Celebrating Joy: Veronica Cortez Interviews Megan and Jorge Lacera

Veronica Cortez interviews Megan and Jorge Lacera, authors of The Wild Ones (Children’s Book Press; 2024). The interview is part of a series with Latino authors.

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Cortez: In most cultures there’s folklore that has a lot of history. There are four monsters in the book. What was your inspiration in creating the monsters? 

Jorge and Megan: From the beginning, we knew we wanted the monsters to be companions or “friends” to the kids. We were inspired by the movies we grew up watching in the 1980s, where kids often team up with creatures. Films like Monster Squad, E.T., and The Goonies really shaped our thinking. But we didn’t want to rely on the classic Halloween monsters like vampires, mummies, or Frankenstein. We also wanted the kids to come from diverse backgrounds, similar to the communities we grew up in. Once we decided where each child was from, we dove into research and discovered incredible folklore monsters from around the world. Choosing which ones to include was tough. At one point, we had a Japanese boy and his Kappa, but they were cut because the book was bursting at the seams. The final group of kids and monsters felt like the right combination in the end.

I want to create stories where kids see themselves and feel like they belong in the American story.

Jorge Lacera

Cortez: Sometimes when we write, we either consciously or subconsciously write a little about ourselves. Of all the children in the book, which one would you say closely resembles you and why?  

Megan: What a great question. There’s a tiny bit of me in each of the characters. I think I most closely connect with Val, though. She’s the smallest of the Wild Ones and yet she’s the leader. She’s not out there leading by bossing her friends around or making demands. She leads with a tremendous amount of faith and belief in herself, her friends and family, even belief in her favorite monster. Val never gives up. When all seems lost and The Wild Ones are on the verge of losing their home, she reminds her crew that “no one can tear down The Wild Ones.” Their friendship is strong enough to find a way, despite the obstacles. I’ve personally been knocked down a lot over the course of my life but I always find a way to pick myself up and keep going. Jorge is very similar–we believe in ourselves and in each other and that is a very powerful thing. I hope Val inspires readers to have more faith and belief in themselves and their communities.

Jorge: Me too. Valentina probably resembles me the most. Not just because she’s Colombian like me, but because she’s fiercely determined and a bit stubborn when she sets her mind to something. I definitely share that quality. I also really relate to her resistance toward authority figures who abuse their power. That drive to stand up and push back against the developers in the story is something I connect with deeply.

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Cortez: In The Wild Ones, each child has a favorite cultural snack or dish. What snack or dish brings back the best childhood memory?

Megan: Yes! I love how The Wild Ones are all very proud of their favorite snack, and also totally willing to love and appreciate their friends’ favorites too. I grew up with friends from different cultures than my own and it made my world so much richer. As for a favorite snack, it’s anything with peanut butter. I went to a Montessori pre-school and peanut butter cracker sandwiches were one of the first snacks we were encouraged to “make” independently. I remember the first time I made one without any help–such a delicious feeling of success!

Jorge: It’s a tie between arepas, which my mom makes better than anyone, and guayaba y queso pastelitos. Both bring back instant memories of Hialeah and Miami. One bite takes me right back to childhood. 

Cortez: You are writing multicultural children’s books. What impact are you hoping to have on the kidlit industry?

Jorge: I want to create stories where kids see themselves and feel like they belong in the American story. Too often, children’s books focus only on the difficult parts of the immigrant experience. But there is also so much joy, strength, and pride in being an immigrant. Immigrant communities have helped shape this country in countless ways. I want kids to see stories that celebrate that joy and recognize all they contribute.

Megan: As a kid and as an adult, my friends are multicultural. My family is multicultural. This is life! Kidlit, let’s publish more stories that reflect, celebrate, and dig into all the beautiful wonder that is our world as it is. I’m so grateful for everyone who is doing this and thankful to add my voice as well.

Cortez: Congratulations for all the rewards won for Zombies Don’t Eat Veggies! It was widely recognized, even nominated for Japan’s Sakura Medal. While writing this book, what awards, medals, and reviews were you hoping to achieve and why is it important to you?

Jorge: Gracias! Awards are helpful because they bring more visibility to the book and help more readers discover it. But I don’t write with awards in mind. What matters most to me is that readers connect with the world and the characters. If someone walks away thinking about how the story reflects their own life, that’s the real reward.

Megan: I mostly agree with Jorge, though I’ll admit I was hoping for strong reviews and some recognition because I know how hard it is for a book to stand out from the crowd. Awards and reviews can help a book get on the world’s radar. When we first completed Zombies, there were people who told us a book with Spanish words and Latino culture wouldn’t be widely read. Which, of course, is ridiculous. I think the awards helped Mo and the Romero family reach more readers…which, in turn, sparked more authors to write books in a similar vein. How great is it to hear a classroom with kids from all kinds of cultures shouting Zombies Don’t Eat Veggies! Or Gazpacho! Or laughing about arm-panadas?!? It’s the best.

Cortez: You’ve read many books and noticed the lack of multicultural representation. What story would you say deeply pushed you to become an author of children’s books? Why and how did it move you?

Jorge: Niño Wrestles the World by Yuyi Morales had a huge impact on me. It was inspiring not just visually, but in how it broke expectations for what a picture book with a Latino main character could be. Reading Niño to my son was such a joy. He loved the wordplay, and it was just fun. That book helped me see how powerful it is to create a story that’s playful and imaginative, where the main character just happens to be Latino. It was a big inspiration and helped push me toward writing my own stories.

Megan: I can’t name one book. I’ve been a huge reader since I was very young, and it’s the whole collection of stories: the giant, eclectic world of characters and adventures and journeys that inspired me to write for kids. I truly believe that the right book at the right time can change a kid’s life for the better. If I can do that, even once, it’s worth it.

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