so many of the fun activities including painting our rocks, and just eating together and getting to know each other. I remember the times we all laughed and cried together, And I also remember that Bethany suggested I try writing my Luz Jiménez manuscript lyrically and submit it to Lee and Low’s New Voice contest and that it received an honor award, which helped me get an agent. She put it into the universe that Duncan Tonatiuh would be the perfect illustrator and that my book would win a Pura Belpré award—both of which came true!

  If I could grant the Writing Barn a 10 birthday gift for reaching a DECADE of serving writers, I would give the Barn:
  I want the Barn family to feel all the love and appreciation of every single person whom Bethany and the staff throughout the years have helped move in the direction of their dreams. And the reminder that The Writing Barn has many more “yeses” to come, for whatever the dream is for the future.

  What do you wish for the Writing Barn and all the writers who will study with us in the next 10 years?
  I truly treasure all the writing friends and critique partners that have become part of my writing journey with all its ups and downs. Beyond all the craft lessons, I wish that future participants will find that same sense of community. I hope that TWB continues to be a safe place to share our dreams and that it continues to serve many more aspiring writers.

  We want to send a sincere thank you to our friend Gloria Amescua for joining us in this milestone celebration. We are so grateful we’ve been able to contribute to her writing journey! Cheers to 10 more years, and to Gloria!

  Gloria Amescua (Ah MES qua) has been a writer since she was a child, writing poems and stories throughout her life. When she was a girl, she would often climb into the cradle of an oak tree and enter the world of words. She loves books that reach a young person’s heart, head or funny bone and strives to do just that in her writing. Gloria is proud of her Mexican American heritage. She is an educator, poet and children’s book writer. Her lyrical picture book biography, Child of the Flower-Song People: Luz Jiménez, Daughter of the Nahua (2021), was illustrated by Duncan Tonatiuh, and published by Abrams Books for Young Readers. It received a Pura Belpré Author Honor. It was also a co-winner of the Américas Award, and received three International Latino Book (ILA) Awards (English): Alda Flor Ada (Gold), Best Educational (Gold) and Most Inspirational (Bronze). It was listed as a Junior Library Guild Gold Selection, ALA Notable Books, SLJ’s Best Books 2021 and various other Best of Nonfiction/Informative lists for 2021/2022. Her book was also a 2022 SCBWI Golden Kite finalist for nonfiction text for Young Readers and a 2023 RISE Feminist Book Project Top Ten (ALA).

• Lindsey McDivitt - https://www.lindseymcdivitt.com/2021/07/28/late-bloomer-gloria-amescua-guest-post/

  Late Bloomer Gloria Amescua guest post
  Posted on July 28, 2021 by lindseymcd
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  Late Bloomer Guest Post

  Late Bloomers are guest blog posts at A is for Aging—sharing thoughts and insights from individuals who have launched notable creative efforts in the arts in their Third Age.

  Gloria Amescua is the late blooming author of a picture book biography coming from Abrams Books for Young Readers coming August 17, 2021.

  I’m thrilled that at age seventy-four my lifelong dream of being an author is coming true. Child of the Flower-Song People: Luz Jiménez, Daughter of the Nahua is available August 2021! It is a picture book biography in verse.

  Luz Jiménez was a Nahua woman, an indigenous people of Mexico. She modeled for famous artists in Mexico in the early 20th century. Luz represented “the spirit of Mexico” and helped scholars record historical stories of her people and community.

  I grew up in the country outside Austin, Texas. I was a shy curious kid, constantly thinking about everything around me. Often I would climb into an old oak tree in our yard to read and dream about faraway places.

  Books were my passage to other worlds.

  The bookmobile van that stopped across the road during the summer was a treasure. I can still feel the motor vibration, the cool air in the van, and the thrill of the search for books. I would leave with a towering stack that I could barely carry every two weeks.

  Neighbors gave us a ten-volume set of British and American poetry. At about nine I didn’t understand most of the poetry, but there was a four-line poem, “Outwitted” by Edwin G. Markham that changed my life. I was astounded—those four lines said so much about love taking someone in, even though they tried to shut you out.

  I started writing my thoughts and poetry in a little brown notebook. I’ve been writing ever since and I still remember my first poem:

  I’m brown not from the sun

  but from my birth.

  I’m like a sunflower growing

  through a crack in the earth.

  As a kid and teenager, I struggled with feeling I didn’t fit in. I was a Mexican-American in Texas who grew up not speaking Spanish.

  My long writing journey

  As an adult I worked on regaining my culture and language. Throughout many roles in Texas education, including director of secondary language arts for a school district, I wrote poetry.

  In 1996, I met Anjela Villarreal Ratliff who created a poetry group for Latinos. We created chapbooks, did readings, submitted to journals and created workshops. We also participated in local Austin poetry conferences and readings.

  Then I was accepted into CantoMundo, a national group supporting Latinx poets. One of my poems was chosen for a Houghton Mifflin Harcourt national language arts textbook.

  What caused me to add writing books for kids? My granddaughters! Back when they were three and six, and I was sixty-five, I wrote a picture book for them about shadows. I used photos of them and they loved it, but it wasn’t good. In 2012 I started taking courses at The Writing Barn, joined SCBWI and began learning the craft of picture books.

  First drafts

  In early 2013, at sixty-six, I wrote my first prose draft about, Luz Jiménez. Years earlier, I had first read about Luz and was intrigued. Then in 2016, during a course in nonfiction I was encouraged to write the manuscript in verse.

  I won the Lee & Low 2016 New Voices Honor Award! But it took until 2019 and many revisions to find an agent, then get an offer to publish from Abrams Books. From first draft to publication took eight years! I have other picture books waiting in the wings. I’m thrilled that award-winning illustrator Duncan Tonatiuh illustrated my debut picture book!

  Enjoying life as a late bloomer!

  I’ve been enjoying life along the way—dancing, traveling, camping and photography. New adventures as well as new writing friends and supporters.

