Brown, Monica Archives - Diverse BookFinder

Small Room, Big Dreams: The Journey of Julián and Joaquin Castro

2021

"From award-winning author Monica Brown and vibrant illustrator Mirelle Ortega comes an informative, inspirational picture book about twin brothers Julián and Joaquin Castro, who rose from poverty to become leaders on the national stage. Also available in Spanish, with the title Pequeña habitación, grandes sueños . Twins Julián and Joaquin Castro are political forces, but their story began in a small room in San Antonio, Texas, that they shared with their grandmother, Mamo. When Mamo was a girl she crossed into Texas from Mexico, marking the start of the Castros’ American journey. When Julián and Joaquin were kids, they learned about activism from their single mother, who helped improve the barrio through local government. She inspired the twins to get involved in politics, and Julián and Joaquin have been working at the local, state, and national level—as a presidential candidate and former Cabinet member, and a U.S. Congressman, respectively—to make the country a better place for everyone. Together, author Monica Brown and illustrator Mirelle Ortega depict the Castros’ political and personal accomplishments with depth and grace, making this a must-read picture book biography." -- publisher

Sharuko

2020

by Monica Brown and Elisa Chavarri

"A fascinating bilingual picture book biography of Peruvian archaeologist and national icon Julio C. Tello, who unearthed Peru's ancient cultures and fostered pride in the country's Indigenous history. SLJ Best Books of 2020; NYPL Best Books of 2020; Chicago Public Library's Best of the Best Books of 2020; CSMCL's Best Books of 2020; The Horn Book's Fanfare 2020 Booklist; Pura Belpré Award Illustrator Honor; The Best Children's Books of the Year in Spanish, Bank Street College of Education. Growing up in the late 1800s, Julio Tello, an Indigenous boy, spent time exploring the caves and burial grounds in the foothills of the Peruvian Andes. Nothing scared Julio, not even the ancient human skulls he found. His bravery earned him the boyhood nickname Sharuko, which means "brave" in Quechua, the language of the Native people of Peru. At the age of twelve, Julio moved to Lima to continue his education. While in medical school, he discovered an article about the skulls he had found. The skulls had long ago been sent to Lima to be studied by scientists. The article renewed Julio's interest in his ancestry, and he decided to devote his medical skills to the study of Peru's Indigenous history. Over his lifetime, Julio Tello made many revolutionary discoveries at archaeological sites around Peru, and he worked to preserve the historical treasures he excavated. He showed that Peru's Indigenous cultures had been established thousands of years ago, disproving the popular belief that Peruvian culture had been introduced more recently from other countries. He fostered pride in his country's Indigenous ancestry, making him a hero to all Peruvians. Because of the brave man once known as Sharuko, people around the world today know of Peru's long history and its living cultural legacy." -- publisher

Frida Kahlo and her animalitos

2017

by Monica Brown and John Parra

"Chronicles Frida's life -- from her childhood to her rise as one of the world's most influential painters -- capturing the beauty and strength of Frida's creative spirit, which carried her through tragedy and triumph, and the animals that inspired her along the way." -- Book jacket

Spanish edition, Frida Kahlo y sus animalitos, available in Bates catalog.

Marisol McDonald and the monster

2016

by Monica Brown and Sara Palacios

"A spunky, bilingual, multiracial girl finds her own way to conquer her fear of the nighttime monster that mysteriously appears in her home. Includes author's note and glossary"--|cProvided by publisher

Maya’s blanket

2015

by Monica Brown and David Diaz

"When a little girl's cherished baby blanket becomes old and worn, it is made into a dress, and over the years it is made into even smaller and smaller items, eventually ending up as a bookmark and inspiring the creation of a book. Includes an author's note and a glossary"-- |cProvided by publisher

Tito Puente, Mambo King / Tito Puente, Rey del Mambo

2013

by Monica Brown and Rafael López

A vibrant bilingual picture-book biography that portrays the musical and cultural phenomenon of Tito Puente, Mambo King.

Clara and the curandera / Clara y la curandera

2011

by Monica Brown and Thelma Muraida

Clara's grumpiness leads her mother to take her to a neighbor who is a curandera, or healer, and although she is puzzled by her "treatment," Clara dutifully helps her neighbors, is kind to her siblings, and reads more books for a week

Marisol McDonald doesn’t match

2011

by Monica Brown and Sara Palacios

A creative, unique, bilingual Peruvian Scottish-American- soccer-playing artist celebrates her uniqueness

Pablo Neruda

2011

by Monica Brown and Julie Paschkis

Describes the life and times of the Nobel Prize-winning Chilean poet

Waiting for the Biblioburro / Esperando el Biblioburro

2011

by Monica Brown and John Parra

"Ana loves stories. She often makes them up to help her little brother fall asleep. But in her small village there are only a few books and she has read them all. One morning, Ana wakes up to the clip-clop of hooves, and there before her, is the most wonderful sight: a traveling library resting on the backs of two burros‑all the books a little girl could dream of, with enough stories to encourage her to create one of her own. Inspired by the heroic efforts of real-life librarian Luis Soriano, award-winning picture book creators Monica Brown and John Parra introduce readers to the mobile library that journeys over mountains and through valleys to bring literacy and culture to rural Colombia, and to the children who wait for the BiblioBurro." -- publisher