Today we are very excited to share an interview with Author Alexandra Alessandri (Grow Up, Luchy Zapata)!
Meet the Author: Alexandra Alessandri
Alexandra Alessandri is the author of several books for children, including Feliz New Year, Ava Gabriela!, Isabel and Her Colores Go to School, The Enchanted Life of Valentina Mejía, Our World: Colombia, Lupita’s Hurricane Palomitas, and Grow Up, Luchy Zapata, which is a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection. Her books have gone on to receive numerous distinctions, including the Florida Book Award, International Latino Book Award, Américas Award Commendable Title, and the ILA 2022 Children’s and Young Adults’ Book Award in Primary Fiction. The daughter of Colombian immigrants, she is also an educator, a writer for Curriculum Associates, and a poet. Alexandra lives in Florida with her husband and son.
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About the Book: Grow Up, Luchy Zapata
A funny, relatable middle school drama about two Colombian American girls who have always been BFFs—until sixth grade turns everything upside down.
Luchy Zapata is starting middle school, and she’s muy excited. She and her two best friends, Cami and Mateo, will finally be at the same school. Luchy and Mateo will be in art class together, and she and Cami can try out for the same soccer team! As long as they’re all together, Luchy can handle anything.
But Cami has been acting weird ever since she got back from visiting family in Colombia. She’s making new, “cool” friends who just seem mean. And suddenly, everything about Luchy and Mateo is too immature for her.
Luchy is determined to help Cami remember how special their friendship is. They’ve been BFFs their whole lives, and that can’t just disappear in a poof of glitter! But…what if Cami doesn’t even want to be friends anymore?
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~Author Chat~
YABC: What gave you the inspiration to write this book?
The origins of this story began as my son finished fifth grade and embarked on his middle school journey. As I lived through those moments with him, navigating the messy feelings of excitement, fear, and anticipation—and later, as I watched him navigate hallways, teachers, and friendships—I couldn’t help but remember my own experiences. When he went through a friendship breakup, I remembered my own painful one in 5th grade from a friend I’d had since I was two; like Luchy, I was ditched for the “cool” kids when my BFF finally came to my school. As he flourished in his band elective, I remembered my middle school art class and the bullying I experienced there. As I heard about who-likes-whom and who’s-talking-to-whom, I remembered what it was like during my middle school years thirty-some years ago. Slowly, as I wrote down what I was witnessing and remembering, Luchy jumped onto the page with the strongest and snazziest voice I’ve experienced thus far in my writing career!
YABC: Who is your favorite character in the book?
Luchy! She is so like my son and me in many ways, but she’s also wholly unique and her own character. She’s so much more confident in herself than I ever was at her age, and I admire her determination to stay true to who she is. But I also have a super soft spot for her BFFs Cami and Mateo.
YABC: What research did you do to write this book?
While a lot of the book is drawn from lived experiences and knowledge acquired from my own culture, visits to Colombia, and education (my MA thesis was on magical realism in literature!), I did have to do some research into art references and techniques, including the use magical realism in art as well as what art education in middle school looks like today in Miami. Huge thanks to the real Mrs. Fernandez who answered all my questions about her lessons and who gave me a glimpse into her classroom!
YABC: How do you keep your ‘voice’ true to the age category you are writing within?
When I begin brainstorming a new story, I read a lot in the age category in which I’m writing, i.e. when I’m writing middle grade, I read tons of middle grade novels—especially those in similar genres. Since I write across multiple age categories, this has become important for me to refocus my voice and style for that particular project. But also! I observe kids in the age group in question. For Grow Up, Luchy Zapata, my son, his friends, and his classmates were a wonderful resource for staying true to their voices. I volunteered often at his school, and I hung out with him and his friends. This provided ample inspiration for the middle school voice. Now that he’s older and entering senior year of high school, the kids of friends and family members, as well as school visits, provide that wonderful opportunity to observe and interact with students who are younger.
YABC: What is your favorite writing space?
My favorite writing space hands down is my hammock in my backyard—weather permitting. Because of my chronic pain, I find it hard to sit for extended periods of time, so the hammock helps me be more effective with my writing time. But I also love being outdoors; it’s incredibly healing for me, so writing in my hammock is both productive and soothing.
YABC: How do you plan to celebrate the launch of your book?
Luchy is such a foodie, so I have plans to celebrate with some of my favorite Colombian treats on the day she releases. I’m also asking readers and friends to share their favorite middle school photos of themselves on social media with the hashtag #GrowUpLuchyZapata, to help Luchy survive 6th grade. Be on the lookout for pics of me in all my middle school glory! And, I have an in-person launch at my local indie Books & Books on Saturday, July 27 in Coral Gables, FL at 6 pm.
YABC: What hobbies do you enjoy?
When I’m not writing, I enjoy other creative pursuits, like doodling/drawing, music, photography, crafts, and baking. I also really love traveling with my family.
YABC: What do you do when you procrastinate?
When I’m burnt out, I have a habit of procrastinating by binge watching The Voice or AGT. Or I start baking.
YABC: What’s up next for you?
Up next, I have a short story about a girl who emerges from grief and battles with fibromyalgia to discover how to love herself and life again in the anthology All the Love Under the Vast Sky, a collection of short stories in verse surrounding the theme of love. So many rockstar authors are in this anthology, edited by Kip Wilson—look for it on January 14, 2025! I also have an unannounced picture book set to release in 2026 that I’m super excited about. Like with my current books, these two are also deeply inspired by my lived experiences, including my own journey with fibromyalgia.
Title: Grow Up, Luchy Zapata
Author: Alexandra Alessandri
Illustrator: N/A (cover illustration by Rose Bousamra)
Release Date: July 23, 2024
Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Genre: Middle Grade Contemporary
Age Range: 8-12