  I met my partner at sixty-one after being single for twenty-three years. We’ve dropped from a rope into a deep cenote and zip lined in Cancun, Mexico. We’ve hiked and rappelled into a canyon to view pictographs and more. It’s never too late to be blooming!

  (Note: All photos provided by Gloria Amescua and used with permission.)

  *Pre-order Child of the Flower-Song People: Luz Jiménez, Daughter of the Nahua

  Late Bloomers defy age stereotypes and help show us the way to tap into our creativity using life experience, energy and positive attitudes.

  “Creativity keeps us fresh, keeps us alive, keeps us moving forward.”

  (Rollo May, psychotherapist and author of Courage to Create.)

  Find more posts by Late Blooming writers here.

  Find Gloria Amescua at her website,

  on Twitter: @GloriaAmescua

  Facebook: gloriaamescuawriter

• Cynsations - https://cynthialeitichsmith.com/2021/10/picture-book-biographies-gloria-amescua-carol-kim-discuss-mentors-on-the-path-to-publication/

  Picture Book Biographies: Gloria Amescua & Carol Kim Discuss Mentors on the Path to Publication
  Home » Picture Book Biographies: Gloria Amescua & Carol Kim Discuss Mentors on the Path to Publication

  By Gayleen Rabakukk

  We’re wrapping up our picture book biography series with two more Austin authors, Gloria Amescua, author of Child Of The Flower-Song People: Luz Jiménez, Daughter Of The Nahua, illustrated by Duncan Tonatiuh (Abrams, 2021) and Carol Kim, author of King Sejong Invents an Alphabet, illustrated by Cindy Kang (Albert Whitman, 2021). Their paths to publication are very different, but both illustrate how dedication to craft can lead to success.

  In 2017, Gloria received the Lee & Low New Voices Honor Award and talked with Cynsations about how she discovered Luz Jiménez and researched her story.

  What are your favorite structure tips? Since today’s picture book biographies are seldom birth-to-death stories, how do you zero in on the events or incidents to highlight?

  At first, I didn’t know whether to focus on one or the other aspect of Luz Jiménez’s life, as an art model or as an “informant,” as anthropologists referred to Luz and other Native people relaying their stories and culture. Both were important aspects of her life, and I couldn’t see focusing only on one.

  I connected them through Luz Jiménez’s dignity and pride in being Nahua and used a variety of circles. Luz listened to the tales of the ancients that were passed down as a child and told those stories as an adult to anthropologists and other scholars who wanted to learn about Nahuatl and the stories Luz remembered.

  As a model for artists, Luz demonstrated traditional activities, which were grounded in her early experiences growing up as a Nahua. Luz’s dream to be a teacher, though seemingly destroyed, came true in a different way as she taught adults about the Nahua culture and language. The teaching aspect became the most important connection. These circular structures helped me pull together the different strands in her life.

  Luz Jiménez early in her modeling career is shown posing for Ramón Alva de la Canal, Fernando Leal and Francisco Díaz de León at an outdoor painting school in Coyoacán, ca. 1920. Credit: Photographer unknown. Fondo Documental y Fotográfico Luz Jiménez. Original Fondo Fernando Leal Audirac.
  That’s not to mean I will use the same structure for other biographies. Each structure depends on the life of the person, and the feedback from critique groups, my agent and editor help me refine it.

  Please describe your pre-publication craft apprenticeship. How did you take your writing from a beginner level to publishable?

  My book would not have been what it is without the courses I took from The Writing Barn with Bethany Hegedus. My first draft was written in the Picture Book II course in 2014. It may have just sat for a while as I worked on fictional picture books. However, I continued to research and decided to take a Picture Book Nonfiction course in 2016 with Bethany. Several of us in that first course are being published.

  I also took other classes, attended weekend retreats and participated in Write Submit Support (WSS) with Bethany as my mentor, which helped me tremendously as I worked on revisions and the journey of finding an agent. I continue with our WSS group in an informal way, and I’m in the Courage to Create program.

  The mentoring and support I’ve received from The Writing Barn, Bethany, the writing friends and critique group members I’ve met there are invaluable. I truly wouldn’t have this book coming out without the mentoring and support I’ve received throughout these years. I am so grateful.

  Jesús Villanueva and his children in front of a section of Fernando Leal’s The Dancers of Chalma (aka Festival of Lord Chalma) at the San Ildefonso College, 1920. His grandmother Luz Jiménez is wearing the blue shawl.
  As a member of a community under-represented in youth literature, what did your diverse perspective bring to your story?

  I connected with Luz on a very personal level because when the Mexican government made school mandatory, the Indigenous students were shamed about their Native language, clothing, and traditions as has happened in the U.S. and around the globe. It was an attempt at erasure of Indigenous life.

  A similar shaming of Spanish in the U.S. and punishments for speaking Spanish in school affected me. But in a different way than you might think. My parents took in society’s pressures and did not speak to my younger brother or me in Spanish, though they had with my older brother. They did this even though my father was from Michoacán, Mexico. Since my older brother entered school not speaking English, they thought that it would help us. I recognize that, but I’ve worked on regaining my familial language and culture. I’m proud of Luz for keeping hers. I hope Child of the Flower-Song People shows kids someone who felt that pride and shared it. That’s why I felt it was important to tell Luz’s story. I want kids to feel pride in their family, culture, languages, and who they are.

  Jesús Villanueva in front of portrait of Luz Jiménez in 1924, by Diego Rivera. The painting is called La Molendera (The Grinder).
  What advice do you have for others interested in writing picture book biographies?

  The most important aspect is you have to fall in love with the subject of your book. I truly mean you must feel that the person’s life connects with you and is so close to your heart that you must write about them. You want to be the one to write that person’s story, if they are relatively unknown or even if others have written about them because you feel you have a different viewpoint to bring.

