Juana and Lucas: Big Problemas

(Hardback)

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Description

When her mami meets someone new, Juana worries that everything will change in a humorous, heartwarming follow-up to the Pura Belpr Awardwinning Juana & Lucas.

Juanas life is just about perfect. She lives in the beautiful city of Bogot with her two most favorite people in the world: her mami and her dog, Lucas. Lately, though, things have become a little less perfect. Mami has a new hairdo and a new amigo named Luis with whom she has been spending a LOT of time. He is kind and teaches Juana about things like photography and jazz music, but sometimes Juana cant help wishing things would go back to the way they were before. When Mami announces that she and Luis are getting married and that they will all be moving to a new casa, Juana is quite distraught. Lucky for her, though, some things will never change like how much Mami loves her. Based on author-illustrator Juana Medinas own childhood in Colombia, this joyful series is sure to resonate with readers of all ages.

Reviews

Medina's cartoon-style illustrations done in ink and watercolor are vibrant and full of movement, beautifully capturing the full range of Juana's conflicting emotions as Luis becomes a part of their lives. Juana's big problema will resonate with many readers, who will look forward to hearing more about this spunky Colombian girl's life.
Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

In accessible chapters with plenty of white space and interspersed art, Medina guides readers through Juanas experiences, incorporating nuanced visual details into the drawings to help articulate Juanas thought processes and ranges of emotions. Through it all, Juana can always count on her familys steady and secure love to help solve even the biggest problemas. The result is a thriving, buoyant, confident young Juana who demonstrates that balancing new changes with old favorites is achievable and, indeed, can be done with humor and grace.
The Horn Book (starred review)

Medinas illustrations are a wonderful addition to Juanas first-person narration, truly bringing her emotions and quirkiness to life. Spanish words are sprinkled throughout the text but are italicized so that monolingual young readers will get their meaning through context cues. Medinas charming follow-up to her Pura Belpr Awardwinning Juana & Lucas (2016) doesnt disappoint.
Booklist

This gentle book brims with full-color illustrations of sturdy, big-hearted Juana and her bright, cheery world. Peppered with Spanish, it gives younger readers a window into a life both different and very like their own.
The Plain Dealer

Author Bio

Juana Medina was born and raised in Bogot, Colombia. She is the illustrator of Smick! by Doreen Cronin and Lenas Shoes Are Nervous: A First-Day-of-School Dilemma by Keith Calabrese. Juana Medina is also the author-illustrator of 1 Big Salad, Sweet Shapes, and Juana & Lucas, which won the 2017 Pura Belpr Author Award. She currently lives with her family in Mexico.