Meet Troupe 21’s Gloria Amescua
Meet Troupe member Gloria Amescua!
Gloria is an educator, poet, and children’s book writer. Her debut picture book biography, CHILD OF THE FLOWER-SONG PEOPLE: LUZ JIMENÉZ, DAUGHTER OF THE NAHUA, is written in verse and illustrated by Duncan Tonatiuh (Abrams Books, Fall 2021). Her highly-anticipated story won the 2016 Lee and Low New Voices Honor Award.
Gloria’s debut, CHILD OF THE FLOWER-SONG PEOPLE: LUZ JIMENÉZ, DAUGHTER OF THE NAHUA, is about the Indigenous Nahua woman, who grew up in Mexico during the early 1900s and eventually became a model for internationally celebrated 20th-century artists, worked with scholars to preserve Nahuatl language and stories, and was known as the “soul of Mexico.”
Get to know Gloria!
What is your earliest picture book memory?
When my family went to get groceries on Saturdays, I would ask for a Golden Book and sometimes I got one. Though my mom only had a little schooling, she valued education and encouraged us to read. My favorites were The Poky Little Puppy, Three Little Kittens, and Heidi.
Name three picture books that you adore:
I absolutely love Monica Brown’s’
Pablo Neruda: Poet of the People; Bethany Hegedus’ Rise!: From Caged Bird to Poet of the People, Maya Angelou and Carole Boston Weatherford’s Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer, Spirit of the Civil Rights Movement. It’s hard to choose only three, but these tell the stories of people whose lives made a difference, written beautifully in verse. The artwork is also incredible.
What themes and ideas will readers find in your stories?
I hope readers will find strength within themselves as they read about persons who were true to themselves and overcame injustices in my biographies. But my fictional stories range from dealing with emotions and relationships to quirky, funny ones as well.
What’s been the best part of your debut experience so far?
It’s incredible to feel surrounded by the excitement, support and generous sharing from a variety of writing and support groups. These include PB Debut Troupe 21, Las Musas, Kidlit Latinx, 12x12, The Writing Barn’s Write. Submit. Support. group, my critique group, and many other friends and family as I debut my first picture book, Child of the Flower-Song People: Luz Jimenéz, Daughter of the Nahua.
Connect with Gloria on Twitter at @GloriaAmescua! And be sure to come back to PB Debut Troupe 21 for more about Gloria’s story, including her cover reveal and pre-order information for CHILD OF THE FLOWER-SONG PEOPLE: LUZ JIMENÉZ, DAUGHTER OF THE NAHUA.
See you back soon!
