COVER REVEAL for my new book "Fresh Juice/ Jugo Fresco" !!!!

 

Yoooo! I can finally share it. Here is the cover for my newest picture book "FRESH JUICE" which debuts on July 25th through "Lee and Low Books". You can preorder it today in English or Spanish. https://www.leeandlow.com/books/fresh-juice Juuuuuuiicccced!!!

This is a father and son story about fruits, veggies, ginger, health, and community. Please share!

From "Lee and Low Books": Today we're celebrating the gorgeous cover for our upcoming picture book, Fresh Juice by Robert Liu-Trujillo—available in English and Spanish (as Jugo Fresco) on 7.25.23! Both editions are available for pre-order now (bit.ly/3RMiy6A).

About Fresh Juice:

What makes a great juice that keeps everyone healthy? Art and his dad discover it takes carrots...collards...cayenne...and community!

When Art's father can't get over a cold, Art knows exactly what his daddy needs: some delicious sick-fighting juice! After looking through the fridge and cupboards, they discover they're missing a key ingredient--ginger. But finding some ginger will take them downtown, to the farmers' market, to the food co-op, to the West African grocery ... to an unexpected encounter that brings everyone together, and results in a tasty celebration.

Author-illustrator Rob Liu-Trujillo's warm and vibrant watercolor illustrations are a celebration of mixed families and the many individuals who help make a neighborhood feel like a community. Fresh Juice is a delightful, kid- and community-centered picture book that will leave you thirsty for more!

Dig this? Check out the announcement from 2019!

Shout out to editors Cheryl Klein and Kandace Coston, Art director Chad Beckerman, the whole Lee and Low Books team, and my agent Marietta Zacker!

Video: Interviews @ the "Social Justice Children's Book Holiday Fair"

 

Video link

This is some video footage featuring interviews from book creators, organizations, the organizers of the event, and the owner of Teance. Can we give it up for Peter Limata and Lydia Yamaguchi though? They just bring SO MUCH vibrancy, love, and care to what they capture and who they spoke to at the event!  Please watch and enjoy. If you did not get a chance to attend the fair in person you can still get books from the creators who were there and many others using our website 

LINK to the website

Video link 2

Here is more interviews Peter did leading up to the fair that morning. In this he speaks to Jill Guerra (We are Yoga/Somos Yoga), Christina Newhard of Sari Sari Books (KaliPay, Melo the Umang Boy), Breanna McDaniels (Hands Up), and John Casselberry (Konscious Kids).

Dig this? Check out the virtual 2020 Social Justice Children's Book Fair

Photos from Richmond's "Multicultural Bookstore"

 

Photo by Brianna Casanares

This past week I read at the Multicultural Children's Bookstore in Richmond California. I've said this before, but it bears repeating. This store has the most diverse selection of picture books in the Bay Area. There are many other stores that do a great job as well. 

Photo by Daniel Zarazua

They currently carry "Furqan's First Flat Top" and "Alejandria Fights Back". Please stop by their store though if youre in the North Bay as a destination for gifts, a place that can order books for you, or as a wealth of knowledge. The owner's name is Tamara Shiloh.

Photo by Brianna Casanares

One more of me rocking my Bridges Not Walls shirt by Kiwi :). I've been reading in classrooms and libraries for a decade now as a kids book author and illustrator!

If you dig these photos check out this reading at Bella Vista Elementary and this post w/ Melissa Reyes

Read Banned Books

 

Here's a new print for all the lovers of banned books! I wanna shout out all the queer authors and illustrators. All the Black folks and people of color who've had the books banned for no more than telling their story. Oh and shout out to all those teachers bringing ethnic studies and critical race theory into their classrooms so students can actually learn how we got here as a country and as a world. Yes, please read banned books and when you do make up your own mind if its useful information or not.

Cop a print HERE

Dig this? Check out this print "Ethnic Studies In Every School"

Post about my book being banned

Kickstarter- 13 Ways of Looking at a Black Boy

Hey, please check out this kickstarter to help publisher Penny Candy Books reprint this wonderful book written by Afro Latinx poet Tony Medina from NYC and illustrated by 13 Black illustrators from all over the country including yours truly.

If this campaign is successful this book will go into its 5th printing. That means hella people have loved it and purchased it. But, there are plenty of kids who have never seen it. Check out the video, campaign, and throw down if you got a few bucks. Kickstarter LINK

Thanks in advance!

Video: Richmond Ca's Multicultural kids bk store!

Support this Black owned business in Richmond California!

Jambo Books Box

Hey, so I got a chance to collaborate with Jambo Books Club, a new company that has created a diverse kids books box for anyone looking to find new books. The founders have two daughters who inspired them and you can read more about their company HERE.

Check it out, some of my story time illustrations on their book boxes and a peak inside. 

If you are interested in licensing any of my artwork for your products or company please contact me at info@robdontstop.com

Booklandia Coloring sheets

Big shout out to bilingual book box "Booklandia" for including some of my artwork as a coloring sheet for kids in their recent book boxes. Booklandia was founded by Maceo Cabrera-Estevez in Oakland California to send picture books, middle grade, and young adult kids books to parents and educators across the world. This company is very special because it seeks to share books that feature children of all colors in English and Spanish. Check them out. Here is some more artwork.

