Press & Media

★ 2019 Caldecott Honor
★ 2019 Ezra Jack Keats Award Writer Honor
★ 2019 NCTE Charlotte Huck Award for Outstanding Fiction for Children Recommended Title
★ 2019 ILA Children’s and Young Adults Book Award Honor

What’s in a name? For one little girl, her very long name tells the vibrant story of where she came from — and who she may one day be.

If you ask her, Alma Sofia Esperanza José Pura Candela has way too many names: six! How did such a small person wind up with such a large name? Alma turns to Daddy for an answer and learns of Sofia, the grandmother who loved books and flowers; Esperanza, the great-grandmother who longed to travel; José, the grandfather who was an artist; and other namesakes, too. As she hears the story of her name, Alma starts to think it might be a perfect fit after all — and realizes that she will one day have her own story to tell. In her author-illustrator debut, Juana Martinez-Neal opens a treasure box of discovery for children who may be curious about their own origin stories or names.

• • Publisher: Candlewick Press
  • Release Date: April 10, 2018
  • Author: Juana Martinez-Neal
  • Illustrator: Juana Martinez-Neal
  • Age Level: 4-8, 32 pages
  • ISBN: 978-0-7636-9355-8

★ 2019 Caldecott Honor

¿Cómo terminó Alma Sofia Esperanza José Pura Candela con un nombre tan largo? Mientras Papi le cuenta la historia de cada uno de sus nombres, Alma comienza a sentir cómo cabe perfectamente en ellos.

What’s in a name? For one little girl, her very long name tells the vibrant story of where she came from — and who she may one day be. Spanish language edition!

If you ask her, Alma Sofia Esperanza José Pura Candela has way too many names: six! Just think of how hard it is to fit them all on the back of a little photo. How did such a small person wind up with such a large name? Alma turns to Daddy for an answer and learns of Sofia, the grandmother who loved books and flowers; Esperanza, the great-grandmother who longed to travel; José, the grandfather who was an artist; and other namesakes too. As she hears the story of her name, Alma starts to think it might be a perfect fit after all — and realizes that she will one day have her own story to tell. In her author-illustrator debut, Juana Martinez-Neal opens a treasure box of discovery for children who may be curious about their own origin or name story.

• • Publisher: Candlewick Press
  • Release Date: April 10, 2018
  • Author: Juana Martinez-Neal
  • Illustrator: Juana Martinez-Neal
  • Age Level: 4-8, 32 pages
  • ISBN: 978-0-7636-9358-9

A heartfelt, visually stunning picture book from the Caldecott Honor and Sibert Medal Winner illuminates a young girl’s day of play and adventure in the lush rain forest of Peru.

Zonia’s home is the Amazon rain forest, where it is always green and full of life. Every morning, the rain forest calls to Zonia, and every morning she answers. She visits the sloth family, greets the giant anteater, and runs with the speedy jaguar. But one morning, the rain forest calls to her in a troubled voice. How will Zonia answer?

Acclaimed author-illustrator Juana Martinez-Neal explores the wonders of the rain forest with Zonia, an Asháninka girl, in her joyful outdoor adventures. The engaging text emphasizes Zonia’s empowering bond with her home, while the illustrations—created on paper made from banana tree bark—burst with luxuriant greens and delicate details. Illuminating back matter includes a translation of the story in Asháninka, information on the Asháninka community, as well as resources on the Amazon rain forest and its wildlife.

• • Publisher: Candlewick Press
  • Release Date: March 30, 2021
  • Author: Juana Martinez-Neal
  • Illustrator: Juana Martinez-Neal
  • Age Level: 4-8, 40 pages
  • ISBN: 978-1-5362-0845-0

Explora las maravillas de la Amazonía con Zonia, una niña asháninka, cuyas alegres aventuras en la selva se interrumpen un día por un misterioso y desconcertante descubrimiento.

La selva es el hogar de Zonia. Es su jardín y su patio, su vecindario y su parque. Cada mañana, la selva llama a Zonia. Cada mañana, ella responde: le dice “hola” a la familia de perezosos, saluda al oso hormiguero, da una carrera con el veloz jaguar…

Una mañana, la selva llama a Zonia con una voz diferente, una voz de preocupación. Esta es la historia de esa inesperada mañana.

