Want to learn what it’s like to become a sussessful children’s book author? Have dreams of publishing your own children’s book? Meet local author Anika Aldamuy Denise author of Planting Stories: The Life of Librarian and Storyteller Pura Belpré; Starring Carmen!; Lights, Camera, Carmen!; and many other celebrated books for young readers. Her stories are often about family and reflect her bicultural heritage and upbringing. In her nonfiction work, Anika strives to illuminate the important contributions of influential Latinas, so that readers of all backgrounds, but especially those in the Latinx community, are inspired to dare greatly and share their gifts with the world. Her forthcoming nonfiction project is Rosita Rising, a picture book biography of legendary Puerto Rican actress and singer Rita Moreno, illustrated by Leo Espinosa. Other new titles coming soon include Bunny in the Middle, illustrated by Christopher Denise, and The Love Letter illustrated by Lucy Ruth Cummins. Anika grew up in Queens and now lives with her husband and three daughters in Rhode Island.