  This is the motivation for all the time you will spend researching, drafting and revising your story. All the rest—organizing information, structure, voice, and viewpoint—will fall into place as you work. You want kids and adults to know about this amazing, important person and for your story to have an impact on the readers. That is the key.

  Lovey, Gloria’s writing buddy.
  Carol Kim

  What drew you to this subject?

  I first heard about King Sejong and how he invented the Korean alphabet (Hangeul) from my dad. What is so remarkable is that Hangeul was invented in 1443. But it took 600 years for it to be adopted as Korea’s official alphabet—in 1946. At that point, my father was 18 years old! In other words, it happened during his lifetime.

  So not only is the story of Hangeul fascinating, it is a story that directly affects my family. It’s amazing to me that there is this connection between my father and King Sejong.

  I was able to learn more about Korea and King Sejong during a trip we took to Korea in 2014. My father took me and my oldest brother’s families on his one and only trip back to Korea after he had moved to the U.S.—almost 60 years before!

  This is Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul, birthplace of King Sejong. My father used to ice skate on this pond when it would freeze in the winter.
  Please describe your pre-publication craft apprenticeship. How did you take your writing from a beginner level to publishable?

  It was a very slow road for me. But that’s mostly because while I have wanted to write children’s stories since I was a kid, I did not apply myself seriously toward making it happen for many years. I would try something for a while, and then when it didn’t work out, I’d give up. I tried writing for magazines and got a handful of rejections. Then I took a couple of online writing courses, but only finished one.

  It was pretty sad, actually.

  But while I quit many times, I also would eventually start trying again. I finally managed to have a couple of successes—but they were not your typical children’s writing projects.

  I got hired to help write nonfiction writing passages for a company that helps struggling readers, such as those with Dyslexia, improve their reading ability. It was really fun, and it helped me practice writing for beginning readers.

  Then I stumbled upon an opportunity to help another author (her name is Cerece Rennie Murphy) finish writing a children’s book that she self-published. She usually wrote science fiction/fantasy for adults. She wanted to write some books with her eight-year-old son, but didn’t have the time to do it. So she hired me to help her.

  Cerece also started encouraging me to write my own stories. She kept telling me I could do it, and really pushed me. I’m so grateful to her, and she is now a good friend. It was around this time I started exploring writing for the educational market.

  Carol’s family visiting Korea. Her dad is on the far right.
  When I landed my first educational book, I was over the moon. And I found I really loved writing for educational publishers! First of all, I enjoy researching and learning about all kinds of new subjects. Most of the books were nonfiction, which I love writing.

  One project led to another, and I learned so much from working with editors. Then another publisher reached out to me asking if I would be interested in writing an early reader fiction book series. I was nervous about saying yes, because I didn’t have much practice writing fiction. But I soon learned it was a blast! All these projects helped me keep improving as a writer.

  There were other things that helped along the way. I finally became a member of SCBWI and started volunteering with the Austin chapter. I went to conferences and learned a ton. I took more writing courses. I found an amazing critique group.

  I believe the most important factor that led to me finally gaining traction and having some success in becoming a children’s author was when I became part of the writing community. I stopped trying to do everything on my own and started asking for help. Along the way I met so many wonderful people who encouraged and supported me.

  It’s because of them that I’m a published author today. I am so grateful to them all!

  In terms of publishing, how did you navigate the process of connecting your manuscript with a publisher?

  It seems that I was destined for an unconventional path in reaching my dream of becoming a children’s author.

  First of all, I did not start out thinking I wanted to write picture books. In fact, I was pretty sure I did not want to write them. I was very intimidated by the tight word count, and thinking about a story visually does not come naturally to me.

  But in 2019, I told myself I was really going to make a serious effort toward becoming a published author. It was basically my New Year’s resolution. It was not an auspicious beginning, because it was already July.

  I decided I needed help, and decided getting a mentor was one way I could do that. So I Googled “children’s writing mentor.” (See what a skilled researcher I am?) That’s how I came across #PBChat, created by Justin Colón. This was the first year of his mentorship program, and the deadline for applying was in about two weeks!

  I scrambled to put together my application, and polished my one picture bookish manuscript (it was actually written as a magazine submission) as best I could. To my joy and astonishment, I was selected as a mentee by author Katey Howes! (There’s a rather funny story around my mentorship selection, but that’s for another time).

  Since it was now apparent that I was going to try to write picture books, I signed up with the Children’s Book Academy’s (CBA) picture book course around the same time. It was during the course that I wrote the first draft of King Sejong’s story.

  I came across this book during our trip to Korea. Thank goodness I picked it up–it was foundational for my research!
  At the end of the CBA course, you have the opportunity to pitch one story to a group of editors and agents. When two editors expressed interest in my story, I was ecstatic! One of them was Christina Pulles with Albert Whitman.

  Christina requested two R&Rs (revise and resubmits). While waiting for her response to them, I attended the Austin SCBWI conference. From there, I was selected by Liz Garton Scanlon for the 2020 Cynthia Leitich Smith mentorship!

  After a few more months, Christina emailed me the news that Albert Whitman wanted to offer me a contract! It was a dream come true!

  I was ready to go ahead and sign the contract. But a few people encouraged me to use my contract to try to get interest from an agent. I was pretty skeptical—because I needed a response within a couple of weeks.

  Well, I had received good advice, because three agents got back to me requesting to see more of my work. This led to two requesting a call, and both of them offered me representation. It was an amazing and rather sudden turn of events!

  While I liked both agents very much, I had to choose one. It turns out Charlotte Wenger was the first agent I ever queried, and I felt she and I were a good match. So I accepted Charlotte’s offer and I could not be happier!

  As a member of a community underrepresented in youth literature, what did your diverse perspective bring to your story?

  Well for one thing, I don’t think I would have come across the story of King Sejong if it wasn’t for my father and our Korean heritage! While I am woefully ignorant of much of Korea’s rich history, it is interesting how much of Korea’s culture and customs I managed to absorb by just growing up in my family.

