by Emma Nelson, LACIS’ Communications Assistant
This fall, the Latin American, Caribbean, and Iberian Studies (LACIS) Center was pleased to support a visit by children’s author Karla Arenas Valenti, the Pura Belpré Award-winning author of bestselling middle-grade novels, chapter books, and picture books. Karla’s visit to Madison was part of the Wisconsin Book Festival’s School Visit: Magic and Mexican Heritage. LACIS provided financial and logistical support, and the visit was sponsored in part by the Wisconsin International Resource Center (WIRC).
During her time in Madison, Karla visited students at Nuestro Mundo Elementary School and Centro Hispano. Afterward, we interviewed Karla about her participation in the Wisconsin Book Festival, her work promoting representation in children’s literature, and her upcoming projects. Karla’s childhood spent in Mexico City was filled with fantastical elements. Karla’s books draw on childhood memories, taking children on journeys steeped in magical realism and fantasy.
Below is a look into our conversation with Karla Arenas Valenti:
Karla described her experience at the Wisconsin Book Festival as a meaningful opportunity. “It is a privilege to be able to participate in these kinds of events and to connect with readers more deeply. It is especially meaningful to meet readers who are already familiar with my work and have been moved by my stories. To know that one has made an impact on another person’s emotional or intellectual journey is a rare opportunity!”
Karla expressed gratitude to the festival for the book donations. “Witnessing their joy when they learned they would be receiving their very own copy of the book we were just talking about was absolutely the best part of the day!”
Karla applauded the organizational efforts from Centro Hispano and Nuestro Mundo Elementary School, noting that the staff at both sites were “attentive and prepared”. The events were truly rewarding as students actively participated and engaged with the books.
When Karla was asked how the visit spoke to the importance of representation in children’s literature, she explained how her approach differs through each character she creates.
“While I believe it is important for children to have access to books that provide representation related to race, gender, culture, and other aspects of identity, my own goal as an author is slightly different: I want to create “representation” through shared human experiences, showing readers that people who may look different from them can still be deeply relatable. For example, Maria Mariposa features a Mexican immigrant on her first day of school in a new city and a new country. But this is not a story about being Mexican (or even being an immigrant). It is a story about being new, feeling uncertain, and finding your place (experiences that are familiar to anyone). My hope is that readers who may not share Maria’s background will still see themselves in her journey and, in doing so, develop a deeper sense of connection and empathy.
This is the same with all of my books – they feature Mexican characters, but the stories themselves are not centered on their identity as Mexicans. Rather, they focus on the adventures, challenges, and emotions that unite us. That’s different from writing books that are specifically about being Mexican, and for me, that distinction matters. Being Mexican is the normal lived experience from which I write. My goal is not to make that identity the subject of the story, but to present it as normal within stories that speak to universal experiences. When children can see themselves in someone from a different background, I believe it helps break down barriers and reminds us that we often have more in common than we realize. That kind of connection can be one of the most powerful forms of representation!”
Following Karla’s visit, we asked: What is next?
Her next book in the works is a “magical realism middle grade novel due out in the fall of 2027 called The Weight of Ordinary Things. It takes place in Tepoztlán, Mexico, and explores the weight of our emotions and how they impact us when left untended.”
When asked about the impact of school visits and youth on her work, Karla said, “It is so inspiring to see how children (and grown-ups) are engaging with my work, exploring the deeper ideas I am putting forward and using them to better understand themselves and their place in the world. It inspires me to create even more journeys and experiences for them to traverse.”
Karla left the students at Centro Hispano and Nuestro Mundo Elementary School with more than just books, but a message: “That the world is full of real magic, wonder is a powerful tool, and reading is one of the greatest joys of life!”
LACIS thanks Karla Arenas Valenti for sharing the wonder of children’s literature with Madison youth. Furthermore, we extend gratitude to the Wisconsin Book Festival for organizing the visit and providing students with Karla’s books. This visit would not have been possible without our collaboration with WIRC and the warm embrace from Nuestro Mundo Elementary School and Centro Hispano.
Past Programming with Karla Arenas Valenti:
Author Karla Arenas Valenti Visits Local Schools
International Children’s Literature Celebration: Folk and Fairy Tales