Lilliam Rivera is the author of More Than Nervios
Interviews
- Meet Lilliam Rivera: Author
Shoutout LA, January 5, 2021 - Q & A With Lilliam Rivera
The Nerd Daily, September 16, 2020 - Writer and Author Lilliam Rivera
Zocalo Public Square, August 27, 2020 - Both Hard and Soft: Talking with Lilliam Rivera
Rumpus, March 6, 2019 - Interview: Lilliam Rivera
Lightspeed Magazine, February 2019
Websites on Puerto Rican Culture
- Culture Summary: Puerto Ricans (Mainland)
from: eHRAF World Cultures - Facts on Hispanics of Puerto Rican origin in the United States, 2021
from Pew Research Center - Puerto Rico and its Diaspora by César J. Ayala
from UCLA College of Social Sciences
Fiction by Lilliam Rivera
- The Undercurrent
from Air/Light Magazine
Articles by Lilliam Rivera
- Why Do Latinas Have the Highest Suicide Rate in America?
Cosmopolitan, February 18, 2015
Lilliam Rivera on Social Media
Books by Lilliam Rivera
Barely Floating by
A dazzling story full of heart about how one twelve-year-old channels her rage into synchronized swimming dreams from The Education of Margot Sanchez author Lilliam Rivera. Natalia De La Cruz Rivera y Santiago, also known as Nat, was swimming neighborhood kids out of their money at the local Inglewood pool when her life changed. The LA Mermaids performed, emerging out of the water with matching sequined swimsuits, and it was then that synchronized swimming stole her heart. The problem? Her activist mom and professor dad think it's a sport with too much emphasis on looks--on being thin and white. Nat grew up the youngest in a house full of boys, so she knows how to fight for what she wants, often using her anger to fuel her. People often underestimate her swimming skills when they see her stomach rolls, but she knows better than to worry about what people think. Still, she feels more like a submarine than a mermaid, but she wonders if she might be both. Barely Floating explores what it means to sparkle in your skin, build community with those who lift you up, and keep floating when waters get rough.
ISBN: 0593323122Publication Date: 2023-08-29
Never Look Back by
"Expertly blends reality and fantasy to explore what's behind love and loss, what it takes to heal." - Randy Ribay, author of National Book Award finalist Patron Saints of Nothing Acclaimed author Lilliam Rivera blends a touch of magical realism into a timely story about cultural identity, overcoming trauma, and the power of first love. Eury comes to the Bronx as a girl haunted. Haunted by losing everything in Hurricane Maria--and by an evil spirit, Ato. She fully expects the tragedy that befell her and her family in Puerto Rico to catch up with her in New York. Yet, for a time, she can almost set this fear aside, because there's this boy . . . Pheus is a golden-voiced, bachata-singing charmer, ready to spend the summer on the beach with his friends, serenading his on-again, off-again flame. That changes when he meets Eury. All he wants is to put a smile on her face and fight off her demons. But some dangers are too powerful for even the strongest love, and as the world threatens to tear them apart, Eury and Pheus must fight for each other and their lives. Featuring contemporary Afro-Latinx characters, this retelling of the Greek myth Orpheus and Eurydice is perfect for fans of Ibi Zoboi's Pride and Daniel José Older's Shadowshaper. A Pura Belpré Honor winner!
ISBN: 1547607424Publication Date: 2021-10-26
We Light up the Sky by
Should you save a world that doesn't want to save you? Award-winning author Lilliam Rivera explores the haunting story of an alien invasion from the perspective of three Latinx teens. Pedro, Luna, and Rafa may attend Fairfax High School together in Los Angeles, but they run in separate spheres. Pedro is often told that he's "too much" and seeks refuge from his home life in a local drag bar. Luna is pretending to go along with the popular crowd but is still grieving the unexpected passing of her beloved cousin Tasha. Then there's Rafa, the quiet new kid who is hiding the fact that his family is homeless. But Pedro, Luna, and Rafa find themselves thrown together when an extraterrestrial visitor lands in their city and takes the form of Luna's cousin Tasha. As the Visitor causes destruction wherever it goes, the three teens struggle to survive and warn others of what's coming--because this Visitor is only the first of many. But who is their true enemy--this alien, or their fellow humans? Pura Belpré Honor-winning author Lilliam Rivera examines the days before a War of the Worlds-inspired alien invasion in this captivating and chilling new novel.
