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Hi, readers, writers, and fall fanatics, too! We are so excited to have Jolene Gutiérrez with us celebrating an extremely important holiday: Día de Muertos. Inspired by the popular nursery rhyme The House That Jack Built, Jolene's The Ofrenda That We Built asks readers to participate in the building of a colorful ofrenda. One special element at a time, the readers will help add symbols and decorate an ofrenda for a loved one. Want to know more about Jolene and her new book, PLUS want to know what tricks or treats are in store? Read on if you dare...
Q: Hi, Jolene! Thanks so much for joining #SeasonsOfKidLit for our Trick-or-Treat event! We’re so excited to have you and hear all about your book, The Ofrenda That We Built - a perfect read this fall!
Can you share a little about your path to becoming a published kidlit author and this book’s journey to publication?
A: Thank you so much for welcoming me! I’m excited to be here! My path to publication was a long one–I joined SCBWI in 2008 and after dabbling in young adult and middle grade and self-publishing a young adult novel, I decided to focus on picture books in 2018. My first traditionally published picture book came out in 2020. The Ofrenda That We Built was sold at auction in early 2021. Our editor Feather Flores was at Chronicle Books when she bought it. My daughter Shaian and I worked on edits, were able to give feedback on illustrator options, and were so excited that Gabby Zapata signed on as illustrator. It’s been an amazing journey!
Q: The Ofrenda That We Built focuses on a family building an Ofrenda for Día de Muertos - Day of the Dead. I love how it not only focuses on a family’s love for one another (LA FAMILIA IS LOVE) and the intergenerational family, but also love the fact you wrote this with your daughter, celebrating the book’s theme even more!
What inspired the two of you to team up together on this? How has this differed from books you’ve authored on your own?
A: My brother-in-law passed in 2018 and our family ofrenda became a very important way for us to honor him. Then my father passed in 2019 on November 1, the first day of Día de Muertos and the same day my grandmother (my dad’s mom) had died 42 years before. I’ve always loved Día de Muertos and the way that the holiday encourages families to remember and honor loved ones who are gone and it’s been a helpful part of my own mourning process. My daughter, Shaian, has always been very artistic and creative, and over the years, she’d made papel picado and candles, learned to make tamales, and painted sugar skulls and other figurines for our ofrenda. Thinking about the action of creating an ofrenda layer by layer made me think of the cumulative “The House That Jack Built” nursery rhyme.
In 2020, I was teaching from home and both of my kids were at home for distance learning. I was eager to create beautiful things, and when I shared my idea with Shaian, she was, too, so we started working together on what became The Ofrenda That We Built. When Shaian was born in 2000, I’d looked for books that would help her learn more about her Mexican heritage, and there weren’t as many options then as there are now. It’s an honor that we were able to write a story like the ones I searched for when Shaian was little.
Being able to work with Shaian was amazing! She was first-chair viola in her high school orchestra, so she was very strong with the rhythm/rhyme part of the story (thank goodness, because that was challenging for me). I loved brainstorming with her, laughing with her, and creating a story to celebrate and honor this beautiful tradition.
What a cool start to such a heartfelt book. Thanks for sharing!
Q: What’s something you’d like to share about Día de Muertos with those who aren’t familiar with the holiday? And what tips do you have for those looking to write holiday-themed books surrounding their culture?
A: I’ve hinted at this already, but Día de Muertos is a chance to remember and honor loved ones who are no longer here. Death is viewed as part of the cycle of life, and not something to fear or mourn. Día de Muertos is a time to play your loved ones’ favorite music, make their favorite foods, and share your favorite memories of them. It’s a beautiful celebration!
For writers who want to write holiday-themed books, I recommend writing from the heart but also doing research because there is generally variation in the way that holidays are celebrated. You know your own experiences, but you’ll want to be as aware and inclusive as possible when writing about a holiday, and you’ll want to know the origins and history of the holiday. As a librarian, I LOVE back matter, so some of the research you do might be helpful for writing back matter, too!
Q: What other books of yours can we check out ASAP and what can we be on the lookout for?
