Maria Luisa
Maria Luisa is a Guatemalan born American national who fell in love with children’s books after arriving to the United States and entering a public school library at the age of 10. Growing up reading only newspapers and never really having access to children literature inspired her to take on projects that would help instill a love for reading at an early age. Being a woman of strong faith convictions she has combined both her love of God and her love for early childhood literacy in writing Christian children books. This is her first editorial press published book but her third in total after having self-published two bilingual Christian children books in her local community in the Chicagoland area. With two teenage boys and two toddler girls she finds daily inspiration in her writing and in her gratefulness has an even stronger desire to help spread the love of Jesus in all the projects she embarks on.
More about the author...
Maria Luisa has also authored several self-published community publications in Spanish and bilingual children's books. Growing up in Guatemala she had no access to children books or any library but she acquired an innate love of reading from just observing her uncle read the newspaper each morning. At the age of 6 she was introduced to English via a short trip to the United States where she had the opportunity to not just hold a children's book in her own hands but also the concept of Read Aloud and libraries. Upon her return home she was not just reading in Spanish but also reading English and began joining her uncle in his early morning reading of the daily newspapers.
Her love for reading introduced her to new thoughts and ideas and she yearned to learn more. Reading newspapers introduced her to politics, crime, economics and critical opinions. At the conclusion of third grade she began to question what she was being taught and told curious to know more and searching answers to her many 'why's'. And so, when fourth grade arrived and she was in the middle of 'religion class' she was given her very first illustrated book at school, it was a book about Christian morality. As excited as she was holding and turning the pages of the book she was baffled as to why the school (a private Catholic school) would introduce God in a book of 'how to behave' rather than simply providing the class copies of the Bible. It was at that moment that her thirst for knowing the True God and the truth about faith began. Only two months after this pivotal moment she was forced out of her comfort and was brought to the United States to reunite with her mother who had left her in the care of her dear aunt and uncle since the age of 3. In her search for a better future and to help protect her three little daughters from the prevalent sexual harassment she faced as a young career woman in the workforce, the author's mother migrated to the US and settled in Chicago.
Growing up bilingual and with friends and neighbors with similar background and family dynamic circumstances she saw the value of reading and education more than ever. She has since dedicated her life to remain a life-long student and even teacher. Her love for God, reading and children have steered her towards projects and endeavors to help promote and advocate for early childhood literacy and wholesome true introduction of God's Word to our children from infancy through teenage years.
