We chat with Alexandra Alessandri about her middle grade debut The Enchanted Life of Valentina Mejía, which is described as Encanto meets The Chronicles of Narnia by way of Colombian folklore!
Hi, Alexandra! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Hi! I’m the Colombian American author of several books for children, including my middle grade debut The Enchanted Life of Valentina Mejía. I love writing stories that explore identity, culture, community, and family. I live in Florida with my husband and fifteen-year-old son.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
I can trace my love of story back to my childhood, where I was surrounded by oral storytelling–from my family’s recounts of our ancestors and their journeys to my own imaginative play. I also loved weaving tales for my younger cousins and friends, and I lived with my nose in a book. As a teen, I wrote mainly poetry, though even that was narrative in nature. However, it wasn’t until I became a mom that I discovered a newfound love and appreciation for—and the desire to write—stories for children like my son.
Quick lightning round! Tell us the first book you ever remember reading, the one that made you want to become an author, and one that you can’t stop thinking about!
Earliest books I remember reading was the TEO series in Spanish. The book that made me want to become an author (albeit from a different genre and age category): Isabel Allende’s The House of the Spirits. The one I can’t stop thinking about: Elizabeth Acevedo’s The Poet X.
Your middle grade debut, The Enchanted Life of Valentina Mejía, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Sibling duo battles Colombian legends.
What can readers expect?
Readers can expect a fast-paced adventure with plot twists through magical landscapes and with talking animals rooted in the real flora and fauna of Colombia, as well as a host of creatures from Colombian legends, both cute and creepy. To save their dad’s life, siblings Valentina and Julián will have to confront the most dangerous of them all: the madremonte, fierce protector of the land. Perceptive readers will pick out themes of empathy and environmental stewardship.
Where did the inspiration for The Enchanted Life of Valentina Mejía come from?
The inspiration for The Enchanted Life of Valentina Mejía came from a mashup of several things. First there were the stories from my childhood—filled with mano peludas, brujitas, patasolas, duendes, and other creatures—and my experiences of visiting my family’s farms in Colombia during our summer vacations, complete with hikes through jungles and diving off waterfalls or wading in lagoons. As I turned these details around, I couldn’t help noticing the increase in natural disasters happening around the world, like earthquakes and hurricanes, and the news surrounding the deforestation in the Amazon rainforest. Then, one of my cousins gifted me a documentary called Colombia: Magia salvaje, about the beauty of Colombia’s flora and fauna and the dangers they face every day—and everything just clicked into place after that. In many ways, this story is a love letter to my childhood and Colombia.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
One of the things I particularly loved exploring was Colombia’s diverse flora and fauna. I went down countless research rabbit holes, learning as much as I could about my parents’ country—things I didn’t know, but also things I did know and for which I needed more context. I also really enjoyed writing the sibling rivalry between Valentina and Julián. As an only child with a huge extended family, I drew heavily on my interactions with my cousins when writing their relationship, and I loved seeing these two come to life. I always wanted a sibling, and in writing these two characters, I got to imagine, for a little while, what it might’ve been like.
Can you tell us a bit about your journey of getting The Enchanted Life of Valentina Mejía published?
The Enchanted Life of Valentina Mejía went through many revisions before it sold, including a short-lived stretch as a historical fantasy that touched on the violence of the cartels in the 80s and 90s, which ultimately put a stop to my visits to Colombia—at least until I was an adult and had to return to bury my dad. That didn’t work, and I had to try again, though a small detail of this original version remains in the final product, as part of Valentina and Julián’s dad’s backstory. There were times I wasn’t sure I would ever get this story right, so when I had a call with my editor, Sophia Jimenez, and she loved the story, I cried. And with her guidance, I watched Valentina’s story become what it is today.
What’s next for you?
2024 is going to be a busy—but fun—year for me! My next middle grade with Atheneum Books for Young Readers, Grow Up, Luchy Zapata, releases next summer, and it’s the story of 11-year-old Luchy whose middle school dreams go up in a poof of glitter when her BFF returns from a summer in Colombia and ditches her for the cool kids, leaving Luchy to figure out who she is and where she belongs. I also have a new picture book, Lupita’s Hurricane Palomitas, releasing from Beaming Books, about a girl who channels her worry about an impending hurricane into caring for a pair of abandoned baby pigeons; and a short story in the YA anthology in verse All the Love Under the Vast Sky, from Nancy Paulsen Books.
Lastly, are there any 2023 book releases our readers should look out for?
There are so many incredible books hitting shelves in 2023! But in middle grade, I’m especially excited about Adrianna Cuevas’ The Ghosts of Rancho Espanto, Ann Braden’s Opinions & Opossums, and Chrystal D. Giles’ Not an Easy Win.
You can find Alexandra on Twitter and Instagram, along with at her website.