A heartfelt, visually stunning picture book from the Caldecott Honor and Sibert Medal Winner illuminates a young girl’s day of play and adventure in the lush rain forest of Peru.

Acclaimed author-illustrator Juana Martinez-Neal explores the wonders of the rain forest with Zonia, an Asháninka girl, in her joyful outdoor adventures. The engaging text emphasizes Zonia’s empowering bond with her home, while the illustrations-created on paper made from banana tree bark-burst with luxuriant greens and delicate details. Illuminating back matter includes a translation of the story in Asháninka, information on the Asháninka community, as well as resources on the Amazon rain forest and its wildlife.

• • Publisher: Candlewick Press
  • Release Date: March 30, 2021
  • Author: Juana Martinez-Neal
  • Illustrator: Juana Martinez-Neal
  • Age Level: 4-8, 40 pages
  • ISBN: 978-1-5362-1336-2

Meet Alma’s family… in two languages! The beloved star of the Caldecott Honor Book “Alma and How She Got Her Name” appears in a series of joy-filled bilingual board books featuring words and simple phrases in English and Spanish.

I play with my cousins. / Juego con mis primas.
I sing to Pajarito. / Le canto a Pajarito.

How much does little Alma love her family? She kisses her daddy, squeezes her mommy, laughs with her grandma, and . . . paints on her artist grandpa (such a good sport!). Juana Martinez-Neal’s bilingual board book brings back familiar characters and introduces new ones in a conversational narration (shown in both languages on every spread) as well as gentle illustrations exuding whimsy and warmth.

• • Publisher: Candlewick Press
  • Release Date: September 5, 2023
  • Author: Juana Martinez-Neal
  • Illustrator: Juana Martinez-Neal
  • Age Level: 2-5, 24 pages
  • ISBN: 978-0-7636-9362-6

Get to know Alma, head to toe… in two languages! The beloved star of the Caldecott Honor Book “Alma and How She Got Her Name” appears in a series of joy-filled bilingual board books featuring words and simple phrases in English and Spanish.

I have two eyes, one nose, and a mouth. / Tengo dos ojos, una nariz y una boca.
I see you, Pajarito! / ¡Te veo, Pajarito!

Alma is known for her iconic stripes—but there’s more she’d like to show you! She has arms, hands, and fingers for patting a pet bird—as well as legs, feet, toes, and one adorable belly, below her ever-present heart. Juana Martinez-Neal’s bilingual board book teaches body parts while sharing moments in a little girl’s world, in a conversational narration (shown in both languages on every spread) combined with gentle, inviting illustrations.

• • Publisher: Candlewick Press
  • Release Date: September 5, 2023
  • Author: Juana Martinez-Neal
  • Illustrator: Juana Martinez-Neal
  • Age Level: 2-5, 24 pages
  • ISBN: 978-1-5362-2887-8

Take a tour of Alma’s home . . . in two languages! The celebrated series of bilingual board books continues—starring the subject of the Caldecott Honor Book Alma and How She Got Her Name.

Good morning! I am Alma. / ¡Buenos días! Yo soy Alma.
At home, I sleep in my bedroom. / En casa, duermo en mi dormitorio.

Follow little Alma as she washes up in the bathroom, puts on her striped outfit and bow, and eats breakfast with her family in the kitchen. There’s just enough time for Alma’s brother to sit on the couch and read her a book before school—then Alma can go outside to play with her feathered friend Pajarito! In a new entry in this joyful board-book series, award-winning author-illustrator Juana Martinez-Neal looks in on the adorable Alma and her loving family at home, with words and simple phrases in English and Spanish on every spread.

• • Publisher: Candlewick Press
  • Release Date: October 1, 2024
  • Author: Juana Martinez-Neal
  • Illustrator: Juana Martinez-Neal
  • Age Level: 2-5, 24 pages
  • ISBN: 978-1-5362-3233-2

Help Alma find Pajarito . . . in two languages! The celebrated series of bilingual board books continues, with a focus on prepositions—and starring the subject of the Caldecott Honor Book Alma and How She Got Her Name.

