Brooklyn Book Festival
I consider myself to be a pretty intermediate to advanced level traveler. I’ve been to so many developing countries, chaotic cities, and middle of nowhere icons. With this experience and my formative years spent growing up in New York City, I figured I can handle just about anything on a trip. Well my first trip back to NYC humbled me in many ways. This time I was older and had a one year old in tow. That certainly changes the vibe! We were traveling for 30 days straight. We were SO tired. We were SO depleted. We were so spoiled by the baby friendly city at home. My wishes for a highly productive NYC trip would not come true.
One of the highlights of the NYC trip that did come to fruition was being a part of the Brooklyn Book Festival! Of course there was climate change level flash flooding in NYC the day before it happened which was also the day we arrived into the city. However, the water cleared and the families flooded in to the festival!
Our activity was run by author, Dan Poblocki alongside illustrator Chris Danger and myself. Dan created a mad libs style story for the audience members to fill in the blanks. Along the way, Chris and I illustrated some of their wildly inventive scenes and characters.
After this illustrated story time was over, we signed books!
Of course, my number one fan was excited to get multiple books signed in person since it had been a while. <3
One of the best moments of this day was also when we went to Chipotle after. The burrito bowls had been missed, but the highlight was actually seeing a young girl reading a freshly signed copy of Big Apple Diaries at a table in there. I awkwardly waved to her and her family but she didn’t look up for even a moment. She was totally engrossed in my book, and I love to see it!
My nephew, Alex
Despite our absolute travel chaos, it was really special to be in NYC again
The Best Graphic Novels for Young Readers to Encourage Empathy
I recently wrote this guest article for Shepherd.com and here is a snippet!
Who am I?
As a graphic novel creator and art teacher with years of experience, I understand the importance of introducing serious topics for discussion in an accessible way. My art students of all ages are curious about different subjects, wondering what life is like for others and if their own feelings are normal. Graphic novels are a perfect tool for fostering these discussions. Having been interested in comics as a medium for a long time, I'm thrilled to share this with young audiences and encourage the exploration of diverse perspectives.
I wrote...
Big Apple Diaries
By Alyssa Bermudez
What is my book about?
In Big Apple Diaries, a heartfelt diary-style graphic novel memoir by Alyssa Bermudez, a young New Yorker doodles her way through middle school—until the September 11, 2001, terrorist attack leaves her wondering if she can ever be a kid again.
The books I picked & why
When Stars Are Scattered
By Omar Mohamed, Victoria Jamieson
Why this book?
This book deeply touched me. Through the eyes of a child, it portrays universal emotions of hope, family, and resilience amidst the refugee crisis.
It sheds light on the harsh realities of living in a refugee camp, offering valuable insights into the experiences of displaced families. It's a powerful tool for teaching children about empathy. The ending moved me to tears and prompted me to research and donate to several relevant foundations.
I believe graphic novels possess a unique power to immerse readers in the characters' experiences and emotions. When a child reads When Stars Are Scattered, they step into the world of a refugee camp and gain a new appreciation for everyday necessities.
This graphic novel, based on real people, offers a distinctive storytelling format that can convey silence, body language, and the passage of time in ways other mediums cannot.
Big Apple Diaries is ALAs Best of 2021!
“The Graphic Novels & Comics Round Table is thrilled to introduce the 2021 Best Graphic Novels for Children Reading List. This reading list highlights the best graphic novels for children aged 5 – 12 years old, published in late 2020 and through 2021, and it aims to increase awareness of the graphic novel medium, raise voices of diverse comics creators, and aid library staff in the development of graphic novel collections.”
What an honour to see my very own Big Apple Diaries on this list alongside so many beloved stories.
Older Readers (Grades 5 - 6)
Allergic. Written by Megan Wagner Lloyd. Art by Michelle Mee Nutter. 2021. Scholastic, $12.99 (9781338568905).
Maggie loves animals; however, she learns she is highly allergic to anything with fur or feathers, despite desperately wanting a pet of her own.
Artie and the Wolf Moon. Written by Olivia Stephens. Art by Olivia Stephens. 2021. Graphic Universe, $16.99 (9781541542488).
After discovering that the giant wolf stalking the woods is her mother, Artie is thrust into a new community of werewolves, and the history of her family that has remained unspoken is unearthed along the way.
