Author Anika Aldamuy
Denise may live in a tiny town in the tiniest state but she has giant talent. Denise
writes picture books in prose and rhyme and both as well as fiction stories. She
and her illustrator husband, Christopher Denise, have collaborated on several
books.
A
GOOD HOOK MAKES A GREAT BOOK
Kids love books about monsters and books about
trucks and books about Halloween. And there's plenty of each on the market.
In Monster Trucks, Nate Wragg (Illustrator), Denise combined monsters and
trucks to create trucks that are monsters that go out for a nighttime race on a
spooky speedway. Clever rhyme and character names like Frankentruck, Vampire
Truck, Zombie Truck, and Werewolf Truck pull the readers into the story packed
with action. When readers are introduced to the Little Blue Bus described as perky…and cute they learn she can take care of
herself adding an element to girl power to the story.
Baking Day at Grandma's, a story about food and family with a
heaping spoonful of heart is a collaboration
between the author and her illustrator husband, Christopher Denise. The rhyme,
rhythm, and refrain flow perfectly
making this a fun read aloud. And the illustrations will make you want to hug a
bear.
"It's baking day!
It's baking day!
It's baking day at Grandma's!"
Pigs Love Potatoes, Christopher Denise
(Illustrator), is another story about food and family but it's also a rhyming and counting book that adds another layer of educational content.
CHARACTER
Writers often hear that a well-developed
character is important to a story and character driven stories are popular with
editors. In Starring
Carmen!, Lorena Alvarez Gomez (Illustrator), everything about Carmen shouts DIVA!
Any young extrovert with a flair for the dramatic or the exhausted parents of one will appreciate how Denise developed the character of Carmen. And the
character’s personality is further developed with the help of her supporting
cast, her brother Eduardo and her parents. Everything Carmen says and does show a star is born!
"Later, at dinner
Carmen announces an ENCORE!
“You wear us our, queridia,”
says Carmen’s mom.
“Sí,
Carmenita, we need a break
from show business,” says Carmen’s dad."
In the sequel, Lights, Camera, Carmen!, Lorena Alvarez Gomez (Illustrator), Carmen’s character expanded her aspirations. And in staying true to her
character, a disappointment only leads Carmen to a new opportunity in entertainment.
“Hermanito,
I’ve made a decision. “I’m
Taking a break from the theater to pursue
and film career.
“What’s a film career?” asks Eduardo.
“My destiny!” says Carmen.
“All I have to do is win the
Dino-Krispies contest.”
Bella and Stella Come
Home, Christopher
Denise (Illustrator), is about a little girl named Bella who is filled with
apprehension as she explores her new home on moving day. Stella is her stuffed
elephant who turns into a real elephant at the new house. Written from the
point of view of Bella, the main character speaks to the reader. Through the stuffed elephant Stella, Bella compares her old home with the new. The illustrations bring the
elephant to life and Bella’s fears. When Stella expresses a concern, Bella is
the one that provided comfort. Anika Denise
creates a character that is very relatable to children and especially those who
have had to deal with the emotions of leaving familiar surroundings behind.
“We look out the screen door into the garden.
Our old garden had an oak tree in the back.
This one only has shrubs and grass.
Stella thinks every garden should have an oak
tree.
I agree.”
NARRATIVE NONFICTION
Planting Stories: The
Life of Librarian and Storyteller Pura Belpré, Paola Escobar (Illustrator) is a narrative
nonfiction picture book biography about the well-known librarian, Pura Belpré’,
the first Puerto Rican librarian in New York City who brought diverse stories
to her library. Denise begins the story with Belpré leaving her home in San
Juan and traveling to New York on a visit bringing her words and memories of
her abuela’s folktales she heard around a tamarind tree. Planting story seeds
is the metaphor used throughout the book to show how as a librarian Belpré’s
storytelling grew into books and as a published author her stories spread throughout
New York and beyond reaching more and more children.
“When Pura’s story is done,
each child makes a wish on the candle,
and, with a wisp of air…
WHOOSH!
La vela is blown out.
Now Pura has a wish too:
to plant her story seeds throughout the land.”
This book is beautifully illustrated; the
endpapers and backmatter are also a work of art.
FORTHCOMING:
Look for these books from Anika Aldamuy Denise releasing later this year. Bunny in the Middle celebrates middle children which is a great hook and character to develop. In The Love Letter, best friends Hedgehog, Bunny, and Squirrel each find a love letter...
Both books are certainly on my reading for research booklist.
