Today we welcome author Debbie Zapata and her editor, Kristine Enderle of Magination Press to discuss writing about tough topics, bilingual books, and Debbie’s latest book, Abuela’s Letter, illustrated by Alejandra Ruiz (Magination Press, October 2024).
Debbie Zapata, author and Licensed Clinical Social Worker
When considering picture book topics, the loss of a grandparent probably doesn’t show up on that many brainstorming lists. What prompted you to write Abuela’s Letter?
Debbie: I believe children’s book authors can write about tough topics for children in a way that is both accessible and age-appropriate without making the subject matter feel too heavy.
In my debut book, Up and Adam, illustrated by Yong Ling Kang (Kids Can Press, 2022), I tackled the theme of climate crisis through the lens of a young boy with Down syndrome who helps his community after a big storm. While the story subtly addresses the devastation of the climate crisis, the focus is on the uplifting theme that everyone can lend a helping hand in their own way.
Although Abuela’s Letter deals with the loss of a grandmother and the deep sadness that follows, the story emphasizes the invaluable tools that help navigate grief—family, community, love, nature, writing, and music. With love comes loss. But in love, we carry someone’s love with us everywhere we go. Their love and memory will stay alive within us, and we can share their love in many different ways.
Interestingly, I didn’t set out with the intention to write a story about grief. It was December 2020, and after eight months of witnessing the unprecedented number of deaths during the global pandemic, the story poured out of me.
Although my grandparents and parents had passed away before 2020, and I hadn’t lost any immediate family members due to COVID-19, the weight of humanity’s collective loss deeply affected me. I was also aware of how significantly COVID-19 impacted the Hispanic community in the U.S.
Abuela’s Letter felt necessary, and I hope it can reach and support those dealing with similar losses. I hope that Abuela’s Letter not only provides comfort to those who are grieving but also inspires readers to find strength and solace in their own unique ways, just as the story’s characters do.
Have you used letter writing to cope with life’s challenges?
Debbie: I’ve always cherished writing letters as a personal way to share the details of my life, thoughts, and feelings. As a child, I wrote to my maternal grandparents, who lived across the country from me, and this practice of letter writing has stayed with me throughout my life. I’ve also kept journals, capturing those fleeting thoughts and feelings we might not be fully aware of. Journaling provides incredible insight, guiding us through choices and helping us focus on what truly matters.
I’m also a memory keeper. I have a collection of treasured cards and letters from loved ones. When my dad passed in 2013, I revisited those cards, especially his handwritten heartfelt words. Rereading them, I felt a deep reassurance that even though he was gone, the love and pride he felt and expressed to me didn’t disappear. Those sentiments remained true, and they reminded me that while our relationship had shifted, it hadn’t ended. In that way, letter writing has been a powerful tool in coping with life’s challenges, helping me hold onto the enduring connections that continue to shape my life.
Did you have Magination Press in mind when you wrote the manuscript?
Debbie: While I didn’t have a specific publisher in mind when I first wrote the manuscript, it truly found its ideal home with Magination Press. They’re the children’s book imprint of the American Psychological Association, making them uniquely positioned to support stories like mine, especially those dealing with mental health and children navigating tough experiences. Their dedication to providing research-based, practical guidance for families stood out.
The Reader’s Note in my book includes crucial advice, especially for Latin families, on supporting a grieving child, and I couldn’t imagine a better partner for this story than Magination Press.
Abuela’s Letter focuses on a Latin family, and many Spanish-language words appear in the text without translation. Can you tell us how the manuscript evolved and how you decided which words would appear as English-language words and which would be Spanish-language words?
Debbie: In Abuela’s Letter, I incorporated both English and Spanish words to reflect the cultural richness of the Latin family depicted in the book. This wasn’t my first experience blending languages in a manuscript. My initial attempt involved a higher volume of Spanish. Still, through editing and feedback from critique partners, I realized that balancing the use of Spanish and English would enhance the reader’s experience without overwhelming them.
For Abuela’s Letter, I selectively included Spanish-language words where their meaning could be understood through context or illustrations. For example, in the opening scene, I wrote: “At my abuela’s house, family popped in and out. Tíos took siestas. Tías told stories. Abuela stirred the frijoles.”
Here, the text pairs Spanish words with visual cues—an uncle napping, two aunts talking, and a grandma cooking—to help readers grasp their meaning without needing translation. This approach allows the story to maintain its authentic cultural voice while remaining accessible to a broad audience.