The Awakening Storm: A Graphic Novel (City of Dragons #1). Written by Jamail Yogis. Art by Vivian Truong. 2021. Graphix, $12.99 (9781338660432).
After moving to Hong Kong with her mom, Grace must get used to everything from learning a new language to making new friends at her fancy boarding school. But when an old lady gifts her a mysterious dragon egg that hatches overnight, Grace will have to deal with a whole new set of problems as evil forces try to harness its power.
Big Apple Diaries. Written by Alyssa Bermudez. Art by Alyssa Bermudez. 2021. Roaring Brook Press, $14.99 (9781250774286).
In this graphic memoir, 12-year-old Alyssa navigates the challenges of the cusp of middle school--grades, friends, a first crush on a cute new classmate, preparing for NYC's complicated middle school application process, her art, working out what it means for her to be Puerto Rican, and splitting time between her mom's and dad's apartments. When the terrorist attacks of 9/11 happen, the collective loss puts everything else in stark perspective, and Alyssa tries to figure out if she can still find a way to be a kid and find purpose and meaning amidst the destruction.
Black Heroes of the Wild West. Written by James Otis Smith. Art by James Otis Smith. 2020. Toon Graphics, $16.95 (9781943145522).
A short history of Black Americans who were extraordinary individuals who lived incredible lives in the Wild West. Mary Fields was born a slave who became a stagecoach driver. Bass Reeves, was the first Black Deputy US Marshal, and Bob Lemmons was amazing with horses.
Bounce Back. Written by Mikaso Rocks. Art by Mikaso Rocks. 2021. Feiwel and Friends, $12.99 (9781250806291).
Lilico must move to America from Japan right before her basketball team's finals, and her new home is not so welcoming. The mean girls in her grade don't want her on their team or in their class.
Class Act. Written by Jerry Craft. Art by Jerry Craft. 2020. Quill Tree Books, $22.99 (9780062885500).
Drew Ellis feels as if he works twice as hard as some of the kids at Riverdale Academy Day School but doesn’t get the same opportunities in life.
The Dragon Path. Written by Ethan Young. Art by Ethan Young. 2021. Graphix, $12.99 (9781338363296).
Eager for adventure, Prince Sing of the Wong Clan, journeys with his clan to the Old Land in order to have a better life.
The Ghoul Next Door. Written by Cullen Bunn. Art by Cat Farris. 2021. HarperAlley, $12.99 (9780062896094).
Eleven-year-old Grey has a run in with the mysterious ghouls of his New England town. His new friend Lavinia knows tons about local history but will their unlikely bond cause problems for the living residents of Anders Landing?
The Girl from the Sea. Written by Molly Knox Ostertag. Art by Molly Knox Ostertag. 2021. Graphix, $22.49 (9781338540574).
Morgan's life has changed a lot in the past few years. Dealing with her parent's divorce, a little brother who is angry, the dynamic of her friendship with her friends changing, and a secret she is trying to hide, Morgan learns how important it is to trust your friends and love your family.
History Comics: The American Bison: The Buffalo's Survival Tale. Written by Andy Hirsch. Art by Andy Hirsch. 2021. First Second, $19.99 (9781250265838).
Learn all about the American Bison, the last of North America's megafauna and its near extinction as part of the genocidal Native American Wars and its recovery from the brink.
History Comics: The Wild Mustang: Horses of the American West. Written by Chris Duffy. Art by Falynn Koch. 2021. First Second, $19.99 (9781250174277).
Join two prehistoric horses as they explore the history or wild horses in America.
Hooky. Written by Miriam Bonastre Tur. Art by Miriam Bonastre Tur. 2021. Etch/Clarion Books, $24.99 (9780358468301).
Dani and Dorian miss their bus to magic school and don't want to disappoint their exacting parents, so they begin a wild ride of trying to find another place to learn magic. Learning under their aunt leads to them becoming wanted fugitives, so they land in an inconspicuous town with a jealous errand boy, a welcoming soothsayer, and a cute waiter.
Horse Trouble. Written by Kristin Varner. Art by Kristin Varner. 2021. First Second, $12.99 (9781250225887).
Kate loves being around horses, even though her horseback riding skills are less than amazing. But how will she navigate the snide comments of other girls in the stable without her best friend to have her back?
Jo & Rus. Written by Audra Winslow. Art by Audra Winslow. 2021. KaBOOM!, $12.99 (9781684156108).
