Angela Dominguez (born 1982) is an American children’s book author and illustrator. Her books use a diverse mix of

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

and Latino characters. She is author of the ''Stella Díaz'' series and worked with

Sonia Sotomayor Sonia Maria Sotomayor (, ; born June 25, 1954) is an American lawyer and jurist who serves as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. She was nominated by President Barack Obama on May 26, 2009, and has served since ...

on the book ''Just Help! How to Build a Better World'' in 2016.

Early life and education

Angela Dominguez was born in

Mexico City Mexico City is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Mexico, largest city of Mexico, as well as the List of North American cities by population, most populous city in North America. It is one of the most important cultural and finan ...

in 1982. She moved to North

Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...

in 1984, and was raised there during her childhood. Angela's American English teachers Discouraged her from speaking Spanish, rather than learn two languages at the same time. Speaking only English, Dominguez struggled to communicate with her only Spanish-speaking family. She early on learned to utilize writing and drawing as an effective form of communication. This inspired her passion to draw as a child. She later took Spanish classes as an adult and is now Bilingual. Dominguez attended Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) on a scholarship and graduated with a BFA in illustration. She then gained an MFA in illustration at the

Academy of Art University The Academy of Art University (AAU, or ART U), formerly Academy of Art College and Richard Stephens Academy of Art, is a private for-profit art school in San Francisco, California. It was founded as the Academy of Advertising Art by Richard S. ...

. She began teaching children’s book illustration there two years later.

Career

In her time at SCAD, she wrote ''Maria Had a Little Llama'', her own cultural take on the folk story ''

Mary Had a Little Lamb "Mary Had a Little Lamb" is an English-language nursery rhyme of nineteenth-century American origin, first published by American writer Sarah Josepha Hale in 1830. Its Roud Folk Song Index number is 7622. Background The nursery rhyme was firs ...

'' which received the

Pura Belpré Award The Pura Belpré Award is a recognition presented to a Latino or Latina author and illustrator whose work best portrays the Latino cultural experience in a work of literature for children or youth. It was established in 1996. It was given every oth ...

in 2014. Dominguez aims to represent under-represented Latinx cultures in American children’s books through her fictional novels and illustrations. Writing ''Mary Had a Little Llama'' sparked Dominguez’s career in writing and illustrating children’s books. She has continued to illustrate and write children’s books, such as the ''Stella Diaz Series.'' She has worked with authors such as Marsha Diane Arnold and

to represent Latino/Hispanic characters and their overall culture with the intent of diversity and inclusivity in American children's books. Their book titled ''Just Help! How to build a Better World'' is a New York Times Bestseller. Dominguez is currently a professor at the Academy of Art University. She is a member of

Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators The Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) is a nonprofit, 501(c)3 organization that acts as a network for the exchange of knowledge between writers, illustrators, editors, publishers, agents, librarians, educators, booksellers ...

and PEN America.

Awards and honours

* ''Maria had a Little Llama'' won the 2014 Pura Belpré Illustration Honor * ''Marta Big and Small'' was a 2016 School Library Journal Top Latinx Book, a 2017 CCBC Choices and a 2017-2018 Read on, Wisconsin! selection * '' Mango, Abuela and Me'' won the 2016 Pura Belpré Author Honor Book, the 2016 Pura Belpré Illustration Honor Book, and a Notable Children's Book in 2016. * ''Stella Díaz Has Something To Say'' was a New York Public Library pick for Best Books for Kids 2018, a Chicago Public Library Best Fiction for Younger Readers of 2018, a Sid Fleischman Award winner and an American Library Association Notable book for 2019. * ''Sing, Don't Cry'' was Virginia Reader’s Choice 2019-2020

Early life and education

Career

Awards and honours

References

Further reading