Where is Pajarito? / ¿Dónde está Pajarito?
Is he under my blanket? / ¿Estará debajo de mi frazada?

Where is Alma’s flying friend Pajarito? Is that him behind the books? Or beside the stool? Could he be between the hats? Now he’s above Alma—and about to land on a very funny perch! In a new entry in this joyful board-book series, award-winning author-illustrator Juana Martinez-Neal follows little Alma on a search for her mischievous pet bird, using a conversational narrative that weaves in simple prepositions—and features words and phrases in English and Spanish on every spread.

• • Publisher: Candlewick Press
  • Release Date: October 1, 2024
  • Author: Juana Martinez-Neal
  • Illustrator: Juana Martinez-Neal
  • Age Level: 2-5, 24 pages
  • ISBN: 978-1-5362-3234-9

From two award-winning creators comes a picture book that reveals the hidden wonders of how Saharan Dust impacts the world: from slowing a hurricane to nourishing a rainforest.

This dust . . .
of what lived once
sustains what lives today
and what will be born . . .
tomorrow.

An ancient catfish becomes a fossil, and as the lake where it lived dries up, the fossil turns to dust–but this isn’t ordinary dust. This dust begins in Chad, West Africa, but winds carry it across the continent, over the Atlantic ocean, to nourish and replenish the Amazon rain forest and beyond.

A Gift of Dust takes readers on a journey that shows just how interconnected our planet is, and how something so small can have such a huge impact. With lyrical, awe-inspiring verse based in fact, and stunning art from a Caldecott honoree, this is a story for our times.

• • Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
  • Release Date: May 27, 2025
  • Author: Martha Brockenbrough
  • Illustrator: Juana Martinez-Neal
  • Age Level: 4-8, 40 pages
  • ISBN: 978-0-593-42842-9

This biographic picture book about Peruvian agronomist Alberto Salas and his hunt for wild potatoes before they go extinct is an ode to conservation and science, gorgeously illustrated by Caldecott-honoree Juana Martinez-Neal.

High up in the Andes mountains of Peru, agricultural scientist Alberto Salas is on a quest. A quest… for potatoes.

Up and down the Andes mountains he goes, playing an epic game of paka paka con la papa, potato hide and seek. These potatoes are special: they have the power to feed the world.

Alberto doesn’t have a second to waste. The climate is changing and Alberto must find each and every one to save them before they go extinct.

The game is on!

Alberto races and peers and prods. Drives and trods and climbs. Will he find the potato he seeks? Will he win the game of paka paka con la papa?

Author Sara Andrea Fajardo’s spirited biography about “the godfather of potatoes” is paired with lush, playful art by Caldecott-honoree Juana Martinez-Neal to capture how celebrated scientist Alberto Salas brings joy, curiosity, and fun to his very important, life-changing work.

• • Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
  • Release Date: March 18, 2025
  • Author: Sara Andrea Fajardo
  • Illustrator: Juana Martinez-Neal
  • Age Level: 3-8, 40 pages
  • ISBN: 978-1-2508-3861-2

Esta biografía ilustrada y oda a la conservación y ciencia acompaña al agrónomo peruano Alberto Salas en su búsqueda de papas silvestres antes de que se extingan, con ilustraciones de la ganadora de un Caldecott Honor, Juana Martínez-Neal.

Muy alto en la cordillera de los Andes en Perú, el ingeniero agrícola Alberto Salas anda en una búsqueda. En búsqueda… de papas.

Arriba y abajo de las montañas va, jugando un juego épico de paka paka con la papa, a las escondidas con la papa. Estos tubérculos son especiales: tienen el poder de alimentar y salvar al mundo.

Alberto no tiene tiempo que perder. El clima está cambiando en los Andes y él debe encontrar y rescatar cada una de las variedades de papa antes de que se extingan.

¡El juego ya empezó!

Alberto corre, busca detenidamente y escarba. Maneja y camina y trepa. ¿Encontrará la papa que busca? ¿Podrá ganar este juego de paka paka con la papa?