Two unlikely friends find each other with the help of a mysterious one-eyed cat.
Jukebox. Written by Nidhi Chanani. Art by Nidhi Chanani. 2021. First Second, $14.99 (9781250156372).
Shaheen's dad lives in his own world of vintage and rare vinyl collecting, and every moment of her life has a soundtrack. When her dad does not come home one night, a mysterious Jukebox, old vinyl records, and cryptic notes on music history are her only clues to her father's abrupt disappearance.
Just Pretend. Written by Tori Sharp. Art by Tori Sharp. 2021. Little Brown Books for Young Readers, $24.99 (9780316538855).
Tori’s life has big changes as she enters 8th grade.
The Leak. Written by Katie Reed Petty. Art by Andrea Bell. 2021. First Second, $14.99 (9781250217967).
12- year-old Ruth Keller is an aspiring journalist who finds a mysterious black substance at the local lake.
The Legend of Auntie Po. Written by Shing Yin Khor. Art by Shing Yin Khor. Kokila, $22.99 (9780525554882).
A historical look at life for a young Chinese-American girl working at a western logging camp of the late 1800s, but also a magical dive into how stories and our imaginings of heroes shape the way we view the world.
Living with Viola. Written by Rosena Fung. Art by Rosena Fung. 2021. Annick Press, $22.95 (9781773215495).
Livy's anxiety manifests as a shadowy twin named Viola who criticizes her as she moves to a new school, makes new friends, and deals with the pressure of being the child of immigrants.
Miles Morales: Shock Waves. Written by Justin A. Reynolds. Art by Pablo Leon. 2021. Graphix, $24.99 (9781338648041).
Miles is struggling to balance school, his personal and family life, and the demands of being Spider-man, when an earthquake in his mother's beloved home of Puerto Rico upsets the delicate balance.
The Okay Witch and the Hungry Shadow. Written by Emma Steinkellner. Art by Emma Steinkellner. 2021. Aladdin, $12.99 (9781534431485).
Moth is learning about being a witch, but her mom won't teach her any good spells, especially ones that would fix some of her problems.
The Queen’s Favorite Witch, Book 1: The Wheel of Fortune. Written by Benjamin Dickson. Art by Rachel Smith. 2021. Papercutz, $14.99 (9781545807217).
It's 1563, and nefarious plots are swirling around Queen Elizabeth I, who is newly in need of a royal witch. Meanwhile, young witch Daisy is desperate to get out of her village and do more than sell potions at the market, so she runs away from home to apply for the position.
Séance Tea Party. Written by Reimena Yee. Art by Reimena Yee. 2020. Penguin Random House, $20.99 (9780593125328).
Lora is a middle school late bloomer who feels left behind by her friends until she is reunited with a ghostly companion from the past.
Shark Summer. Written by Ira Marcks. Art by Ira Marcks. 2021. Little Brown Books for Young Readers, $24.99 (9780316461443).
Gayle, dealing with a disastrous softball season, is spending her first summer on Martha's Vineyard. A Hollywood film crew is filming a movie on the island over the summer and is hosting a youth film contest. Gayle meets Elijah and Maddie and between the three they set out to discover the
truth behind the island's own sea monster and win the prize money.
Sue & Tai-chan #1. Written by Konami Kanata. Art by Konami Kanata. Translated by Melissa Tanaka. 2020. Kondasha, $12.99 (9781632369390).
Sue is an elderly cat enjoying her feline years in relative solitude and peace, when suddenly rambunctious kitten Tai-chan comes along, wreaking havoc to her household.
Tell No Tales: Pirates of the Southern Seas. Written by Sam Maggs. Art by Kendra Wells. 2021. Amulet Books, $21.99 (9781419739668).
Anne Bonny and her crew of female pirates sail the Caribbean, seeking adventure and stealing treasure.
Tidesong. Written by Wendy Xu. Art by Wendy Xu. 2021. Quill Tree Books, $12.99 (9780062955791).
A 12-year-old girl named Sophie is sent to live with her aunt to study hard at magic and gain entry to a prestigious school of magic.
Thank you so so much.
Bookish Gift Pairings
What would you pair with these books?
I had some fun brainstorming for this. If you have already read these books, my selections will make more sense. I think thoughtfully picked books are the best gifts, but it is even more fabulous when you can experience an activity that engages you in the story even more.
