FROM AN AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR AND ILLUSTRATOR, A WARM, GENTLE ODE TO CHERISHED VISITS FROM GRANDPARENTS AND THE PEOPLE AND PLACES THAT MAKE US WHO WE ARE, EVEN IF WE HAVEN'T MET THEM YET.

It's been three years since Abuela's last visit, and Dulce revels in every tiny detail--from Abuela's maletas full of candies in crinkly wrappers and gifts from primos to the sweet, earthy smell of Peru that floats out of Abuela's room and down the hall. But Abuela's visit can't last forever, and all too soon she's packing her suitcases again. Then Dulce has an idea: maybe there are things she can gather for her cousins and send with Abuela to remind them of the U.S. relatives they've never met. And despite having to say goodbye, Abuela has one more surprise for Dulce--something to help her remember that home isn't just a place, but the deep-rooted love they share no matter the distance.

A 2024 JUNIOR LIBRARY GUILD GOLD STAR SELECTION

A 2025 PURA BELPRE ILLUSTRATOR HONOR BOOK

AVAILABLE IN ENGLISH & SPANISH

"Intricate, nuanced, and empowering."

— Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"An authentic portrait of a character who wants to be seen for who she is and not the limitations placed on her." — Booklist

2023 Pura Belpré Award Honor Book * 2023 Schneider Family Award Honor Book * Rise: A Feminist Book Project Honoree * AudioFile Magazine Earphones Award

VERÓNICA, A PERUVIAN AMERICAN TEEN WITH HIP DYSPLASIA, AUDITIONS TO BECOME A MERMAID AT A CENTRAL FLORIDA THEME PARK IN THE SUMMER BEFORE HER SENIOR YEAR, ALL WHILE FIGURING OUT HER FIRST REAL BOYFRIEND AND HOW TO FEEL SAFE IN HER OWN BODY

Verónica has had many surgeries to manage her disability. The best form of rehabilitation is swimming, so she spends hours in the pool, but not just to strengthen her body. Her Florida town is home to Mermaid Cove, a kitschy underwater attraction where professional mermaids perform in giant tanks . . . and Verónica wants to audition.

But her conservative Peruvian parents would never go for it. And they definitely would never let her be with Alex, her cute new neighbor. She decides it’s time to seize control of her life, but her plans come crashing down when she learns her parents have been hiding the truth from her—the truth about her own body.

Rooted in the author's lived experience, BREATHE AND COUNT BACK FROM TEN unapologetically explores themes of immigration, disability rights, coming of age into your sexuality, and bodily agency.

"Seamlessly explores bodily autonomy and familial expectations through a perceptive protagonist, sharp narration, and complex relationships. . . . Powerful and engrossing." — Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Embodies the theme of our decade: to stand up and speak up for what we believe in."

— Booklist (starred review)

WHEN FIFTEEN YEAR-OLD CUBAN AMERICAN MARIANA RUIZ'S FATHER RUNS FOR PRESIDENT, MARI STARTS TO SEE HIM WITH NEW EYES. A NOVEL ABOUT WAKING UP AND SPEAKING UP, AND WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU STOP SEEING YOUR DAD AS YOUR HERO—WHILE THE WHOLE COUNTRY IS WATCHING.

In this thoughtful, authentic, humorous, and gorgeously written novel about privacy, waking up, and speaking up, Senator Anthony Ruiz is running for president. Throughout his successful political career he has always had his daughter’s vote, but a presidential campaign brings a whole new level of scrutiny to sheltered fifteen-year-old Mariana and the rest of her Cuban American family, from a 60 Minutes–style tour of their house to tabloids doctoring photos and inventing scandals. As tensions rise within the Ruiz family, Mari begins to learn about the details of her father’s political positions, and she realizes that her father is not the man she thought he was.

But how do you find your voice when everyone’s watching? When it means disagreeing with your father—publicly? What do you do when your dad stops being your hero? Will Mari get a chance to confront her father? If she does, will she have the courage to seize it?

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