As part of my manuscript submission, I provide a Spanish glossary for editors who might not be familiar with the language, ensuring they understand every nuance of the text. This approach ensures that the cultural essence of the story shines through while remaining accessible and engaging for all readers.
Both Abuela’s Letter and Up and Adam are published by “smaller” publishers. What are some advantages to working with a smaller press?
Debbie: One of the most significant advantages of working with a smaller press is the close, personalized relationship you develop with the team. Smaller publishers provide a lot of attention and create a supportive environment for their authors. I’ve found the process to be highly collaborative, from having a voice in the creative evolution of the book to contributing to various aspects of its development. It feels like a team effort, with everyone invested in bringing the story to life.
While I haven’t worked with a large publisher to compare experiences, I’ve heard from veteran authors that both have pros and cons. For me, this level of collaboration helps create a book that truly connects with readers of all ages and abilities and fosters long-term working relationships, making the entire experience even more rewarding.
When and where do you write? What about that time and/or space works for you?
Debbie: I do most of my writing at home, usually at my desk with my laptop connected to a large desktop monitor. I typically write in the morning before any distractions can set in, but I don’t follow a strict schedule. I take chunks of time whenever I can—whether that’s on weekdays or weekends. I also love writing or editing in different spaces around town, like a cozy coffee shop, my local library, or even while traveling. One thing that works for me is embracing variety and spontaneity, so I leave room for that in my writing life, too.
I also treasure the moments spent with local writers from my Write.Submit.Support group at the Writing Barn. While we initially met formally with Bethany Hegedus for years, we continue to gather informally to write together. It’s fantastic to keep supporting and cheering on each other.
What are you working on next?
Debbie: I’m excited to share that I have a new book with Little Bee Books coming out in Summer 2026, entitled A Taxi for Everyone: How Roy Velasquez Fought for Equality, illustrated by Laura Sandoval Herrera. It’s a picture book biography about Roy Velasquez, who founded a taxi business, Roy’s Taxi, in Austin, Texas, to serve his community when facing segregation and discrimination on public transportation. Roy’s Taxi was in business for 75 years.
I also have another fiction picture book that sold, though it hasn’t been announced yet. Stay tuned to learn more! I am thrilled to bring these fiction and biography stories to readers of all ages and abilities. In addition to picture books, I’m also trying my hand at longer works, like chapter books. It’s an exciting time!
Kristine Enderle, Editorial Director, Magination Press
The Reader’s Note in Abuela’s Letter is in Spanish and English. Could you share the thought process behind this decision and how presenting the note in both languages enhances the book’s accessibility and impact, particularly for bilingual families or communities?
Kristine: Spanish is the most commonly spoken non-English language in the United States, with close to 40 million people speaking Spanish at home! We knew that both Spanish-speaking families as well as bilingual families would be drawn to this book. I wanted to provide a resource that would speak to people literally in their own words! We knew that some of our readers would know Spanish or that Spanish is spoken exclusively at home, so we wrote separate Spanish and English notes instead of combining into one bilingual note.
It is super important to us at Magination Press to meet people where they are and connect with kids and parents in a supportive, meaningful way. We want our readers to feel heard and feel seen. We want people to see their own experiences on the pages of a book and in turn reduce a feeling of “otherness” put upon them by a larger culture/society outside of their own or the one practiced within the four walls of their home or school.
Both Reader’s Notes were written by one of our editorial advisory board members, Silvi Guerra, PsyD, a third-culture, Spanish-speaking psychologist herself (daughter of Cuban parents, raised in Puerto Rico and lives/works in mainland U.S.), who conveyed to me just how reading stories where Latin culture is portrayed, and her language is spoken, is an incredibly validating experience.
The Spanish-language words in Abuela’s Letter are seamlessly integrated into the text without italics. Can you share the reasoning behind this choice and whether it is part of a broader shift in how Magination Press approaches bilingual or multilingual books?
Kristine: We included Spanish into the text without italics or a glossary for two reasons — we wanted to authentically capture Alma’s world and put the needs of our Spanish-speaking bilingual readers first.
Debbie beautifully describes a family life full of joy, support, and traditions that make the story colorful and relatable to those of a Latin background. In particular, the story captures the concept of familismo beautifully.
Silvi Guerra explained familismo is a Latin cultural value that involves dedication, commitment, and loyalty to family. Regularly spending time with one’s immediate and extended family is part of familismo, as well as seeking the family’s advice and support for important decisions and life transitions, such as a loved ones passing.