I am also thinking hair clips and favorite band posters!
These gifts are all more fun with friends too
Lucia The Luchadora And The Million Masks takes place at the mercado, so that feels like the perfect place to find a Lucia gift pairing. My friend and I spent a whole weekend making our own Lucia costume, so this leads well into a craft activity.
My Singing Nana has all of the beautiful details of a Mexican American Abuela. I wish I had all of the beautiful Talavera inspired kitchenware and other objects that remind you of your own Nana’s recipes.
I hope everyone has a beautiful Holiday season.
xo Alyssa
Big Apple Diaries Buzz Part 2
I love seeing what people are saying about Big Apple Diaries, but I especially love to hear what kids are saying! Here are some snippets that I highlighted as well as editorial reviews:
I love Naomi’s accompanying drawing.
So accurate.
Click through to read the full review
Click through to read full review
Click through to read the full review
Click through to read the full review.
Click through to read the full review
Click through to read the full review
BBC Interview Worldwide
I cannot believe that me and my little comic book were recently featured on BBC News around the globe. What?! Here is a collection of it translated into other languages. I was interviewed for about an hour or so virtually and then it was edited into this really lovely video which incorporates my book, words, reflections, pictures from childhood, and more.
English:
Hindi:
Indonesian:
English:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-us-canada-58496145
Vietnamese:
https://www.bbc.com/vietnamese/media-58477695
Serbian:
https://www.bbc.com/serbian/lat/svet-58488225
Chinese:
https://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/simp/world-58475207
Indonesian:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79ziLtHxmtY
Hindi:
https://www.facebook.com/BBCnewsHindi/videos/329412558870091
Urdu:
https://www.facebook.com/bbcurdu/videos/425107372390022
Telugu:
https://twitter.com/bbcnewstelugu/status/1435898665118302209?s=20
HOW COOL
Big Apple Diaries Debut Buzz
This has been a crazy time. I wanted to remember and gather some of the launch time memories, articles and more.
My husband’s family showed up to pizza night celebration of Big Apple Diaries wearing some custom crafted t-shirts. <3
Big Apple Diaries Featured on BBC News Worldwide:
Honestly this is so insane I have a whole separate blog post about the BBC interview.
Comics Creator Chat - Memoirs - First Second Live on Instagram:
This was an amazing opportunity to talk face to face with other graphic memoir creators. So cool!
So cool talking to fellow memoirists.
Creator Chat with ALIA Graphic
ALIA Graphic Novels and Comics is intended to be a resource and network for library and information professionals who are responsible for and/or interested in comics and graphic novels. The group aims to support library staff interested in all aspects of collection development, advocacy and programming related to graphic novels and comics.
Official Launch with Word Up Community Bookstore:
Word Up is a multilingual, general-interest community bookshop and arts space in Washington Heights, New York City, committed to preserving and building a neighborhood in which all residents help each other to live better informed and more expressive lives, using books as an instrument of reciprocal education and exchange, empowering not only themselves, but their community.
Chatting with Remy Lai
Story Time: 9/11 20th Anniversary Kids Panel with Greenlight Books:
This event in particular felt very important, as it was commemorating the 20th anniversary of 9/11. It was a huge honor to discuss this with other amazing creators from various backgrounds and perspectives.
All of us!
My number one fan in Brooklyn tuning in.
A peek into one of my school visits this month:
I visited Claremont College and Sacred Heart Geeveston. It was just amazing and the questions and comments will stick with me for a long time.
Reviews and Media Collection:
As seen in BBC Worldwide: 9/11 attacks: ‘I saw the world as a scary place for the first time’
As seen in Shelf Awareness: “In this diary-style graphic memoir, a Puerto Rican middle schooler in New York City documents her embarrassments, joys and sorrows in genuine, comedic and moving cartoon-embellished entries.”
ABC Hobart Radio Interview - Reliving a Childhood during September 11
As seen in The Manhattan Mercury: “Alyssa Bermudez bases “Big Apple Diaries” on her own diaries of growing up in New York, so her graphic memoir accessibly blends the trauma of 9/11 with the ups and downs of everyday life.”
As seen in The Queens Public Library - 9/11 Reading Recommendations and Resources for Discussion with Children
As seen in San Francisco Chronicle Datebook Review: “Reconstructed from the author’s own memories, this disarming graphic novel grafts optimism onto tragedy to plot the path forward.”
