Monica Brown

Monica Brown is the author of the LOLA LEVINE chapter book series and 30 award-winning picture books including Waiting for the Biblioburro (illus by John Parra, Random House), The Turquoise Room (illus by Adriana M. Garcia, Lee & Low), and Marisol McDonald Doesn’t Match/Marisol McDonald no combina (illus by Sara Palacios, Lee & Low). Her picture book biographies include Tito Puente: Mambo King/ Tito Puente: Rey del mambo (illus by Rafael López, Harper), and Pablo Neruda: Poet of the People (illus by Julie Paschikas, Holt), Small Room, Big Dreams: The Journey of Julián and Joaquin Castro (illus by Mirelle Ortega, Harper). Sharuko: El Arqueólogo Peruano/ Peruvian Archaeologist Julio C. Tello (illus by Elisa Chavarri, Lee & Low); and Frida Kahlo and Her Animalitos (illus by John Parra, NorthSouth). Monica’s books have received multiple starred reviews, Pura Belpré Honors, Américas Awards, NCTE Orbis Pictus Honor for Nonfiction, New York Times Best Illustrated Book of the Year, and The Christopher Award, among many other accolades. New in 2024: She Persisted: Dolores Huerta (Philomel), and Dona Fela’s Dream: The Story of Puerto Rico’s First Female Mayor illustrated by Rosa Ibarra (Little Brown).

Monica’s LOLA LEVINE chapter book series stars a biracial, bicultural second grader. Lola Levine Is Not Mean! was named a Kirkus Reviews Best Middle Grade Book of the Year, a School Library Journal Top 10 Latin@ Book, and a New York Public Library 100 Books for Reading and Sharing. Other books in the series are Lola Levine Drama Queen and Lola Levine and the Ballet Scheme, Lola Levine Meets Jelly and Bean, Lola Levine and the Vacation Dream,  and Lola Levine and the Halloween Scream (illus by Angela Dominguez, Little Brown). The series is available in Spanish editions from Scholastic Clubs, beginning with Lola Levine ¡No es mala! Monica is the co-author of the Sarai Gonzalez chapter book series, with 12-year-old social activist and “Soy Yo” video star. All four books in the fictional series based on Sarai’s life, Sarai and the Meaning of Awesome, Sarai in the Spotlight, Sarai Saves the Music, and Sarai and the Around the World Fair, are available in English and Spanish editions from Scholastic.

Monica’s books are inspired by her Peruvian and Jewish heritage and desire to bring diverse stories to children.  She is a professor at Northern Arizona University and lives with her family in Arizona. Visit her on the web www.monicabrown.net and http://lolalevine.net and the Sarai series website!  Follow her on Facebook and twitter @monicabrownbks

Listen to Monica on NPR’s All Things Considered

Read Monica’s interview with Julie Danielson “Building Connections with Monica Brown” in Kirkus Reviews

Read Monica’s “The Multiracial Population Is Growing, But Kid Lit Isn’t Keeping Up” in School Library Journal