And the original image from my bookplate!

Bookplates here

Multicultural Children's Book Fair - DEC 9th Richmond, CA

If you are in the Bay Area and live near the Richmond area or are in Contra Costa County I invite you to bring your family to this event. Authors will be there reading their books, selling them, and signing them for folks who come. 

FACEBOOK Event Invite

The Bay Area Black Authors Network is a newly formed group aimed at sharing resources and information about publishing stories by Black authors, illustrators, editors, etc.  We meet regularly at Hilltop mall the last tuesday of each month.

The event is also supported by the West County Reads new Multicultural Children's Book Store at hilltop mall where you can find many children's books about Latinx, Black, Asian, Native American, and queer stories. The bookstore has been open just under a year and is thriving getting visits from teachers, librarians, parents, and kids

Write up in the Richmond Standard

Books worth supporting- NOW

Jack meets Agyu- Author Justine Villanueva & illustrator Lynnor Bontigao

Priya Dreams of Marigolds & Masala- Illustrator/author created book

Gnomes of Oakland (Book 3) - Kamaria Lofton , author created project. This is the third book in the series.

Folks, the industry is getting better w/ diverse books but not fast enough. Please support these folks!

Bookplates 1-4

Check these out. Have you ever wanted to bring a cool custom gift to a baby shower? Or surprise your friend who is a teacher with a gift that not only supports literacy but champions children of color? Get them a book plate or several so they can reinforce positive reading habits as early as possible. 

You can purchase these individually or in packs of 10 and 30. 

STORE LINK

Libro Mobile - Santa Ana

Check out this campaign to assist in the creation and sustainability of a Latinx owned Bookstore in Santa Ana California that specializes in bilingual books, books in spanish, and books about Latinxs, Raza, etc. Please share and support.

 LINK

Boogie Down Books - Furqan's First

Yo, excited to get my book into this pop up bookstore "Boogie Down Books". If you're in NYC please support them and invite them to your school , organization, or event. Check out this article written about them recently.

ARTICLE LINK

If you know of any bookstores, pop ups, libraries, or offices that would be interested in my picture book "Furqan's First Flat Top" please let me know. info@robdontstop.com

Penny Candy Books Anthology - It's out!

So I can finally write about and show y'all a bit of the process for my recent piece in the Penny Candy Books release "13 Ways of looking at a Black boy". This is a great book! It's hardbound, about 30 pgs total, and matte color finished. The book is an anthology of artists who each get a piece of Tony Medina's poem about Black Boys. Tony Medina is a dope poet from NYC that has not only published a bunch of poetry books, but he's also published many picture books, and his graphic novel "I am Alfonso Jones". The artists that Penny Candy picked are an awesome array of experience and technique. There are digital illustration, collage, oil, watercolor, acrylic, and ink. Here is my piece.

Here you can see a bit of process.I generally start with thumbnails, then move on to refined sketches and color ideas. Once those are approved I paint!

If you're interested in getting a new book for your classroom, office, school, or library please support this company and the story. Also, check out the amazing artists featured in the book. 

LINK

Campaign worth supporting-They Call Me Mix (kids book)

Hey folks! Ok all my children's book lovers, authors, illustrators, librarians, bk sellers, advocates....come closer. This book is at 202 backers. We need to get it to 250. Doesn't matter if you donate $1 or $500. Let's get this book by a two POC authors made. Not only is it written and illustrated by them, it focuses on gender and what it means-especially for young students preschool to elementary school age. Put this on your networks and follow the page  and 

here is a link to the kickstarter

Author: Lourdes

Illustrator: Breena Nunez

Furqan's First Flat Top UPDATE 21- Latino Dad!

Had a chance to speak with journalist Roberto Santiago this past month about an online magazine he writes for called Latino Dad. We had a great conversation about fatherhood, being mixed kids, and my book. Please check it out and follow them.

The discovery of Ramen- children's bk kickstarter

Please check out this project, share it, and support it anyway you can. My wife did the typography and design for this book and I'm super excited to see this book get made.

Panel discussion w/ Janine Macbeth, Maya Gonzalez, and Carole Davidson

Yo, I got a chance to speak with Maya, Janine, and librarian Carole Davidson at the central San Francisco librarian. We had a tiny audience but those who were there showed much attentiveness and respect and I had fun talking with everyone because Janine and Maya inspire me to keep going. In this talk we speak about what it takes to make books and what diversity means to us. Please listen.

Projects worth supporting-Comics & Children's Books

EXO is on their third project!!So cool to see this brother continue to make more comics from a Nigerian American perspective
 
Maya Gonzalez is an OG in the game and was one of the first people I asked advice from over 10 years ago. Her and her partner Matthew have succeeded in not only making books themselves, but nurturing many authors to do the same. This is your underground, bubbling up movement. Please share and support.
 
So Blood Orange Press is re-launching this project campaign. I did not receive enough funds on kickstarter, but we are confident we can reach the $15k goal here to get one diverse children's book made. If things go well and the project is over funded they can make more. Please support this project here and if you already dontated, please consider re-donating here on Indiegogo.

We read too-App for Diverse Books

Came across this the other day; an app specifically designed to catalogue a list of diverse children's books! Here is a link to a video of Kaya Thomas talking about the app she developed.