A: My first book–that book from 2020 that I mentioned–is a picture book, Mac and Cheese and the Personal Space Invader, illustrated by Heather Bell. That same year, I published a nonfiction middle grade book with Lerner, Bionic Beasts: Saving Animal Lives with Artificial Flippers, Legs, and Beaks. In 2023, my picture book about sensory overwhelm, Too Much! An Overwhelming Day, was published by Abrams. On January 7, 2025, my son Dakota and I have another picture book that will be published by Abrams, Mamiachi and Me: My Mami’s Mariachi Band, illustrated by Mirelle Ortega. And in September 2025, Abrams will publish another picture book coauthored by Minoru Tonai and me, Unbreakable: A Japanese American Family in an American Incarceration Camp, illustrated by Chris Sasaki.
Q: You’re a librarian. How does that inform your writing?
A: I love researching, and everything I write is heavily researched–partly because it’s fun and partly because I don’t ever feel like an expert in anything. I’m pretty good at researching, though. It’s one of my librarian superpowers.
Being a school librarian has helped me see the power of books. I know books change lives. I know they save lives. I know that when a child sees themselves in a book, it’s a magical, unforgettable moment. They realize they’re not alone.And as a librarian, I also see holes in the collection: stories that don’t exist yet but that I would love to see in the world. Stories that would’ve allowed me to see myself in a book. Maybe even stories I need to see in the world to help heal the holes in myself. And stories that I hope will help my readers feel seen and whole.
Bonus question: What’s your favorite Halloween Candy? OR What was your favorite costume as a kid?
A: Ooooh, my favorite candy is Nerds Gummy Clusters! YUM!
Thanks again for joining us, Jolene. We loved having you!
Readers, want to know what I thought about The Ofrenda That We Built? Check out this Peek-a-Boo Review!
Q: Would you like to leave a Trick or a Treat for our readers?
A: BOTH!
Trick: Download an audio app on your phone and record yourself reading your manuscript. Later, close your eyes and listen to the story. The act of reading your manuscript aloud may help you find some issues like repetitive language, grammatical errors, and more, and the act of listening in a focused manner may help you pinpoint areas that lag or spots where you could take out description and leave space for the illustrator.
Treat: A copy of The Ofrenda That We Built, shipped within the continental U.S. to a street address (no P.O. Boxes, please).
Wow, thanks for such an enchanting trick and treat!
Giveaway Details: Readers, to enter to win this sweet treat 1) share this post on social media and 2) leave a comment below to thank Jolene for stopping by! Fall and Sugar Skull GIFs are totally welcomed.
Winners for the Trick-or-Treat event will be drawn on or about 10/22!
*Books will be shipped in the US only.*
Note: Those who leave a comment on all posts will be eligible to win one (1) of ten (5) Rate Your Story Speed Passes, perfect for quick MS feedback, provided by Agent Mentee Lynne Marie & Author Heather Macht.
About Jolene Gutiérrez
Jolene Gutiérrez grew up on a farm in northeastern Colorado, surrounded by animals, plants, and history. She is an award-winning teacher librarian who has been working with neurodivergent learners since 1995, and Jolene also identifies as neurodivergent. She’s a wife and a mama to two young adults, three dogs, two cats, and an ever-rotating variety of other rescue animals. Jolene is an active member of SCBWI, part of the KidLitCollective group, and a co-creator of #KidlitZombieWeek and Picture Book Gold. Jolene is represented by Kaitlyn Sanchez of Bradford Literary. Find her online at www.jolenegutierrez.com.
For more about Jolene, check out the below links:
To purchase a copy of Jolene's book, visit here: https://bookshop.org/shop/writerjolene
For signed copies from Jolene's local bookstore, visit here: https://secondstartotherightbooks.com/search/jolene%20gutierrez
Find her on social media, too!
Website: jolenegutierrez.com
Facebook: facebook.com/writerjolene
Instagram: instagram.com/writerjolene
Twitter/X: twitter.com/writerjolene
Threads: www.threads.net/@writerjolene
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/writerjolene
A special thanks to David Rodriguez Lorenzo for the amazing custom-signatures!
I pastored a congregation where Día de los Muertos was far more important that Halloween! Thanks for sharing. I tagged on X.
I love the positive message in The Ofrenda That We Built! Thanks for the great tip about recording myself reading my manuscript. I'll try that!
I shared on (X).
It is so wonderful that you were able to write your story with your daughter. Thank you for your interview and your trick.
This book looks wonderful - I happily shared on X. Thanks for all the background and your trick.
I often use the "Read back" function on the document but I have not recorded myself and then listened. I will try that, thanks for the "Trick."