ISBN: 1547603763Publication Date: 2021-10-26
Unearthed: a Jessica Cruz Story by
Acclaimed author Lilliam Rivera and artist Steph C. reimagine one of DC's greatest Green Lanterns, Jessica Cruz, to tell a story about immigration, family, and overcoming fear to inspire hope. Jessica Cruz has done everything right. She's a dedicated student, popular among her classmates, and has a loving family that has done everything they can to give her a better life in the United States. While Jessica is a part of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, allowing her to go to school and live in the U.S., her parents are undocumented. Jessica usually worries for her parents, but her fears and anxiety escalate as a mayoral candidate with a strong anti-immigration stance runs for office. As the xenophobia in Coast City increases, Jessica begins to debate whether it's worth renewing her status to stay in the U.S., or if her family would be safer and better off moving back to Mexico. And despite her attempts to lean on her friends and family, she finds herself constantly visited by visions of Aztec gods, one pulling her towards hope and the other towards anger. But when her father is detained by I.C.E., Jessica finds herself being pulled into an abyss of fear. With her father gone and feeling helpless, Jessica must find her way out of her fears and ultimately become a voice for her community.
ISBN: 1779500513Publication Date: 2021-09-14
Goldie Vance: the Hocus-Pocus Hoax by
Move over, Nancy Drew -- there's a new detective in town! Inspired by the beloved comic series, Goldie Vance is ready to sleuth her way through never-before-seen mysteries in this second original novel by Lilliam Rivera featuring 8 full-color comic pages! Marigold "Goldie" Vance lives and works at the Crossed Palms Resort Hotel in Florida with a whole slew of characters: her dad, Art, the manager of the joint; Cheryl Lebeaux, the concierge and Goldie's best friend; and Walter Tooey, the hired hotel detective. Her mom, Sylvie, works nearby at the Mermaid Club. Prepare to be amazed by Goldie's second middle-grade adventure! The Crossed Palms is hosting the first ever League of Magical Arts Convention, bringing the world's most renowned and emerging magicians to the resort, including an overeager part-time magician and detective named Derek Von Thurston. When some of the magic starts to go awry, Goldie -- and Derek -- are on the case! Can Goldie uncover the saboteur before the final act goes live? Based on Hope Larson and Brittney Williams's critically acclaimed Goldie Vance comic, this thrilling novel explores a never-before-seen caper and features 8 full-color comic pages essential to unraveling the mystery. Text and Illustration copyright: © 2021 BOOM! Studios Goldie Vance(TM) and © 2021 Hope Larson & Brittney Williams
ISBN: 0316427594Publication Date: 2021-01-05
Goldie Vance: the Hotel Whodunit by
Move over, Nancy Drew--there's a new sleuth in town! Inspired by the beloved comic series, Goldie Vance is ready to sleuth her way through never-before-seen mysteries in this original novel series by Lilliam Rivera featuring 16 full-color comic pages! Marigold "Goldie" Vance lives and works at the Crossed Palms Resort Hotel in Florida with a whole slew of characters: her dad, Art, the manager of the joint; Cheryl Lebeaux, the concierge and Goldie's best friend; and Walter Tooey, the hired hotel detective. Her mom, Sylvie, works nearby at the Mermaid Club. While life at the Crossed Palms is always busy, the resort is currently overrun with Hollywood-types filming the hottest new creature feature, and tensions are at an all-time high. Even Goldie's mom is in on the movie act, doing what she does best: playing a mermaid. Just when Goldie thinks the movie biz couldn't get any more exciting, a diamond-encrusted swimming cap goes missing, and all fingers point to Goldie's mom as the culprit. Can Goldie uncover the true thief before it's too late? Based on Hope Larson and Brittney Williams's critically acclaimed Goldie Vance comic, this thrilling novel explores a never-before-seen caper and features 16 full-color comic pages essential to unraveling the mystery. Text and Illustration copyright: © 2020 BOOM! Studios Goldie Vance(TM) and © 2020 Hope Larson & Brittney Williams
ISBN: 0316456640Publication Date: 2020-03-17
The Education of Margot Sanchez by
John Hughes's Pretty in Pink comes to the South Bronx in this bold and "emotional story about class, race, hard work, and finding one's place" (Publishers Weekly)--from author Lilliam Rivera. Things/People Margot Hates: Mami, for destroying her social life Papi, for allowing Junior to become a Neanderthal Junior, for becoming a Neanderthal The supermarket Everyone else After "borrowing" her father's credit card to finance a more stylish wardrobe, Margot Sanchez suddenly finds herself grounded. And by grounded, she means working as an indentured servant in her family's struggling grocery store to pay off her debts. With each order of deli meat she slices, Margot can feel her carefully cultivated prep school reputation slipping through her fingers, and she's willing to do anything to get out of this punishment. Lie, cheat, and maybe even steal... Margot's invitation to the ultimate beach party is within reach and she has no intention of letting her family's drama or Moises--the admittedly good looking but outspoken boy from the neighborhood--keep her from her goal.
ISBN: 1481472127Publication Date: 2018-03-27
Nervios
- Definition of Nervios
from APA Dictionary of Psychology