En esta energética biografía sobre el “padrino de las papas”, Sara A. Fajardo une fuerzas con el rico y lúdico arte de la ilustradora galardonada con el premio Caldecott, Juana Martinez Neal, capturando cómo el celebrado agrónomo Alberto Salas realiza su imprescindible trabajo con deleite, curiosidad y regocijo.

• • Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
  • Release Date: March 18, 2025
  • Author: Sara Andrea Fajardo
  • Illustrator: Juana Martinez-Neal
  • Translator: Mariana Llanos
  • Age Level: 3-8, 40 páginas
  • ISBN: 978-1-2509-0593-2

A New York Times bestselling author and two Caldecott Honorees share their delight in the little things that set two friends apart, and the big things that bring them together.

I really don’t care what you think of my hair
Or my eyes or my toes or my nose
I really don’t care what you think of my boots
Or if you don’t like my clothes. . .

Mostly I care that you’re you and I’m me
And I care that we’re us and we’re we.

This rhythmic, rhyming text by award-winning author Julie Fogliano celebrates the similarities and differences between two unlikely best friends.  It will be illustrated by two recent Caldecott Honorees, each depicting one of the characters, Molly Idle and Juana Martinez-Neal.

• • Publisher: Neal Porter Books
  • Release Date: November 8, 2022
  • Author: Julie Fogliano
  • Illustrator: Molly Idle
  • Illustrator: Juana Martinez-Neal
  • Age Level: 3-7, 32 pages
  • ISBN: 978-0-8234-4345-1

Discover how the Lane Bryant clothing brand changed the way we buy clothes forever by celebrating bodies of all shapes and sizes in this inclusive picture book biography of a Lithuanian immigrant with a brilliant eye for fashion and business. With stunning artwork from Sibert medalist Juana Martinez-Neal.

Lena came to America with nothing but a dream—and an exceptional ability to drape and snip and stitch. She never used a pattern or a tape measure, but every dress she sewed turned out to be a perfect fit.

Then, one day, a customer presented her with a new challenge. Could she design a stylish, comfortable gown for a body shape that did not meet the current standards of fashion?

Lena took the challenge. Under the company name Lane Bryant, she became famous for flattering and modish clothing designed for all different shapes and sizes. The world of fashion would never be the same.

• • Publisher: Clarion Books
  • Release Date: April 12, 2022
  • Author: Mara Rockliff
  • Illustrator: Juana Martinez-Neal
  • Age Level: 4-7, 32 pages
  • ISBN: 978-0-358-12543-3

★ A New York Times Bestseller

Padma Lakshmi, bestselling author and host of Bravo’s Top Chef and Hulu’s Taste the Nation,and Caldecott Honor-winning illustrator Juana Martinez-Neal team up in this celebration of food and family.

Neela loves cooking with her amma and writing down the recipes in her notebook. It makes her feel closer to her paati who lives far away in India. On Saturdays, Neela and Amma go to the green market and today they are buying tomatoes to make Paati’s famous sauce. But first, Neela needs to learn about all the different kinds of tomatoes they can pick from. And as Neela and Amma cook together, they find a way for Paati to share in both the love and the flavors of the day.

Bestselling author and host of Bravo’s Top Chef and Hulu’s Taste the Nation Padma Lakshmi takes young readers on an intergenerational journey full of delicious flavors and fun food facts that celebrates a family’s treasured recipes. And Caldecott Honor-winning illustrator Juana Martinez-Neal brings this circle of women to life with vivid detail and warmth. Tomatoes for Neela lovingly affirms how we can connect to other cultures, as well as to our own, through food.

• • Publisher: Viking Children’s Books
  • Release Date: August 31, 2021
  • Author: Padma Lakshmi
  • Illustrator: Juana Martinez-Neal
  • Age Level: 3-7, 40 pages
  • ISBN: 978-0-5932-0270-8

From New York Times bestselling author Beth Ferry and Caldecott Honor–winner Juana Martinez-Neal comes a sweet-and-salty friendship story perfect for pirate-lovers and fans of The Night Gardener.

