User:Oliviaszymanski/sandbox

Juana Martinez Neal (born in Lima, Peru)

Early life
Juana Martinez-Neal grew up in Lima, Peru. Her father and grandfather were both painters so an appreciation for art was instilled in her at a very young age. Her experience growing up in Peru is the inspiration of many of her works.

Early career
Juana started her writing and illustrating career in hopes to help young children in the Latino celebrate their heritage and take pride in their cultural background. Her debut as an author illustrator was her first picture book, Alma and How She Got Her Name, which she was later awarded the 2019 Caldecott Honor. Her books are available in both English and in Spanish to reach her bilingual audience. As she continued to evolve and make a name for herself in the children book world she stuck with her theme of cultural appreciation and celebration.

Personal Life
Juana Martinez-Neal currently resides in Scottsdale, Arizona with her husband, two sons, daughter, and puppy. Beyond children's literature Juana produces content on multiple platforms. She is very active on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Additionally, she has her own blog where she offers readers insight into her own books and also makes commentary on other authors books in her field. She draws on her personal experience, as well as her children, when writing books about growing up as an individual within the Latinx community.

Literary Career
Martinez-Neal identifies as a children's illustrator more than she does a children's author. Her books feature beautiful, delicate, expressive illustrations that sometimes speak more than the words on the page. In regard to context, most of her works are centered on the Latinx culture as well as childhood. Each story reaches a different age range, the youngest being two years old and the oldest being eight. In each of her works, Juana beautifully illustrates the experience of children growing up in the Latinx community. She relies on her own experience growing up in Peru and weaves them into her illustrations with a modern lens.

In her books she touches on traditions and unique culture within the Latinx world and celebrates them. As a author illustrator she currently has one published and well known book, Alma and How She Got Her Name. In Alma and How She Got Her Name, she tells the story of a young girl interested in the origin story of her name. Her work encourages young readers and parents to embrace their heritage and be proud of who you are and where you came from. In a quote from author illustrator Juana she makes commentary on the vision behind this work, “We are everyone that came before us, and at the same time, we are uniquely ourselves.”

She later appeared as an illustrator in many books, working with authors with similar passions of cultural celebration and roots as her own. Many of these books are a Latin remixes of classic American stories very popular in the states. In each of these works Juana's illustrations beautifully sum up the emotions of the story through her unique cultural lens as a Peruvian.


 * The works are as follows:
 * La Princesa and the Pea (written by Susan Middleton Elya with illustrations by Juana Martinez-Neal), a Latino twist on the classic story accompanied by colorful and bold art inspired by the culture of Peru.
 * Babymoon (written by Hayley Barrett with illustrations by Juana Martinez-Neal) focuses on the joy of bringing home a newborn for the first time and all the warmth felt by families in that time.
 * Fry Bread (written by Kevin Noble Maillard with illustrations by Juana Martinez-Neal) is an artful and powerful depiction of life for modern Native American families.
 * La Madre Goose (written by Susan Middleton Elya with illustrations by Juana Martinez-Neal) a tale that mirrors classic mother goose rhymes yet with a Latin flare.

La Princesa and the Pea is a Latino twist on the classic story accompanied by colorful and bold art inspired by the culture of Peru. Similarly in La Madre Goose the story mirrors classic mother goose rhymes yet with a Latin flare. In Babymoon, focuses on the joy of bringing home a newborn for the first time and all the warmth felt by families in that time. Branching away from Juana's personal culture her illustrations in Fry Bread convey a depiction of a modern Native American family.

Awards and Honors

 * 2019 Caldecott Honor – “Alma and How She Got Her Name”
 * 2019 Caldecott Honor – “Alma and How She Got Her Name”
 * 2019 Ezra Jack Keats Award Writer Honor – “Alma and How She Got Her Name”
 * 2019 NCTE Charlotte Huck Award Recommended Title – “Alma and How She Got Her Name”
 * 2019 Society of Illustrators Los Angeles – Illustration West 57 – Gold Award – “La Princesa and the Pea”
 * 2019 Society of Illustrators Los Angeles – Illustration West 57 – Silver Award – “La Princesa and the Pea”
 * 2018 Pura Belpré Medal Award for Illustration – “La Princesa and the Pea”
 * 2014 IBBY Honour List Illustration – “Dana’s Trip”
 * 2012 SCBWI LA Conference Portfolio Showcase – Grand Prize Winner
 * 2011 SCBWI Illustrator Mentorship