|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
The Miami Book Fair is set for Nov. 17-24 with the hugely popular street fair scheduled for the weekend of Nov. 23-24 on the grounds of the Miami-Dade College Wolfson Campus in downtown.
The book fair draws book lovers to see authors from every genre, from non-fiction to fantasy. Some of the best children’s book authors will speak, including Susan Rose and Silvia Lopez, two authors based in Miami, who teamed up to write a bilingual series starting with Jose and El Perro followed by Jose and Feliz Play Futbol.
The first book is the story of how Jose adopted his dog, Feliz and taught him his commands in Spanish. The second book, being featured at the book fair, is the story of Jose joining a soccer team and how Feliz helped him play the game.
“I had a dog that loved to play soccer,” Rose says. “He would dribble the ball and move with his nose and head. He particularly loved to take a ball and move.”
She says the series came about when she wanted to find a way to have an introduction to Spanish for English speaking kids.
“It was fun to have to reader to learn Spanish along with the dog,” she says.
This led to the first book, where Jose adopts Feliz.
“He’s a shelter dog,” Lopez says. “He doesn’t understand Spanish.”
Rose says she used to leave her dog with her Guatemalan housekeeper who would talk to him in Spanish.
“I joked he would be bilingual,” Rose says.
Rose looked for someone who could help her write the books. She contacted another local children’s book author, Laurie Friedman, who put her in touch with Lopez, who has numerous books published in both English and Spanish.
The first book was named a New York Public Library Best Books for 2023. The second one has received terrific reviews and a third recently sold to Penguin Workshop.
In the second book, the conflict comes from when Jose takes Feliz to soccer practice and the dog wants to play the game. Feliz worries the dog will do that in the game.
Rose has a background in theater and film. Lopez was a school librarian for 30 years and a successful author. They enjoy collaborating on books.
“We go back and forth a lot,” Rose says. “Until we are happy with what we have.”
They started working on the series in late 2021. Lopez says it usually takes about a year to finish each book, but one of the upcoming books came together much faster.
Rose and Lopez will be reading the books aloud in the Children’s Alley on Nov. 24 at 1 p.m. in Stanza’s Story Wagon.
There are quite a few kidlit stars coming to the book fair, including Cynthia Leitich Smith, who is up for the 2025 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award and the winners of the National Book Awards.
Marci Cancio-Bello, program manager for the book fair says there will be a wide range of books from picture books to young adult featured at this year’s event. Authors will appear on panels and participate in books signings.
“We average about 40 kids’ authors,” she says.
She says they are activating more ground in the Children’s Alley so it will be even bigger and better. And there will be more live music.
“We have great middle grade novel series,” she says.
The middle grade authors include Ridley Pearson (Kingdom Keepers series). The Dork Diaries, and the Amari series by B.B. Alston.
There will be something for every reader.
For more information and a schedule of events, go to miamibookfair.com.
ABOUT US:
For more Miami community news, look no further than Miami Community Newspapers. This Miami online group of newspapers covers a variety of topics about the local community and beyond. Miami’s Community Newspapers offers daily news, online resources, podcasts and other multimedia content to keep readers informed. With topics ranging from local news to community events, Miami’s Community Newspapers is the ideal source for staying up to date with the latest news and happenings in the area.
This family-owned media company publishes more than a dozen neighborhood publications, magazines, special sections on their websites, newsletters, as well as distributing them in print throughout Miami Dade County from Aventura, Sunny Isles Beach, Miami Beach, Coral Gables, Brickell, Coconut Grove, Pinecrest, South Miami, Kendall, Palmetto Bay, Cutler Bay and Homestead. Each online publication and print editions provide comprehensive coverage of local news, events, business updates, lifestyle features, and local initiatives within its respective community.
Additionally, the newspaper has exclusive Miami community podcasts, providing listeners with an in-depth look into Miami’s culture. Whether you’re looking for local Miami news, or podcasts, Miami’s Community Newspapers has you covered. For more information, be sure to check out: https://communitynewspapers.com.
If you have any questions, feel free to email Michael@communitynewspapers.com or Grant@communitynewspapers.com.