  Statue of King Sejong in Seoul.
  King Sejong is such an important figure for all Koreans. He is deeply revered and his legacy of Hangeul has far-reaching impacts that go beyond the country’s high literacy rates. It was very important to me to convey Sejong’s compassionate and forward-thinking leadership in addition to his amazing accomplishment of inventing Hangeul.

  I am sure there are many people who could have told King Sejong’s story as well or better than I have. But having a personal understanding of how Sejong embodies so much of the Korean spirit of duty, honor, and tenacity may have helped me infuse the story with these important values.

  Cynsational Notes

  This is the fourth post in our series focusing on picture book biographies. See Bethany Hegedus’ interview, Azadeh Westergaard & Meghan P. Browne’s interview and Candy Wellins and Philip Hoelzel’s interview.

  Gloria Amescua (Ah MES qua) has been a writer since she was a child, writing poems and stories throughout her life. She loves books that reach a young person’s heart, head or funny bone and strives to do just that in her writing. She is an educator, poet and children’s book writer. Abrams published her picture book biography in verse, Child of the Flower-Song People: Luz Jiménez, Daughter of the Nahua. Duncan Tonatiuh is the illustrator.

  An earlier version won the 2016 Lee and Low New Voices Honor Award. A variety of literary journals and anthologies have published Gloria’s poetry. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt published one of her poems in their national textbook literature series. Gloria received both her B. A. and M. Ed. degrees from the University of Texas at Austin. The grandmother of two amazing granddaughters, Gloria believes in children, pets and possibilities.

  Carol Kim has written several fiction and nonfiction books, and enjoys researching and uncovering little-known facts. A second generation Korean American, she also loves creating stories that share Korean culture beyond kimchi and K-pop. Carol is a member of SCBWI, a Children’s Book Academy graduate, #PBChat 2019 mentee (with Katey Howes!), and 2020 Austin SCBWI Cynthia Leitich Smith Writer Mentee (with Liz Garton Scanlon!). She lives in Austin, Texas with her family.

  Gayleen Rabakukk teaches creative writing classes for the Austin Public Library Foundation, is an active member of the children’s literature community and former assistant regional advisor for Austin SCBWI. She holds an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts.

  This is the final installment in our series on picture book biographies. See Bethany Hegedus’ interview, Meghan P. Browne and Azadeh Westergaard’s interview and critique partners Candy Wellins and Philip Hoelzel.

• LAS MUSAS BOOKS - https://www.lasmusasbooks.com/blog/happy-book-birthday-to-gloria-amescuas-debut-picture-book

  Happy Book Birthday to Gloria Amescua's Debut Picture Book!
  8/17/2021

  Today, we're sharing an interview between Musas Ana Siqueira and Gloria Amescua, to celebrate Gloria's debut picture book, Child of the Flower-Song People: Luz Jiménez, Daughter of the Nahua. Scroll on to learn more about Gloria's inspiration, future writing plans, and more!

  Ana: Gloria, thanks for allowing me to read your wonderful book. What an inspirational story about being proud of your culture and showing the same to the world! I also love the lively illustrations by Duncan Tonatiuh.

  ​First of all, can you tell us what inspired you to write about Luz Jiménez?
  Picture
  Gloria: Thank you for loving our book, Ana. I was inspired when I happened upon a pamphlet about Luz Jiménez and realized I had never thought about the models in paintings and their lives. As I read about her, I was amazed by her life and knew I had to write about her. She was an intelligent and curious little Nahua girl, who wanted to become a teacher, and though she had many struggles throughout her life, she became a very important link between the indigenous people of Mexico and the rest of the world. She came to represent the dignity of the native people in Mexico through the famous 20thth artists who painted her and the Náhuatl language she helped preserve with scholars as it was fading, becoming a teacher after all.
  I connected with Luz on a very personal level. When the Mexican government made school mandatory, the indigenous students were shamed about their native language and clothing. The same shaming of Spanish in the US and punishment for speaking Spanish in school affected how I grew up.

  Ana: And I have a question about your author’s note, you wrote her name was Julia Jiménez, but she’s known as Luz Jiménez. Do you know the reason for that?
  ​
  Gloria: I do and I wonder about why Luz did this, but I only know this part. Luz entered a contest for indigenous girls in the section of Mexico City where her mother and sisters ended up as a result of the Mexican Revolution destruction of their town. The contest was called the Loveliest Flower of the Field, and Luz decided to enter as Luciana instead of Julia. She won the contest. From then on she was known by a shortened version, Luz.

  Ana: Luz Jiménez was very resilient. She wanted to be a teacher since she was thirteen and she not only taught at a college but also she taught the world about her culture. Can you tell me about your author’s journey and how resilient you had to be to achieve your dreams?

  Gloria: I have written since I was a kid, mainly poetry. I always dreamed of being published to share with others. I’ve had poetry published in journals and a textbook, but it wasn’t until my granddaughters were young (5 and 7) that I became serious about writing picture books. I wrote a story for them and used pictures of them. They loved it because it was about them, but I knew it really wasn’t good—too complex an idea and too simple a story. I decided to learn all I could. I wrote my first draft about Luz in 2014. It’s taken this long to keep learning, revising, finding an agent and an editor. Then it took over two years to be published, partly because the fabulous Duncan Tonatiuh was finishing his book. But I’m thrilled he is the illustrator! My granddaughters are now 12 and 14. It does take resilience and perseverance!

  Ana: Also, you mentioned in your author’s note you were a teacher? What did you teach? Do you miss teaching?
  Gloria: I taught high school English for nineteen years and also worked in other positions in education. I really enjoyed engaging students in activities and discussion about literature and writing in meaningful ways. I loved helping them connect their own lives to the literature they read and to their writing so it made a difference to them. It was wonderful seeing their growth over the year. I recently made some author visits to a summer school writing program, and it was great connecting with students again.

