Obviously that’s scary, but if the stakes were any lower I don’t think it would warrant them crossing a super dangerous land for the first time! Also, I think even though eight to twelve years old seems young, this age group has encountered themes like fate and death before-and it’s definitely an ode to dark Latinx children’s stories (which I heard when I was five years old…thanks, abuela!). In this story, the stakes are that if they can’t reverse the night witch’s curse, Tor, Engle, and Melda will die. Why do you think scary topics like these are important for young readers?ĪLEX: I think no matter what you’re writing, the stakes should be high.
TANIA: Your book seems to tackle some dark themes including the fate and facing death. Even though I’m writing middle grade, the monsters are supposed to be a little scary, and the stakes are always high, the same way they are in Latinx legends. As you know, Latinx myths are generally very dark, so that definitely influenced my craft. I learned storytelling from her, and how to create stories from the cuentos she would tell us. TANIA: As a Latinx author, how does your background influence your storytelling?ĪLEX: Growing up, my abuela was the storyteller of the family. In addition, many of the monsters the characters encounter trying to reverse the curse are inspired by other Latinx legends I grew up loving, like La Llorona, La Patasola, and La Ciguapa. In the story, a girl earns a magical marking on her skin for following the rules, while her sister earns a terrible marking for breaking them. The idea for this world came from a story my Colombian abuela first told me as a child: La niña con la estrella en la frente. To reverse a deadly curse, Tor and his two friends must cross Emblem Island for the first time, with only an ancient book of legends as their guide, and monsters from those same stories in their path. TANIA: Hi Alex! Can you tell us a little bit about your upcoming book, EMBLEM ISLAND: CURSE OF THE NIGHT WITCH and the inspiration behind it?ĪLEX: Emblem Island: Curse of the Night Witch is set on an island where everyone is born with markings on their skin that dictate their future, talents and role in society-and follows a character that will go to great lengths to change his fate. Hi everyone! Tania here with another interview with a debut middle grade author, Alex Aster! Her book, EMBLEM ISLAND: CURSE OF THE NIGHT WITCH, comes out on June 9th and looks absolutely spooky! I was so excited for the opportunity to chat with her about her work!
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