An interview with Fuse 8, A School Library Journal Blog by Elizabeth Bird
As seen in School Library Journal, “Educators seeking firsthand accounts of 9/11 will want to share this with their students, while middle graders looking for an engrossing graphic novel in the vein of Raina Telgemeier’s or Shannon Hale’s work will be pleased.”
As seen in Kirkus Reviews, “An authentic and moving time capsule of middle school angst, trauma, and joy.”
As seen in Publishers Weekly, “Combining eye-catching layouts with frank vulnerability … Bermudez puts her whole heart on the page, and the love she holds for her younger self can be deeply felt in every entry.”
As seen in Sequential Tart, “Super great stuff -- good for some history and points of view and ... a journal of just growing up.”
As seen in A Mighty Girl, We Remember: Children’s Books About 9/11 for the 20th Anniversary of the Terrorist Attacks
As seen in Reading Middle Grade, 52 Best Middle-Grade Graphic Novels, Review Here
As seen in No Flying No Tights
Guest Article for The Children’s Book Review - Illustration Inspiration
Junior Library Guild Gold Standard!
Today I got some really great news! Big Apple Diaries is a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection. That means they have placed a big fat order in advance and my book will be in the hands of so many more library readers across the US.
Today, JLG is the leading book review and collection development service that helps thousands of K12 school and public libraries acquire the best new children’s and young adult books. Our mission still follows editorial board member Eleanor Roosevelt’s mantra to put the right book in the hands of every reader–fostering the love of reading and learning as a path to lifelong success. https://www.juniorlibraryguild.com/about-us/
We Laugh Alike Juntos Nos Reimos Peek!
This week I received my sample copy of We Laugh Alike Juntos Nos Reimos in the mail from the publisher, Charlesbridge. I was so excited to see it in person! A lot of love went into creating these pictures and I hope future readers will enjoy them.
This book debuts April 2021 and is available for pre-orders anywhere books are sold! I can’t wait to hear what you think!
If you’d like to see a bit more of the illustration process for We Laugh Alike, check out this other video:
Self Motivating During a Global Pandemic...
2020… The year I went FULL-TIME freelance. Wow, what timing!
The pandemic has changed my life completely, but not in the most visible ways. At the end of 2019, I was transitioning into full-time freelance work, so typical office life was already gradually disappearing. I was riding on the high of starting to work on my dream project, a graphic novel that would take up most of 2020. I moved into a local co-working space in February 2020 as I’ve learned in the past that I don’t do my best work at home. By mid-March, I was back in my home studio where all of the reasons that working from home doesn’t work for me escalated. Feeling isolated, stuck, and separated from my mom was of course never the plan.
I think everyone went through some kind of baking phase. I busted out Lucy Knisley’s book, Relish, and tested out the “Best Chocolate Chip Cookies” recipe among many others.
I was also scheduled to go on tour with Terrapin for all of April and May in China and Japan for the children’s theater show that I was a part of in October 2019. I would be working on my graphic novel during the day and drawing live in the children’s show in the evenings. With all travel and shows being cancelled worldwide, it was, fortunately, the only big financial hit for me.
During the lowest times in the pandemic, my life still looked the same from the outside. I was still working on my huge graphic novel project and a picture book which I felt extremely lucky to have been contracted for in 2020. The huge project, Big Apple Diaries, takes place in New York City before and after September 11, 2001. It was surreal to try and capture the essence of the city recovering from that shock at the same time the city was suffering again two decades later. A lot of the same themes were there - fear of the unknown, lost loved ones, and the strange mutual understanding that everyone has. Somehow the diaries I wrote when I was twelve have financially supported me twenty years later when the world is in crisis.
Small panel in Big Apple Diaries that suits the mood, watching the world crumble.
Self soothing activities during lockdown included Animal Crossing and an ongoing Catan tournament with our housemates who live downstairs. (My score has greatly improved since this photo was taken.)
I honestly don’t know how I would deal with 2020 without dogs…
Starting full-time freelance in 2020 has been intense because it feels impossible at times to self motivate when the world and everyone you know is hurting in some way. I somehow found myself in 2020 with a contracted job to do, without kids to worry about, with universal healthcare, extreme covid restrictions which led to zero covid around me, food on the table and much more to be extremely grateful for. It’s the non-visible stuff that has changed - the wondering, worrying, news refreshing, social activism-ing, and more. I started collecting some images in a “Pandemic” folder as a form of memory keeping in hopes that one day I can come back to make something out of it. At the moment it is still too ongoing and raw. My mom is still in New York in her own covid fatigue chaos.