  Ana: Luz was so proud of her culture. What can you tell me about your culture? How are you showing the world your culture?

  Gloria: I grew up in the country and didn’t get to see my cousins very often, so my family was isolated. I didn’t learn about the Mexican legends, stories or celebrations. I also didn’t have grandparents around, so my environment was mostly my immediate family and school. My parents decided to speak to us only in English because of the struggle and punishments Spanish-speaking kids had in school. As a Mexican-American who didn’t speak Spanish, I felt like an outsider, as if I didn’t fit in anywhere. Some of my poetry deals with that in-between identity. As an adult I started trying to regain my culture and language. Though I’m not fluent in Spanish, I can carry on conversations with my father’s family in Mexico and California. I’m sharing my culture through the stories and poetry I write. I loved that Luz spoke both Nahuatl and Spanish fluently. I want kids to feel pride in their culture, languages, and who they are. I hope Child of the Flower-Song People, Daughter of the Nahua shows them someone who felt that pride and shared it. In other stories, I’m writing about kids who are more acculturated in a modern world, but who are still retaining some of their culture.

  Ana: Tell us about your future writing plans.

  Gloria: I have a fictional picture book with an editor and another picture book biography I’m revising to resubmit. I also have several other fictional picture books written and waiting in the wings. I want to explore other genres besides picture books. I have ideas, but haven’t started writing them yet.

  Ana: Last question: Tell us something most people don’t know about you.

  Gloria: Totally unrelated to writing, I used to play the alto saxophone in the University of Texas Longhorn Band and the alumni band up until two years ago. I gave my sax to my son and his family so they might enjoy playing it.

  Buy​ Child of the Flower-Song People: Luz Jiménez, Daughter of the Nahua today!
  ​Buy Bella’s Recipe for Success today!
  Picture
  Gloria Amescua (Ah MES qua) loves books that reach a young person’s heart, head or funny bone and strives to do just that in her writing. She is an educator, poet and children’s book writer. Her debut picture book biography, NEW CHILD OF THE FLOWER-SONG PEOPLE: LUZ JIMÉNEZ, DAUGHTER OF THE NAHUA is written in verse and illustrated by Duncan Tonatiuh (Abrams Books, fall 2021). An earlier version won the 2016 Lee and Low New Voices Honor Award. A Hedgebrook alumna and an inaugural CantoMundo fellow, Gloria’s poetry has been published in a variety of literary journals and anthologies. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt acquired one of her poems for their national textbook literature series. Gloria is represented by Taylor Martindale Kean at Full Circle Literary.
  ​

• Book Q&As with Deborah Kalb - https://deborahkalbbooks.blogspot.com/2021/12/q-with-gloria-amescua.html

  Tuesday, December 14, 2021
  Q&A with Gloria Amescua

  Photo by Sam Bond Photography

  Gloria Amescua is the author of the new children's picture book biography Child of the Flower-Song People: Luz Jiménez, Daughter of the Nahua. Also an educator and poet, she lives near Austin, Texas.

  Q: Why did you decide to write a picture book biography about Luz Jiménez (1897-1965)?

  A: After finding a pamphlet about Luz Jiménez and being awed by her life, I kept it, not know what I would do with it. Several years later when I started writing children’s stories, I knew I had to write about her.

  I was greatly affected by Luz Jiménez’s story because of the many obstacles she overcame, including the shaming of her native language and culture when she was a child, as has happened in this and other countries.

  I felt connected to the shaming of her language and traditions, the attempted erasure of the Nahua culture and her pride in her people.

  I didn’t get to have that connection to my culture and language because of the way society treated Mexican Americans when and where I was growing up.

  My parents didn’t speak to us in Spanish to make it easier on us. So I lost much of Spanish and culture, even though my father was from Mexico and my mother was Mexican American. I’ve tried to regain as much as I can.

  I am proud of Luz for helping preserve her culture and language and felt compelled to tell her story.

  Q: How did you research her life, and did you learn anything that especially surprised you?

  A: I started out searching online and found one of the professors who had written about important indigenous peoples, including Luz Jiménez.

  I contacted a professor I knew who introduced me to Dr. Kelly McDonough. Not only did Dr. McDonough lend me resources, she offered to connect me with Luz Jiménez’s grandson in Mexico, Jesús Villanueva Hernandez.

  Jesús also sent me resources, and we corresponded through emails over the many years it took to get this book published. I am so grateful that he believed in me and continued to support my efforts.

  Besides articles online and books those led me to, the most important source was Doña Luz’s voice coming through her stories and experiences, Life and Death in Milpa Alta: A Nahuatl Chronicle of Díaz and Zapata, translated and edited by Professor Fernando Horcasitas and published after her death.

  Of course, I also researched many other aspects, including Aztec mythologies, the Mexican Revolution, Nahuatl pronunciations, the artists for whom Luz modeled and their art work, etc.

  I was surprised and saddened that even though Luz became a model for many famous artists, she struggled financially all her life.

  She worked as housekeeper and/or nanny for some of them, especially assisted by Jean Charlot, but she was never paid nor acknowledged for her stories written down by Anita Brenner and illustrated by Jean Charlot, both of whom were godparents to her daughter.

  Q: What do you think Duncan Tonatiuh's illustrations add to the book?

  A: Duncan’s unique artwork is perfect for this book about a Nahua girl and her life. His pre-Columbian Mixtec style connects her and her surroundings to the indigenous past but also the present through his collages.

  I love the different flowers echoing the flower-song of the Nahua, especially where Luz is teaching and the words become floating shaded flowers, then brightly colored, and finally planted blooming by the students. It’s visual poetry!

  I love the outlined carvings in the mountains depicting stories, the speech bubbles, Luz’s head filled with Nahuatl, the colors, and the natural landscapes.

  Many of his illustrations are a take on the art for which Luz modeled, which helps readers connect to it.

