Ep 26: Conscious Children's Books with Aida Salazar

Season #3 Episode #4

Aida Salazar is a writer and arts activist. She is a mother, and she has been writing for children. She recently published The Moon Within about a young girl who is about to get her first period. She also just published a book called Land of the Cranes, about a 9-year-old child who experiences being an undocumented immigrant. We discovered Aida through our book club. We read The Moon Within, and Christina uses it in her class. 

In our interview today, we talk about the challenges and gifts of doing decolonizing work through the writing and publishing of children’s books. 

10:00 - Decolonizing and appropriation in the publishing world 

14:51 - Writing a novel in verse to talk about deep topics 

17:02 - Aida’s opinion on American Dirt and what it means for other authors with books about immigrants

26:54 - “We have to stand in our dignity and the work and authenticity that we bring to the table.” 

28:43 - Challenges that came with publishing The Moon Within 

46:16 - Reframing womanhood and its relationship to the moon 

Links 

Aida’s website

Booklandia

bookshop.org