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I was born and raised in Puerto Rico. My magical island instilled in me the love of and pride in the Latino culture and Spanish language. My parents were from Argentina, and my grandma was from Uruguay. I studied art in Paris. One day I married the son of a Cuban and came to live on the mainland.
In 1985, with our first baby in my arms, I longed for a collection of songs like the ones I grew up with. A songbook in español. I could not find the one to borrow or buy in the US, so I created my own. Published as Arroz con Leche: Popular Songs and Rhymes from Latin America, this collection has been in print for over thirty years! I love to celebrate all things Latino in my work. I write in both English and español, and I illustrate my own work as well as the work of others. I’m proud to have illustrated Justice Sonia Sotomayor’s autobiography Turning Pages. Today, I have forty-three titles to my name.
Ever since I was little I’ve loved to draw, but it's not the only thing I liked to do. I also loved to observe bugs, catch butterflies, and examine leaves and flowers. I began to garden in my teens, and in my previous home I planted and nurtured seventy-five different species of plants!
Today I love to travel to meet new people and explore other cultures. I garden on a roof terrace. And I can’t go to bed without having a small piece of dark chocolate with a cup of perfumed tea.
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