The Life of / La vida de Ritchie: A Bilingual Picture Book Biography (Lil' Libros)

Introduce little ones to the life of legendary Ritchie Valens in both English and Spanish!

Born May 13, 1941, Richard Steven Valenzuela, better known as Ritchie Valens, was a Mexican-American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. His musical journey began in Pacoima, California, at age 5, when his father encouraged him to take up guitar. In high school, he made his performing debut with his band, the Silhouettes. At age 17, Ritchie recorded his final record, which included the songs "Donna" and "La Bamba." That record went on to sell over one million copies. To this day, Ritchie's music continues to live in the hearts of many!

Patty Rodriguez is a renowned Latina leader with a diverse portfolio spanning entrepreneurship, media, and publishing. Proudly born and raised in Los Angeles by Mexican immigrant parents, she has dedicated her work to elevate the voices and stories of the American-Latino experience. Inspired by her journey toward motherhood and desire to raise her children in a bilingual environment, Rodriguez created and co-founded Lil' Libros, the #1 family-trusted bilingual children's media publisher. Being a storyteller at heart, she also launched sin miedo productions and Out of the Shadows: Dreamers to recognize the Dreamer movement and DACA. Her career achievements include 15 years as a Senior Producer and On-Air Talent at iHeartMedia’s 102.7 KIIS FM, recognition as California's Woman of the Year, recipient of the LA Times Latinos De Hoy Cultural Influencer Award, and honored Selena Quintanilla in 2016 with the MAC x Selena campaign line in partnership with MAC Cosmetics.

Ariana Stein is the CEO and Co-Founder of Lil’ Libros, the largest independent bilingual children’s media company in North America. In 2021, she co-led one of the largest equity crowdfunding campaigns in the Latinx community empowering them to invest in literacy. Ariana and her longtime friend, Patty Rodriguez, launched Lil’ Libros in 2014 to address the lack of resources and representation in children’s literature. Passionate about bilingual education, Ariana aims to fill these gaps by creating culturally relevant and authentic content. Before dedicating her life to children’s publishing, she spent 10 years in the corporate sector, holding management positions and successfully operating other businesses. Ariana is an alumna of the Goldman Sachs 10K Small Business Program and holds a Bachelor of Science in Business. She has received numerous accolades, including the National Association Women’s Business Owner “Entrepreneur of the Year” Award. She currently lives in Los Angeles with her husband, Nick, and son, Ethan. On weekends, she enjoys searching for the best breakfast burritos in town and attending her son’s baseball games.