Six Questions with Allison & Rafael Rozo

Allison and Rafael Rozo are authors who write bilingual English and Spanish picture books to weave together their Hispanic and American cultures. They are proud to create books that represent their family—including their two children Vivian and Gianluca. The Rozos began writing when they lived in Chicago, IL, and are currently living in Akron, OH. You can go to rozobooksart.com to learn more about both Allison and Rafael. Look for them on social media:

Blusky https://bsky.app/profile/allisonrozo.bsky.social

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/allisonrozo?igsh=MWY2N3ZsbWd2b2Fycg==

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/share/1BnEFMKhxm/

Twitter/X @allison_rozo (https://x.com/allison_rozo?t=Ilm6sDzLwCgAXxTt8yy4BA&s=09)

1. What was your favorite book when you were a child? Why?

My favorite book was (is) WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE by Maurice Sendak. It’s about a kid just being a kid. The way Max, the protagonist, summons his imagination to escape punishment after causing mischief. How the scary Wild Things are tamed by a mere child. How Max was crowned king and leaves because he misses his home. And my favorite moment (SPOILER ALERT) is when Max realizes upon his return that his mother left him dinner, and it’s still warm! The story still sparks my imagination, and I strive to create books with that same bit of wonder.

2. What’s one lesson you’ve learned the hard way in your publishing journey?

One lesson I’ve learned is to keep JOY at the center of my writing. It’s the touchstone to everything I create. A few years ago, I lost it, writing stories to land an agent or to become published. When I received feedback, I immediately dug in, twisting and turning my stories, until they were unrecognizable zombies. I lost the heart of why I was writing.  

 So, I stepped away, letting my mind wander, roller skating, listening to music, and not dwelling on expectations. I wrote a letter to myself, explaining why I was writing for kids in the first place. I rediscovered my JOY. I revisit my letter with tough rejections or feedback, remembering it’s all about the JOY!

3. What are some of the key ingredients that make a great book for kids?

My key ingredient is “mashups,” putting together two concepts or personality traits that don’t mesh. For example, our debut picture book DIEGO FUEGO THE FIREFIGHTING DRAGON is about a dragon who fights fires. Immediately, there’s a spark to try to discover why. 

In our second book, UNIQUE LIKE YOU, a girl searches for treasure in the trash when she notices a fresh wall of graffiti that inspires her to look at her world in a new way.

In both examples, a story is waiting to be told between the contradicting concepts. But the main ingredient is putting myself into the story. That moment of vulnerability is relatable to readers, weaving together fiction with snippets of my own life. 

4. Where did you get the idea for this book? What was your inspiration?

In the mad rush to get to school one morning, our son said something that sounded like, “A firefighting dragon!”  

“His name is Diego Fuego!” I laughed.

“And he lives in Tierra del Fuego,” cheered Rafael. 

We couldn’t stop bouncing ideas off each other about the firefighting dragon who saved the day. But how, or why?  

After many unsuccessful drafts, I remembered the time my mom accidentally burnt a pizza, and the smoke sent me into an asthma attack. Suddenly, the story was revealed. In Tierra del Fuego lives a family of fire breathing dragons who discover their youngest member is allergic to smoke. Rafael loved the idea, and DIEGO FUEGO THE FIREFIGHTING DRAGON was born. 

5. Was this the book that landed you your agent? If so, what was that process like?

Yes, DIEGO FUEGO THE FIREFIGHTING DRAGON was the book that landed our agent! Before we signed with her, we had a small publisher interested in the story. It was ready to be acquired, but it was turned down on the marketing side. Luckily, they gave valuable feedback. After revising, I shelved it for a bit, until I decided to enter a Twitter Pitch contest (PitMad), where I received a heart from our agent, Elisa Houot. I sent her DIEGO FUEGO THE FIREFIGHTING DRAGON and she fell in love. It took about seven months for it to be acquired, with an R&R in between. I believe every up and down has helped to get it where it is today.

6. If you read this book to a room filled with kids, what message would you want them to leave  with?

With his allergy to smoke, Diego Fuego struggles to fit into his fiery familia. Growing up, I had the same issues with allergies and asthma. While writing, I imagined the kind of story I would’ve wanted as a kid. I dreamed of being powerful and overcoming what I saw as weakness with my own superpower. I do that with Diego Fuego! 

But the story wasn’t written just for allergies. It’s for any kid who feels different or like they don’t belong. My husband is an immigrant to this country, and Diego represents his feelings of not always fitting in. We hope our book uplifts readers and helps uncover hidden superpowers that are just waiting to be discovered (at any age!)