  I can’t say enough about how Duncan’s illustrations create a beautiful visual story bringing Luz Jiménez to life! I am greatly honored that Duncan wanted to illustrate this story.

  Q: The Publishers Weekly review of the book says, “Jiménez is portrayed as a curious, ambitious person who, from a young age, treasured her heritage and was determined to preserve her threatened culture despite hardship, discrimination, and colonialism.” What do you think of that description, and what do you see as her legacy today?

  A: That review captures the essence of the story beautifully. Luz Jiménez’s legacy lies in how she shared the dignity of the indigenous people and honored them by sharing their culture through art, stories and language. She exhibited her pride in being Nahua.

  Luz’s grandson, Jesús Villanueva, has worked to preserve her legacy.

  I hope this book extends the impact of this amazing woman and that readers realize that we all have a culture of which we can be proud. Luz’s culture not only looked to the traditions of the past but also what she dreamed for the future.

  I hope that kids see the value in their own and others’ cultures. Everyone has a culture, not only what is passed down to you but also what you choose. It’s important to be proud of who you are.

  Q: What are you working on now?

  A: I’ve been working on another picture book biography and a fictional bedtime picture book. Both are on submission.

  Frankly, I’ve been so busy learning about the promotional aspect of being a published author that I haven’t been writing any new stories, though I have quite a few already written that I want to get published.

  I’ve found that being involved in debut groups, presentations for conferences and schools, interviews, and social media take up most of my time. I admire others who do all this and continue to write new stories.

  Q: Anything else we should know?

  A: I’d like to explore writing in other genres, especially middle grade, perhaps novels in verse or possibly a graphic novel. I’m taking very small steps in this direction, which actually just means I’m thinking about it and I’ve read a lot in these genres.

  --Interview with Deborah Kalb

• Voyage Austin - https://voyageaustin.com/interview/meet-gloria-amescua-of-far-southwest-austin/

  January 24, 2023Meet Gloria Amescua of Far Southwest
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  Today we’d like to introduce you to Gloria Amescua.

  Hi Gloria, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for sharing your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers.
  I’m an educator, poet, and children’s book writer. My debut lyrical picture book biography, Child of the Flower-Song People: Luz Jiménez, Daughter of the Nahua, was published in 2021 and illustrated by Duncan Tonatiuh. This biography tells “the remarkable story of how model and teacher Luz Jiménez became “the spirit of Mexico”—a living link between the indigenous Nahua and the rest of the world. Luz became a model for internationally celebrated 20th-century artists and worked with scholars to preserve the Nahuatl language and stories. Through her great pride in her roots and unshakeable spirit, the world came to recognize the beauty and strength of her people.”

  I’ve been a writer since childhood, writing poems and stories. I’m proud of my Mexican American heritage. My father was from Mexico, and my mom was Mexican American. Growing up, we didn’t have books where I could see others like me. What saddens me is that I didn’t even question why we didn’t. I’m grateful for my parents’ emphasis on the importance of education. Neither one had the opportunity to receive much of an education. I grew up in the country outside Austin. I’m glad I could live at home and receive both my B. A. and M. Ed. degrees from the University of Texas at Austin. I was a high school English teacher (nineteen years), a curriculum specialist at the Texas Education Agency, and an assistant principal. I retired as Director of Secondary Language Arts in RRISD after thirty-three years as an educator. I’m still an educator as I work with teachers and students in presentations about writing and my book (and forthcoming books). Along the way, I continued to write, mostly poetry and mostly sporadically, until I joined some local poetry groups. After I retired, I applied for and attended a Hedgebrook residency and became a CantoMundo fellow (a national poets’ group). My poetry has been published in a variety of literary journals and anthologies. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt has published one of my poems in their national textbook literature series.

  Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
  My journey as an educator and writer hasn’t been smooth, and it’s been a long one. We are educators because we care about the students. However, it’s almost a 24/7 career. I was a single parent for most of my child’s life. That left very little time for me to write. I mainly wrote for myself. However, I became more consistent in writing and presenting when I joined some poetry groups. After I retired and my two granddaughters were young, I decided to try writing children’s books. Starting in 2014, I took writing courses locally at The Writing Barn (TWB) and joined Austin’s Society of Children’s Book Writers and illustrators (SCBWI). Both were invaluable. I wrote several picture books during that time. However, it took until late 2018 to get an agent and a contract for my first book, 2019. I feel incredibly grateful to Bethany Hegedus, creative director and owner of TWB, for the courses she created and all the supportive writers I met through them. Having supportive groups and critique groups of writer friends is invaluable as writers go through all the ups and downs of the publishing journey.

  Thanks for sharing that. So, you could tell us a bit more about your work.
  When I was 74 in 2021, Abrams Books for Young Readers published my first book, Child of the Flower-Song People: Luz Jiménez, Daughter of the Nahua. It has received many honors, which I didn’t expect, but truly appreciate. It received three starred reviews and was awarded a Pura Belpré Author Honor. It was also a co-winner of the Américas Award and received three International Latino Book Awards (English): Alda Flor Ada (Gold), Best Educational (Gold), and Most Inspirational (Bronze). It was listed as a Junior Library Guild Gold Selection, American Library Association Notable Books, SLJ’s Best Books 2021, and various other Best of Nonfiction/Informative lists for 2021/2022. My book was also a 2022 SCBWI Golden Kite finalist for nonfiction text for Young Readers. Recently, it was honored as a 2023 Rise: Feminist Book Project Top Ten. https://risefeministbooks.wordpress.com/2023/01/17/2023-rise-a-feminist-book-project-top-ten/

  Since I was young, one of my dreams was to write at least one book and have it published. Later in life, I decided I had to try at least. I’m so glad I did. Do I wish I had believed in myself more when I was younger? I certainly do! However, I’m doing it now. It’s what I want to do in my third age. I turned 76 in mid-January, and I am still working on other books, meeting with a critique group, and have continued to take courses, webinars, read and study. I’m glad to be part of the fantastic Austin writing community and broader writing groups. I have a book under contract, another with a different publisher, and others waiting. I wish publishing picture books wasn’t a long process, but it is. I have a lot more I want to write and publish.

