Lulu Delacre's Blog

I recently wrote a guest blog post for fellow author Uma Krishnaswami where I reveal the recipe on how to write a successful early reader series. The closing title of the Rafi and Rosi Coquí series, contains recipes. In it the irrepressible tree frog duo plunges into the joys of cooking in Puerto Rico as they surmount challenges to achieve their goal: helping Abuela assemble 60 pasteles to fulfill an order. I spent over twenty yea...

One takeaway from the brief time I spent at the American Library Association Annual convention is the importance of building lasting connections. I still remember attending this sort of convention decades ago with shyness and aprehension of talking to people about my own work. I feared appearing overzealous and boastful. I used to think only marketers, reviewers and editors could speak well of my work. However, over the years I’ve learned that...

It’s bittersweet. The final title of the Rafi and Rosi Coquí series, Rafi and Rosi Menu! and its Spanish version Rafi y Rosi ¡Menú!, will be released September 9. I’m thrilled to launch the book, but I’m saddened to see their adventures end.

It’s been a long ride for these tree frogs, ambassadors of Puerto Rico since 2004, when the first title was published. Each book features three distinct stories centered on a sp...

I’m thrilled to announce that the final title of the Rafi and Rosi Coquí series, Rafi and Rosi Menu! and its Spanish version Rafi y Rosi ¡Menú!,will be released this coming September 9.

Just this week I learned that along with the previous titles, this one has also been selected by the Junior Library Guild, making the whole five book series a Gold Standard Selection! Thrilling.

It’s been a long ride for these tree frogs, ambassadors of Puerto Rico sin...

I love to research. I find it soothing and replenishing in either the raucous or silent way. Research allows me to dive deep into a subject. It is as valuable for writing fiction as it is for writing non-fiction. Research is integral to illustrations that convey accurate information and expand on the meaning of the words in the children's picture books that I create. Sometimes, research can be delicious, messy, crowd-pleasing, and feel like a party.

For some, December is sparkling,...

It seems that the perc...

My first attempt to leave a mark in this world was by carving my name onto the wooden door of our kitchen cabinet in the apartment we lived in. ULUL, it read. My father asked me who had done this, and I played innocent to no avail. After all, who else but a four-year-old would have inverted the letters of her name?

I grew up on a beautiful island devoid of public libraries. I did not have access to the amazing arr...

For quite a long time now, I’ve been encouraging students and their families to draw inspiration from their parents’ heritage, culture, and native language to write a story. Everyone has a story to tell. It’s a matter of drawing it out of oneself, mixing it with one’s knowledge, and adding some imagination. Being able to reach and inspire Latinos of all ages to do just this, is one thing I enjoy doing. But, you don’t have to take my wo...

It was a delight to wake up on a chilly November day to the news from the National Council of Teachers of English. Cool Green: Amazing, Remarkable Trees was named as a Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children Recommended Title. You can now order a personalized copy of the book at Politics & Prose Bookstore. If you write in the comments of the order form to whom you want the book signed to, I’ll personalize it for you.