My sketchbook reserved for “travel only” had to be used at some point this year when we were finally able to “travel” within Tasmania again. We drove four hours north to Derby, a mountain biking haven. Living on an island closed off to the rest of the country and world has been a blessing and a bit scary… mostly a blessing though.
A pretty great place to be isolated.
Binalong Bay Area, Tasmania - another pretty amazing place to be isolated.
In many ways, living in Australia this year has also put me in an incredible advantageous point to self-motivating for book work. In June I was able to move back into my co-working space and life has mostly resumed to relatively normal capacity. The worries and fatigue are still there as I look to all of my friends and family in the US. I am honestly not sure if either of my books would have been completed if I was still stuck at home and worried at the same time. For all of the other sensitive artistic souls teetering on the edges of poor mental health in the best of times, I don’t know how you do it!
Behind the Scenes - Graphic Novels
Hey friends! If you are interested in knowing what goes on behind the scenes of graphic novel making, my friend Josh and I have you covered! Below you can see our combined discussion and then underneath that the full conversation. Everyone works differently, but the storytelling is at the heart of it all!
Here is the full chat:
Back to work, folks!
Latinx Heritage Month- Sneak Peek!
With Latinx Heritage Month 2020 here, I wanted to share this special sequence in my forthcoming book, Big Apple Diaries, where Little A (me) is questioning her own identity with heritage. It’s based on a real trip to El Museo del Barrio that my dad and I took together. I still have the Taino hat he bought that day from the museum shop!
Winter Dance 2001
Almost twenty years ago… I was 12 and had a very big crush. Everyone knew I had a crush on him too including our teachers and families.
One of the scenes in my forthcoming graphic novel, Big Apple Diaries, takes place at the school dance. It is based on a real dance that took place all of those years ago. I did in fact write about it in my diary too.
The format is different here to the actual book. Stay tuned for Big Apple Diaries in 2021! - all of the BIG feelings included.
Here is an actual photo from that night— ::CRINGE::
Lucia The Luchadora Merchandise
Just dropped! Lucia The Luchadora Merchandise!
Lucia The Luchadora has been on so many reading lists this year, and I am thrilled that families around the world are still enjoying the story so much and sharing it with friends.
In addition to coloring pages, activity books and a DIY luchadora mask… I am excited to share some cute new products on Redbubble and Society6. (They are shipped from your closest shipping location, not here in Tasmania.)
Here are some of my favorites so far. Click below each set to see where you can buy them! Society6 has more of the cute furniture items and Redbubble has the better clothing options in my opinion.
Let me know which ones are your favorites!
Consistency in a series from an illustrator’s perspective.
As an illustrator, it is my job to create the images that help enrich books for children. When I first receive the text for a story, my initial process involves reading it over and over again. I sit, lay, walk and drive with the text in my mind for a period of time to start putting together a visual narrative. This visual narrative is inspired by the text of course, but it also goes beyond that. It is a non verbal language that adds another layer to the story that the text doesn’t explicitly say. This perfect combination of text and additional narrative is the great achievement than any children’s illustrator strives for.
After the initial stage, I start imagining the characters and the world they live in. For the Lucia The Luchadora series, their family heritage was front and centre for me as I began the process of their visual depiction. I set out to find cultural references and colours to inspire their world. For the Amelia Chamelia series, I tried to figure out how to make her stand out yet also be relatable to other eight year old Australian girls. Before any pencils hit paper, a lot of research and thought was involved. I feel as though I truly know the characters before I start to draw them.
To provide consistency to these characters across multiple pages and books is a unique challenge as well. While they need to look like the same person with the same proportions, their body language and emotional range needs to be as diverse as the readers themselves.
Amelia Chamelia faces a huge challenge of public speaking when her teacher assigns her the role of narrator in the school play. Her best friend Willow also faces a fear of heights during the school swimming test. Portraying these very real emotions in visual form can help engage early readers along the journey.