  I want to focus on books that weren’t there for Latinx writers when I was young, that show important Latinx contributors in history. Books that empower kids to be proud of who they are. Books that help others understand people in our diverse communities, books about equality, social justice, and relationships. Our Latinx authors are finally being published and seen, but the numbers are minuscule compared to the proportion of our population. As I said earlier, I never saw books that reflected other Latinx people or me. I want to be one of the people that changes that.

  My life-long goal has always been to open my mind and encourage others to improve their talents and skills. I want kids and adults to believe in themselves. I want them to be proud of their identity, history, and future. As an educator in all aspects, I want to impact students’ lives positively. As an author, I still feel the most joy when I connect with others, whether they are elementary-age, college students, teachers, or writers. I’m proud of the honors my book has received, but what means the most is that readers relate positively to what I’ve written.

  How would we have described you growing up if we had known you growing up?
  I grew up out in the country outside Austin, Texas, with a younger and an older brother. I was a quiet, shy kid who was curious and constantly thinking about everything around me. I played with my younger brother on the swings, seesaws, and stilts our father made. I often climbed into an old oak tree in our yard to read and dream about faraway places. Books were my passage to other worlds. The bookmobile van that stopped across the road at our neighbors’ house during the summer was a treasure. I can still feel the motor vibration, the cool air in the van, and the thrill of the search for books. I would leave with a towering stack that I could barely carry every two weeks. I also began to write poems, plays, and stories. As a kid and teenager, I felt I didn’t fit in because I was a Mexican American in Texas who grew up not speaking Spanish. Later, as an adult, I worked on regaining my culture and language and now reflect my heritage in the books I write. My third-grade teacher encouraged me to speak up because I was shy. She made a huge difference in my life because I took her words to heart and began to speak up, make friends, and be active in clubs and bands.

  Pricing:

  • $18.99 Hardcover
  • $15.54 eBook
  • $7.99 Audiobook (narrated by Myra Vitela)
  Contact Info:

  Website: https://www.gloriaamescua.com/
  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gloriaamescuawriter/
  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gloriaamescuawriter
  Twitter: https://twitter.com/GloriaAmescua

Amescua, Gloria ABUELITA'S SONG Paula Wiseman/Simon & Schuster (Children's None) $19.99 5, 20 ISBN: 9781665957519

Songs from the heart shared with family create lasting memories.

On a moonlit night, a new mother cradles her infant son. The baby snoozes peacefully in her arms, and when he stirs, she soothes him back to sleep with a lullaby of her own creation. This sweet song becomes a cherished bedtime tradition throughout his childhood. Years later, the boy has grown into a man, and he sings the song to his two daughters one sleepless night. The tune brings back warm memories of his mother's love and lulls his children to sleep. When his mother--the girls' Abuelita--visits after having been away for years, the children surprise her by singing the lullaby. Moved, Abuelita joins them, and together they sing the song each night. She calls it "la canción de mi corazón"--the song of my heart--expressing how it connects the family across generations. The story's softly rendered illustrations, featuring stars and swirling patterns in the bedtime scenes, capture the magic and emotional resonance of the song. In an author's note, readers learn that Amescua originally wrote the lullaby for her own son and later sang it to her grandchildren, adding a personal dimension to the story. This simple yet deeply sincere tale would make a wonderful addition to any bedtime story collection. Characters are brown-skinned and Latine.

A heartfelt lullaby bridges generations, weaving love and memories into a gentle bedtime story. (glossary, lyrics, music notation)(Picture book. 3-7)

Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2025 Kirkus Media LLC
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"Amescua, Gloria: ABUELITA'S SONG." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Mar. 2025. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A828785255/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=6327e8a0. Accessed 13 Aug. 2025.

AMESCUA, Gloria. Abuelita's Song. illus. by Mariyah Rahman. 32p. S. & S./Beach Lane. May 2025. Tr $19.99. ISBN 9781665957519. BL

PreS-Gr 2--With love in their hearts, many parents craft original songs for their children. A Spanish-speaking mother gently rocks her small child while she sings, "Donde esta la luna?/Donde esta el sol?/Donde esta mi corazon?/ Aqui, aqui, aqui en mis brazos./ Where is the moon?/ Where is the sun?/ Where is my heart?/ Here, here, here in my arms." As the child grows, the song changes slightly to adjust to changes that have taken place. The message of a mother's adoration remains the same, and the child knows it and holds on to it throughout life. As the story continues on, the child grows to become a parent who now lives far away from his mother. But he sings the same song to his daughters, and when his mother comes to see her granddaughters, they have a delightful surprise for her. Digitally rendered jewel-toned illustrations fill every page. Pictures portray a multigenerational family valuing one another and the time spent together. Material at the back of the book contains translations for the Spanish words found throughout, as well as an author's note. VERDICT A beautiful purchase allowing l ibraries to share a bilingual story of a family's love. Give to fans of Robert Munsch's Love You Forever.--Tracy Cronce

Caption: Bored Panda (Bender)

Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2025 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
Cronce, Tracy. "AMESCUA, Gloria. Abuelita's Song." School Library Journal, vol. 71, no. 3, Mar. 2025, pp. 67+. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A836878316/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=d084ad26. Accessed 13 Aug. 2025.

AMESCUA, Gloria. Child of the Flower-Song People: Luz Jimenez, Daughter of the Nahua. illus. by Duncan Tonatiuh. 48p. Abrams. Aug. 2021. Tr $18.99. ISBN 9781419740206.

