Juana Martinez-Neal Explained

Juana Martinez-Neal
Birth Place:	Lima, Peru
Occupation:	Children's author, illustrator
Nationality:	American, Peruvian
Genre:	Children's fantasy
Relatives:	Victor Martínez Gómez (father), Victor Martinez Malaga (grandfather)

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. After having children of her own she decided to become an author and illustrator of children's books. 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
• Alma y cómo obtuvo su nombre, Candlewick Press, 2018
• Zonia's Rainforest, Candlewick Press, 2021 ^[5]
• La selva de Zonia, Candlewick Press, 2021 ^[6]

As Illustrator

• La Madre Goose, written by Susan Middleton Elya, Putnam, 2016
• La Princesa and the Pea, written by Susan Middleton Elya, Putnam, 2017
• Babymoon, written by Hayley Barrett, Candlewick Press, 2019
• Fry Bread, written by Kevin Noble Maillard, Roaring Brook Press, 2019
• Swashby and the Sea, written by Beth Ferry, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2020
• Tomatoes for Neela, written by Padma Lakshmi, Viking Children's Books, 2021
• A Perfect Fit, written by Mara Rockliff, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2022
• I Don't Care, written by Julie Fogliano, illustrated by Molly Idle and Juana Martinez-Neal, Neal Porter Books-Holiday House, 2022 (Forthcoming) ^[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]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Author Interview with Juana Martinez-Neal. March 2018. CBC Diversity. 2019-07-08.
2. Web site: What's in a Name? A Conversation With Juana Martinez-Neal. Grabarek. Daryl. School Library Journal. 2019-06-21.
3. Web site: Pura Belpré Award Winner & New Voice: Juana Martinez-Neal on Alma and How She Got Her Name. Sorell. Traci. 2018-05-07. Cynsations. en-US. 2019-07-08.
4. Web site: About Juana - The Creator. March 2018. Juana Martinez-Neal. 2023-04-10.
5. Web site: Candlewick Press - Catalog .
6. Web site: Candlewick Press - Catalog .
7. Web site: Published Work. juanamartinezneal.com. March 11, 2022. Juana Martinez-Neal. 17 October 2022.
8. Web site: Juana Martinez-Neal, Ruth Behar win Pura Belpré Awards. 2018-02-12. News and Press Center. en. 2019-06-28.
9. Web site: Welcome to the Caldecott Medal Home Page!. Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC). https://web.archive.org/web/20190401200911/http://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/caldecottmedal/caldecottmedal. 2019-04-01. 2019-04-24.
10. Web site: Images from the 2019 Ezra Jack Keats Award Ceremony – Children's Book Council. 2019-04-22. The Children's Book Council. 2019-06-04.
11. Web site: Welcome to the Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal home page!. March 25, 2021 .