In this episode of BilingualBook Buddies, we sit down with the incredibly talented illustrator Olivia Sua! Known forher textured, painted cut-paper style and heartfelt storytelling, Olivia bringsa rich cultural perspective to children's books, inspired by her Colombian andSouth African roots.

We chat about her creative journey from the forests of North Bend,Washington to the world of award-winning picture books like Water Day by Margarita Engle. Olivia shares hownature, family, and multicultural identity shape her work—and what it means tomake magic out of paper, color, and imagination.

Tune in to hear about her creative process, recent honors(including the 2025 CCBC Best of the Year!), and what’s next in her artisticadventure.

Whether you're an illustrator, writer, or just a lover ofbeautiful books, this is a conversation you don’t want to miss!

Listen now and subscribe for more inspiringchats with bilingual book creators!

Connect with Our Guest:

Website: oliviasua.com

Instagram: @oliviasua

Meet Your Hosts:

Alicia Salazar – Mexican American children’s author andformer elementary school teacher. Author of the Camila the Star series, Aliciacrafts stories that empower young readers.

Website: alicia-salazar.com

Facebook: Alicia Salazar Author

Instagram: @albricias123

Claudia Sloan – Mexican American artist, author, andillustrator known for her whimsical children’s books like Grey Ghost Mischiefand We Are The Valley!. Claudia’s work celebrates Latinx culture and wellness.

Website: claudia-sloan.com

Instagram: @claudia.sloan

Silvia López – Cuban American author and former children’slibrarian. Silvia’s books, including Uno Más, One More: A Latino Retelling ofan Old Scottish Ballad, and Queen of Tejano Music: Selena, highlight culturalheritage and diversity.

Website: silvialopezbooks.com

Instagram: @silvialopezbooks

Facebook: Silvia.Lopez.Writes

About Bilingual Book Buddies:

Bilingual Book Buddies is a podcast dedicated tocelebrating bilingual children’s literature. Each episode featuresconversations with authors, illustrators, and many others involved in bringingbilingual books to life.

Don’t forget to subscribe and hit the notification bell tostay updated on future episodes!

#BilingualBookBuddies#OliviaSua #ChildrensBooks #IllustratorInterview #PictureBooks#LatinxIllustrator #WaterDay #CutPaperArt

In this powerful episode of Bilingual Book Buddies, we’re joined by Duncan Tonatiuh, award-winning author-illustrator whose distinctive work blends pre-Columbian art with modern-day themes like immigration, civil rights, and Latinx identity.

From Dear Primo to Undocumented: A Worker’s Fight to A Land of Books, Duncan’s stories reflect his deep commitment to representation, history, and social justice for children of all backgrounds—especially those navigating life between two cultures.

Connect with Duncan Tonatiuh:
Website: https://duncantonatiuh.com
Contact: info@duncantonatiuh.com

Don't miss this heart-opening conversation with one of today’s most important voices in bilingual and multicultural children’s literature.

Like, comment, and subscribe to support diverse storytelling!

#BilingualBookBuddies #DuncanTonatiuh #LatinxAuthors #BilingualBooks #PuraBelpré #KidLit #ChildrenBooks #MulticulturalBooks #IllustratorInterview #OwnVoices

Meet Your Hosts:

Alicia Salazar – Mexican American children’s author and former elementary school teacher. Author of the Camila the Star series, Alicia crafts stories that empower young readers.

• Website: alicia-salazar.com
• Facebook: Alicia Salazar Author
• Instagram: @albricias123

Claudia Sloan – Mexican American artist, author, and illustrator known for her whimsical children’s books like Grey Ghost Mischief and We Are The Valley!. Claudia’s work celebrates Latinx culture and wellness.

• Website: claudia-sloan.com
• Instagram: @claudia.sloan

Silvia López – Cuban American author and former children’s librarian. Silvia’s books, including Uno Más, One More: A Latino Retelling of an Old Scottish Ballad, and Queen of Tejano Music: Selena, highlight cultural heritage and diversity.

• Website: silvialopezbooks.com
• Instagram: @silvialopezbooks
• Facebook: Silvia.Lopez.Writes

About Bilingual Book Buddies:

Bilingual Book Buddies is a podcast dedicated to celebrating bilingual children’s literature. Each episode features conversations with authors, illustrators, and many others involved in bringing bilingual books to life.

Don’t forget to subscribe and hit the notification bell to stay updated on future episodes!

#BilingualBookBuddies #DuncanTonatiuh #ChildrensBooks #LatinxAuthors #BilingualLiterature #Podcast

In this powerful episode of Bilingual Book Buddies, we’re joined by Duncan Tonatiuh, award-winning author-illustrator whose distinctive work blends pre-Columbian art with modern-day themes like immigration, civil rights, and Latinx identity.

From Dear Primo to Undocumented: A Worker’s Fight to A Land of Books, Duncan’s stories reflect his deep commitment to representation, history, and social justice for children of all backgrounds—especially those navigating life between two cultures.

Connect with Duncan Tonatiuh:
Website: https://duncantonatiuh.com
Contact: info@duncantonatiuh.com

Don't miss this heart-opening conversation with one of today’s most important voices in bilingual and multicultural children’s literature.

Like, comment, and subscribe to support diverse storytelling!

#BilingualBookBuddies #DuncanTonatiuh #LatinxAuthors #BilingualBooks #PuraBelpré #KidLit #ChildrenBooks #MulticulturalBooks #IllustratorInterview #OwnVoices

Meet Your Hosts:

Alicia Salazar – Mexican American children’s author and former elementary school teacher. Author of the Camila the Star series, Alicia crafts stories that empower young readers.

• Website: alicia-salazar.com
• Facebook: Alicia Salazar Author
• Instagram: @albricias123

Claudia Sloan – Mexican American artist, author, and illustrator known for her whimsical children’s books like Grey Ghost Mischief and We Are The Valley!. Claudia’s work celebrates Latinx culture and wellness.

• Website: claudia-sloan.com
• Instagram: @claudia.sloan

Silvia López – Cuban American author and former children’s librarian. Silvia’s books, including Uno Más, One More: A Latino Retelling of an Old Scottish Ballad, and Queen of Tejano Music: Selena, highlight cultural heritage and diversity.

• Website: silvialopezbooks.com
• Instagram: @silvialopezbooks
• Facebook: Silvia.Lopez.Writes

About Bilingual Book Buddies:

Bilingual Book Buddies is a podcast dedicated to celebrating bilingual children’s literature. Each episode features conversations with authors, illustrators, and many others involved in bringing bilingual books to life.

Don’t forget to subscribe and hit the notification bell to stay updated on future episodes!

#BilingualBookBuddies #DuncanTonatiuh #ChildrensBooks #LatinxAuthors #BilingualLiterature #Podcast