Mami’s Magic Words
Written by Kiara Valdez
Illustrated by Richy Sánchez Ayala
Published by Viking Books for Young Readers
Words are like magia—magic!
When her Spanish teacher asks the class to share the words that spark the most magic for them, Karena knows exactly what’s at the top of her list:
¡Poloché!
But when she’s told that it’s not a real word, she’s thrown for a loop. Her mami said it just that morning, whispered under her breath like a spell to make every wrinkle in Karena’s shirt disappear. So begins her mission to prove that there is more to language than what can be found in a dictionary. After all, her mami’s words are full of love and memory—what could be more magical than that?
Kiara Valdez’s singular text and Richy Sánchez Ayala’s vibrant illustrations celebrate the different ways that families keep language alive by bringing their own history and traditions to the table.
Primary ISBN: 9780593691106
Publication Date: April 2026
Available As: Hardcover, eBook
Picture Book, Age 04 or older
Community Represented: Dominican/Dominican American
Themes: Cultural Empowerment, Cultural Empowerment & Joy: Family, Cultural Empowerment & Joy: Identity, Cultural Empowerment & Joy: Storytelling, Discrimination: Language Ability, Family Relationship: Parents, Identity: Multilingual, Multilingual: Spanish Featured Words, Own Voices/Lived Experience
Setting: United States
Character's Place in the Immigration Journey: Unknown Arrival
Book Creator(s) Connection to the Community Represented: Own Voices/Lived Experience
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