Creating consistency in style can be an interesting challenge too, especially when illustrating a series. Lucia the Luchadora set the style for the sequel, but I still tried to introduce new colours and characters into the culturally rich world they live in. Amelia Chamelia is simple black and white interior illustrations, so even though the artistic style doesn’t change throughout, the characters and expressions are diverse.
Each book is an exciting opportunity to explore style, consistency and nuance of character for visual storytelling. An illustrator’s work is never over! Stay tuned for more of my illustrated books coming soon including My Singing Nana!
Appearances & Events!
Upcoming Event in Hobart!
So much has happened this year and so many projects are coming! For now, the best way to hear about them all is on Instagram (@bermudezbahama) and Facebook (click here) OR if you are in Hobart, come to our SCBWI event. I will be talking about all of the projects, pathways and more.
The Eyebrow Incident
Dear Diary, So this week started off like a nightmare. I was just SO mad at my face…
I am working on a full manuscript these days for Big Apple Diaries, which is based on my experiences and diary entries from 7th grade. I recently read this diary entry aloud at a Hobart event, Read To Me:
Yes, I did shave my eyebrows like that in 7th grade.
Australian Book Week 2018
School visits and another real life Lucia The Luchadora.. or two
Last week was the CBCA's Australian National Book Week 2018. The theme was Finding Your Treasure. During this time schools, libraries, booksellers, authors, illustrators and children celebrate Australian children's literature and you will often see children's book character parades and talented librarians creating amazing displays. Many of my art students came in costume to class - it seems to be taken more seriously than American Halloween! Book week is also when the annual awards are announced for Australian Book of the Year.
I had the pleasure of seeing a lovely little Kindergarten student dressed as Lucia The Luchadora again. It reminded me of last year when there was another little blonde Lucia at book week who SWORE she looked exactly like the real version with one exception -- she didn't have green shoelaces. I didn't even remember that I created green shoelaces for the character, but this little girl did. It was beautiful to see that this girl had no idea that her and Lucia might have come from completely different cultural backgrounds.
I also made my debut into schools! I spent a lovely day at St. James College in Cygnet where I presented Behind The Scenes of Picture Book Illustration to grades Prep-6. The students were so engaged and ran up to me all day with Thank You's and to show off their Luchadora crafts that they made after. One kid apparently saw me in the library wearing my cape and ran to another kid saying, "OMG the REAL Lucia The Luchadora is here!"
Mid day coffee break!
I also had the pleasure of showing some of the younger kids what the sequel looks like! They were SO excited to be the first kids ever to get a peek of the next Luchadora.
I also visited Moonah Primary school where I presented and did some drawing with the 3rd and 4th graders.
They all created superhero characters and I was so impressed with their enthusiasm and creativity! Now that I have broken the ice, I will certainly be open to more school visits in future!
Send an email to alyssa.bermudez@gmail.com if you are interested in me visiting your school in person or via Skype!
Until next time, Book Week!
Lucia The Luchadora and The Million Masks Cover Reveal!
It's reveal time!
The moment you have all been waiting for! Lucia's return! It's been so exciting bringing Lucia and her family to life in pictures once again, this time introducing her little sister Gemma. Debuts October 9th, 2018 - We have a few months to go, but the anticipation starts now! Written by Cynthia Leonor Garza, published by POW! Kids. Click here to pre-order.
The cover will look something closely related to this!
Lucia The Luchadora was chosen as picture book cover of the year in 2017! It's pretty impossible to top that, so I went back and forth on so many different color schemes and designs. Some of them were a bit too scary! This story takes place for the most part at the Mercado. Abuela had a great idea once again and you'll have to read the rest to find out what adventures take place when they get there! I hope that old and new Lucia fans can enjoy this next part of their story.
Getting into some trouble at the lucha mask stall
The sounds of the mercado!
I was a little late in the game to watch the Pixar movie Coco, but it is so inspirational to see such beautiful art direction in a movie with Mexican culture. I actually watched it for the first time a few days after finishing all of the artwork for this book. My heart did a little flip seeing El Santo in it! Stay tuned in Lucia The Luchadora And The Million Masks to meet another very famous Lucha Libre star.
Hearing about your experience with Lucia The Luchadora is so meaningful to us, so continue sharing your stories and spread the love! #luciatheluchadora
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Lucia The Luchadora and The Million Masks!
I just wanted to share some in progress work for the sequel to Lucia The Luchadora! Abu still has excellent advice for both Lucia and her little sister Gemma.
