Juana Martinez-Neal

Peruvian American children's book author and illustrator

Juana Martinez-Neal
Juana Martinez-Neal in 2016
Born	Lima, Peru
Occupation	Children's author, illustrator
Nationality	American, Peruvian
Genre	Children's fantasy
Relatives	Victor Martínez Gómez (father), Victor Martinez Malaga (grandfather)
Website
juanamartinezneal.com

Juana Martinez-Neal is a Peruvian American children's book author and illustrator. Her debut book as an author and illustrator, Alma and How She Got Her Name, was well reviewed and won a 2019 Caldecott Honor.

Biography

Juana Martinez-Neal grew up in Lima, Peru.^[1] Growing up she hoped to be a painter, like her father and grandfather, as the profession of illustrator was not common in Peru.^[2]^[3] She moved to the United States in her mid-20s.^[1] After having children of her own she decided to become an author and illustrator of children's books.^[2] She now lives in Connecticut, with her husband and three children.^[4]

Bibliography

As Writer and Illustrator

Alma and How She Got Her Name, Candlewick Press, 2018 ISBN 978-0-7636-9355-8
Alma y cómo obtuvo su nombre, Candlewick Press, 2018 ISBN 978-0-7636-9358-9
Zonia's Rainforest, Candlewick Press, 2021 ISBN 978-1-5362-0845-0 ^[5]
La selva de Zonia, Candlewick Press, 2021 ISBN 978-1-5362-1336-2 ^[6]

As Illustrator

La Madre Goose, written by Susan Middleton Elya, Putnam, 2016 ISBN 978-0-399-25157-3
La Princesa and the Pea, written by Susan Middleton Elya, Putnam, 2017 ISBN 978-0-399-25156-6
Babymoon, written by Hayley Barrett, Candlewick Press, 2019 ISBN 978-0-763-68852-3
Fry Bread, written by Kevin Noble Maillard, Roaring Brook Press, 2019 ISBN 978-1-626-72746-5
Swashby and the Sea, written by Beth Ferry, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2020 ISBN 978-0-544-70737-5
Tomatoes for Neela, written by Padma Lakshmi, Viking Children's Books, 2021 ISBN 978-0-593-20270-8
A Perfect Fit, written by Mara Rockliff, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2022 ISBN 978-0-358-12543-3
I Don't Care, written by Julie Fogliano, illustrated by Molly Idle and Juana Martinez-Neal, Neal Porter Books-Holiday House, 2022 (Forthcoming) ISBN 978-0-8234-4345-1^[7]

Awards and honors

2018 Pura Belpré Illustrator Winner – La Princesa and the Pea^[8]
2019 Caldecott Honor – Alma and How She Got Her Name^[9]
2019 Ezra Jack Keats Award Writer Honor – Alma and How She Got Her Name”^[10]
2020 Sibert Medal – Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story^[11]

References

^ ^a ^b "Author Interview with Juana Martinez-Neal". CBC Diversity. March 2018. Retrieved July 8, 2019.
^ ^a ^b Grabarek, Daryl. "What's in a Name? A Conversation With Juana Martinez-Neal". School Library Journal. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
^ Sorell, Traci (May 7, 2018). "Pura Belpré Award Winner & New Voice: Juana Martinez-Neal on Alma and How She Got Her Name". Cynsations. Retrieved July 8, 2019.
^ "About Juana - The Creator". Juana Martinez-Neal. March 2018. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
^ "Candlewick Press - Catalog".
^ "Candlewick Press - Catalog".
^ "Published Work". juanamartinezneal.com. Juana Martinez-Neal. March 11, 2022. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
^ "Juana Martinez-Neal, Ruth Behar win Pura Belpré Awards". News and Press Center. February 12, 2018. Retrieved June 28, 2019.
^ "Welcome to the Caldecott Medal Home Page!". Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC). Archived from the original on April 1, 2019. Retrieved April 24, 2019.
^ "Images from the 2019 Ezra Jack Keats Award Ceremony – Children's Book Council". The Children's Book Council. April 22, 2019. Retrieved June 4, 2019.
^ "Welcome to the Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal home page!". March 25, 2021.