Since Alma’s family speaks both Spanish and English, the story uses the languages that her family speaks. For non-Spanish speakers, most words are easy to understand within context or are illustrated in the story — Alma is mija to her abuela; she plays dominos with her primos; they enjoyed ceviche, empanadas, and churros at their fiesta.
Readers from all backgrounds are also getting a glimpse of Latin culture, family traditions, and learning Spanish words, making the book culturally inclusive and educational. (All of our bilingual/multilingual books take this approach.)
How do you see books like Abuela’s Letter fitting into broader conversations around mental health for children?
Kristine: Mental health plays a vital role in our overall physical health and social lives. Age-level conversations around mental health powerfully impact our understanding of our own emotional or cognitive life, help reduce stigma, equip kids with coping strategies, increase resilience and adaptability, encourage peer support, and just give validation to our experiences and how and why we feel the way we do.
Books like this can open doors and encourage kids to be problem-solvers and can give them so much agency. Encouraging conversations, modeling coping strategies, and connecting with kids’ experiences on their level are super helpful and healthy for children.
Even the idea of writing a letter to a lost loved one can bring peace and comfort and serve as a valuable psychological tool as studies show that encouraging children to write or draw their emotional experience (e.g., journaling, art therapy, etc.) supports processing difficult emotions and thoughts, allowing for the amygdala (part of the brain responsible for decision-making and emotional responses) to cool down and executive functions to activate, which in turn supports improved emotional intelligence and healthy coping.
Is it a requirement for authors to be licensed therapists to submit manuscripts to Magination Press, or are there opportunities for non-therapist writers as well?
Kristine: We are the imprint of the American Psychological Association, and we work under its mission to promote the advancement, communication, and application of psychological science and knowledge to benefit society and improve lives. All our books are vetted by an editorial advisory board which acts as a peer review of the work, so books must be grounded on accurate, relevant, evidence-based psychology.
Often non-therapists don’t have that knowledge base, so we prefer that our authors are psychologists or mental health professionals, counselors, or social workers. That said, we occasionally do publish works by non-therapists. Works by non-therapists will have an end-matter reader’s note written by a psychologist, to boost the psychological content in the work, and provide psychoeducation, sample dialog, and additional coping tools and strategies.
Are there specific themes or topics that Magination Press is focused on acquiring for future publications?
Kristine: Nothing in particular! We only publish 20-25 books a year. We publish in four main areas – social emotional learning, mental health, family situations, and psychological science.
We focus on good storytelling (or browsable, engaging nonfiction) that does its job in an unforced, easy way. We are drawn toward evergreen topics (friendship, feelings, grief, identity, etc.). We like (appropriate) puns, humor, and lightness and really anything that will make navigating life’s challenges a little easier.
Cynsational Notes
Debbie Zapata, LCSW, is the author of Abuela’s Letter, published by Magination Press, Books for Kids American Psychological Association, and illustrated by Alejandra Ruiz. Debbie’s debut picture book, Up and Adam, is published by Kid Can Press and illustrated by Yong Ling Kang. As a child growing up in Austin, Debbie loved the places that brought people together—public parks, community rec centers, and the local libraries. She loved writing letters to her international pen pals. Today, she is passionate about writing books for children that have heart and humor. Her favorite stories are about ordinary people doing extraordinary things.
Through her work, Debbie hopes to make children smile, inspire kindness, and create an inclusive world where all readers can see themselves. Besides being an author, Debbie is a former international programs specialist, a role that has given her a deep understanding of diverse cultures and perspectives. In 2005, she received her Master in Social Work from NYU, which has informed her compassionate approach to storytelling. Debbie enjoys helping others as a counselor and spending time with her family. She is a member of SCBWI and represented by James McGowan of BookEnds Literary Agency.
Kristine Enderle is the editorial director of Magination Press, the children’s book imprint of the APA. She has been an editor for more than 30 years, and a science nerd her whole life. Enderle’s work aligns with APA’s mission–to promote the advancement, communication, and application of psychological science and knowledge to benefit society and improve lives.
Gayleen Rabakukk holds an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts and an undergraduate degree in Journalism from the University of Central Oklahoma. She has published numerous newspaper and magazine articles, and two regional interest books for adults. She is represented by Terrie Wolf of AKA Literary Management.
She serves as board member for Lago Vista’s Friends of the Library and also leads a book club for young readers at the library. She’s active in Austin SCBWI and has taught creative writing workshops for the Austin Public Library Foundation. She loves inspiring curiosity in young readers through stories of hope and adventure. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter.