One night, young Amada overhears her parents whisper of moving from Mexico to the other side of the border--to Los Angeles, where greater opportunity awaits. As she and her family make their journey north, Amada records her fears, hopes, and dreams for their lives in the United States in her diary. How can she leave her best friend behind? What if she can't learn English? What if her family never returns to Mexico? From Juarez to Mexicali to Tijuana to Los Angeles, Amada learns that with her family's love and her belief in herself, she can make any journey and weather any change--here, there, anywhere.

Maya longs to find brilliant, beautiful color in her world. But when the wind blows, desert sand covers everything, and turns her whole neighborhood the color of dust.

With the help of a feathered friend, Maya searches high and low to find the colors in her world. And she does in the vibrant purple of her Mama's flowers, the juicy green of a prickly cactus, the hot pink clouds at sunset, and the shiny black of her Papi's hair.

As they follow Maya's search for all the colors of the rainbow, little readers will be inspired to look around and ask themselves, where can I find the colors in my world?

The young Mexican American girl at the center of this charming book loves her family -- five younger brothers, her two parents, and several visiting relatives -- but in such a crowded house, she can never seem to find a moment alone. Told in both English and Spanish, this boldly illustrated title delivers the inspiring story of a California family that pulled together to give a young girl her own corner of the world. Imparting lessons about collective problem solving, the unshakable bonds of familial love, and the possibilities that arise when you dream big, this book is one for every child's shelf.

CLAIMING FACE curriculum is designed to support everyone, but especially children to engage with creativity in order to know their selves and be empowered to live their best lives. It is not about art, although art is made. It is about process. It is about life. After 15 years working with students and educators, award-winning multicultural children's book artist, author and educator, Maya Christina Gonzalez brings her CLAIMING FACE curriculum into singular focus. Through exploration of the philosophy and its development, imagination exercises and questions, resource materials for art and literacy, as well as an entire school year of self-portrait projects, Maya lays out a feast of creative involvement to support first the educator and then the student in the classroom. This is an excellent tool to support higher thinking, strong self esteem, life skills, cultural diversity, ESL education and a lifelong connection to creativity.