Gr 1-5--The moving story of one of the biggest cultural influences on Mexican culture. Luz Jimenez loves learning about her Nahua culture--from traditional weaving and cooking to the beautiful stories told by the fire. And even though it means wearing strange European-style clothes, she also loves going to school. Jimenez is sure there's a way to combine her love of her Nahua culture and her growing passion to teach, until the Mexican revolution changes everything. In the aftermath of war, the subject and her family struggle to find their way in Mexico City, until she finds a solution that could save her family and the story of her people. The straightforward text belies a complicated story about the devastating effects of colonization on an Indigenous culture and the complex ways that Jimenez had an immeasurable impact on contemporary Mexican culture. Tonatiuh's beautiful pre-Columbian illustrations provide a vivid play-by-play of events and evoke Jimenez's ultimate impact on the art world. An author's note gives more historical context, and a time line, glossary, and bibliography make this a valuable source for student researchers. Missing are examples of some of the art Jimenez inspired, but students reading this will be impulsed to find those on their own. VERDICT Essential reading about the impacts of colonialism for public and school libraries.--Savannah Kitchens, Parnell Memorial Lib., Montevallo, AL

Caption: Child of the Flower Song People (Amescua) [c]2021 by Duncan Tonatiuh

Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2021 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
Kitchens, Savannah. "AMESCUA, Gloria. Child of the Flower-Song People: Luz Jimenez, Daughter of the Nahua." School Library Journal, vol. 67, no. 10, Oct. 2021, pp. 99+. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A678583669/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=f0cd6865. Accessed 13 Aug. 2025.

Child of the Flower-Song People: Luz Jimenez, Daughter of the Nahua. By Gloria Amescua. Illus. by Duncan Tonatiuh. Aug. 2021.48p. Abrams, $18.99 (9781419740206). Gr. 1-4. 897.45.

Amescua introduces Luz Jimenez, a young Nahua (Aztec) girl living in early twentieth-century Mexico. As a child she learned the ways of her people: grinding corn, weaving yarn, making brooms, and finding medicinal herbs. She listened to stories, became adept at her native language, and, once Indigenous children were allowed to attend school, learned Spanish as well. After her father was killed in the Mexican Revolution, the family moved to Mexico City, where Luz posed for artists (Diego Rivera among them) and informed scholars about Nahua culture and language. Amescua's spare yet lyrical text reminds readers that Luz was a "child of the flower-song people, /... who lost their land, but who did not disappear." She also notes the harsh treatment Luz endured at government schools designed to stifle Indigenous culture. Tonatiuh's signature Mixtec-inspired art is a delight. Outlined characters appear in profile, with ovoid-shaped heads and ears resembling the number three, and he often uses collaged textures to color in the images. The referenced flowers appear often, unifying the spreads. Additionally, Luz's traditional stories are depicted as outlined carvings in the mountainous landscape and seem to emanate from Luz's mouth somewhat like a speech balloon. Appended with generous back matter, this is a worthy and overdue look at a woman often called "the soul of Mexico."--Kay Weisman

Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2021 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
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MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
Weisman, Kay. "Child of the Flower-Song People: Luz Jimenez, Daughter of the Nahua." Booklist, vol. 117, no. 22, Aug. 2021, pp. 44+. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A689976782/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=fc50204d. Accessed 13 Aug. 2025.

Amescua, Gloria CHILD OF THE FLOWER-SONG PEOPLE Abrams (Children's None) $18.99 8, 17 ISBN: 978-1-4197-4020-6

Luz Jiménez lives with her family in a Mexican village.

They do not speak the language of their Spanish conquerors among themselves. Nahuatl is what they, the descendants of the powerful Aztecs, speak instead. Luz learns how to weave, to make tortillas, and to find medicinal herbs, but she also wants to learn how to read. When the Mexican government decides to “modernize” the Indigenous peoples, Native children are forced to adapt to the European style of dress and to forget their culture and languages. However, Luz does not forget. After her father is killed in a massacre by revolutionary soldiers, her mother flees with her and her sisters to Mexico City, where she comes to the attention of artists, photographers, and anthropologists. Finally, Luz’s culture and language are being recognized and appreciated. College students and anthropologists learn and record them before they disappear forever, and Luz is proud to have helped save the flower-song of her people. Amescua succeeds in introducing Luz, who became the embodiment of the “soul of Mexico.” The author’s note serves to fill in any informational gaps. Tonatiuh’s signature artwork once again nearly tells the story by itself. Closely following the text, the illustrations bring Luz to life. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

An important window into the ravages of colonialism and the plight of the Indigenous peoples of Mexico. (timeline, glossary, notes, bibliography) (Picture book/biography. 6-11)

Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2021 Kirkus Media LLC
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Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"Amescua, Gloria: CHILD OF THE FLOWER-SONG PEOPLE." Kirkus Reviews, 1 July 2021. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A667042192/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=23d4cfb9. Accessed 13 Aug. 2025.

"Amescua, Gloria: ABUELITA'S SONG." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Mar. 2025. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A828785255/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=6327e8a0. Accessed 13 Aug. 2025. Cronce, Tracy. "AMESCUA, Gloria. Abuelita's Song." School Library Journal, vol. 71, no. 3, Mar. 2025, pp. 67+. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A836878316/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=d084ad26. Accessed 13 Aug. 2025. Kitchens, Savannah. "AMESCUA, Gloria. Child of the Flower-Song People: Luz Jimenez, Daughter of the Nahua." School Library Journal, vol. 67, no. 10, Oct. 2021, pp. 99+. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A678583669/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=f0cd6865. Accessed 13 Aug. 2025. Weisman, Kay. "Child of the Flower-Song People: Luz Jimenez, Daughter of the Nahua." Booklist, vol. 117, no. 22, Aug. 2021, pp. 44+. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A689976782/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=fc50204d. Accessed 13 Aug. 2025. "Amescua, Gloria: CHILD OF THE FLOWER-SONG PEOPLE." Kirkus Reviews, 1 July 2021. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A667042192/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=23d4cfb9. Accessed 13 Aug. 2025.

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