Captain Swashby loves the sea, his oldest friend. And he loves his life by the sea just as it is: salty and sandy and serene.
One day, much to Swashby’s chagrin, a young girl and her granny commandeer the empty house next door. All Swashby wants is for his new neighbors to GO AWAY and take their ruckus with them.

When Swashby begins to leave notes in the sand for his noisy neighbors, however, the beach interferes with the messages that are getting across. Could it be that the captain’s oldest friend, the sea, knows what Swashby needs even better than he knows himself?

• • Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
  • Release Date: May 5, 2020
  • Author: Beth Ferry
  • Illustrator: Juana Martinez-Neal
  • Age Level: 4-8, 32 pages
  • ISBN: 978-0-544-70737-5

★ 2020 Robert F. Sibert Medal Award
★ 2020 AIYLA Picture Book Honor
★ 2020 Charlotte Zolotow Honor Book
★ 2020 NCTE Charlotte Huck Award – Recommended Book

Told in lively and powerful verse by debut author Kevin Noble Maillard, Fry Bread is an evocative depiction of a modern Native American family, vibrantly illustrated by Caldecott Honor winner Juana Martinez-Neal.

Fry bread is food.
It is warm and delicious, piled high on a plate.

Fry bread is time.
It brings families together for meals and new memories.

Fry bread is nation.
It is shared by many, from coast to coast and beyond.

Fry bread is us.
It is a celebration of old and new, traditional and modern, similarity and difference.

• • Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
  • Release Date: October 22, 2019
  • Author: Kevin Noble Maillard
  • Illustrator: Juana Martinez-Neal
  • Age Level: 3-6, 48 pages
  • ISBN: 978-1-626-72746-5

In a perfect gift for new and expectant parents (and siblings), a gentle story pays tribute to the wonder and emotion of a family’s first quiet days with a newborn.

The house is hushed. The lights are low.
We’re basking in a newborn glow.

Inside the cozy house, a baby has arrived! The world is eager to meet the newcomer, but there will be time enough for that later. Right now, the family is on its babymoon: cocooning, connecting, learning, and muddling through each new concern. While the term “babymoon” is often used to refer to a parents’ getaway before the birth of a child, it was originally coined by midwives to describe days like these: at home with a newborn, with the world held at bay and the wonder of a new family constellation unfolding. Paired with warm and winsome illustrations by Juana Martinez-Neal, Hayley Barrett’s lyrical ode to these tender first days will resonate with new families everywhere.

• • Publisher: Candlewick Press
  • Release Date: April 2, 2019
  • Author: Hayley Barrett
  • Illustrator: Juana Martinez-Neal
  • Age Level: 2-5, 32 pages
  • ISBN: 978-0-763-68852-3

★ 2018 Pura Belpré Winner for Illustration

The Princess and the Pea gets a fresh twist in this charming bilingual retelling, winner of the Pura Belpré Medal for Illustration.

El príncipe knows this girl is the one for him, but, as usual, his mother doesn’t agree.

The queen has a secret test in mind to see if this girl is really a princesa, but the prince might just have a sneaky plan, too . . .

Readers will be enchanted by this Latino twist on the classic story, and captivated by the vibrant art inspired by the culture of Peru.

• • Publisher: Putnam
  • Release Date: September 5, 2017
  • Author: Susan Middleton Elya
  • Illustrator: Juana Martinez-Neal
  • Age Level: 4-8, 32 pages
  • ISBN: 978-0-399-25156-6

Classic favorites get a modern Latino twist

The itsy arañita
climbed up the water spout.
Down came la lluvia
and washed la araña out.

Classic Mother Goose rhymes get a Latino twist in this cozy collection. From young Juan Ramón sitting in el rincón to three little gatitos who lost their mitoncitos, readers will be delighted to see familiar characters in vibrant, luminous scenes brimming with fanciful details.

La Madre Goose will make a playful multicultural addition to every modern bookshelf.

• • Publisher: Putnam
  • Release Date: July 19, 2016
  • Author: Susan Middleton Elya
  • Illustrator: Juana Martinez-Neal
  • Age Level: 4-8, 32 pages
  • ISBN: 978-0-763-68852-3