In April 2024, Words Alive was thrilled to bring Alexis Castellanos, author and illustrator of the award-winning graphic novel Isla to Island, to connect with young learners in San Diego. Thanks to a generous donation by Elaine Galinson, Words Alive coordinated in-person and virtual author visits where Alexis engaged 70 youth in lively discussion, each of whom received a new copy of Isla to Island to keep.
Isla to Island is stunning wordless graphic novel set in the 1960s that chronicles young Marisol’s journey from Cuba to the United States while exploring what home means to her. This remarkable debut graphic novel quickly landed on several top booklists, including American Library Association’s Notable Children’s Books, School Library Journal’s Best Books of the Year, and the New York Public Library’s Best Books for Kids.
Why Author Visits Matter
Meeting authors behind the characters we love deepens the context of what we read and encourages learners to imagine themselves as thinkers, readers, and future creators of stories that shape our world. Those moments spark curiosity and can change the way young people view who and what belongs on the page, especially when the authors reflect readers’ identities and lived experiences.
Excitingly, Alexis is an incredibly relatable and relevant author for the youth we serve. As a young adult with a story about immigration, foster care, coming of age, and the refugee experience, Alexis quickly bonded with the youth in attendance. Conversations blossomed in both English and Spanish, including Alexis and the students laughing about the differences between Cuban Spanish and the Spanish spoken in Mexico and Central America.
Words Alive’s most effective author experiences bring writers, learners, and our community together to explore and respond to themes of the text. To increase access and engage multiple partners, we offered a virtual option as well as an in-person event:
San Diego Public Library: In early April, Words Alive coordinated a virtual visit from Alexis at the Mission Valley branch of the San Diego Public Library for a spring break camp of 4th – 7th grade students. Intentionally timed to overlap with the second day of Words Alive’s Art & Lit “Graphic Tales” project anchored in the exploration of graphic novels, the visit served as a thrilling introduction to graphic novels and the creative process behind the medium. The students were incredibly engaged and asked many questions; one young person even came prepared with an impressive list of questions that Alexis was more than happy to answer! In addition to the 15 learners in attendance, several Words Alive volunteers supporting our teen programming logged on to participate. Every child received a new copy of Isla to Island, including signed editions for all students who desired them.
Monarch School: A longtime partner of Words Alive, Monarch School serves young people facing housing instability. In late April, Words Alive brought Alexis to San Diego to visit with three classrooms at Monarch School. Alexis engaged 55 students across 6th grade, 10th grade, and 12th grade classrooms in discussion about her novel and family, the process of creating and publishing graphic novels, as well as her career trajectory in the publishing industry. Students were especially excited to learn about the process behind creating the art and visual layout of the novel, particularly once they realized Alexis uses some of the same graphics software they do at school. At the conclusion of the visit, Alexis signed a copy of Isla to Island for every student to add to their personal library.
Thank you to the San Diego Public Library and Monarch School for their collaboration in these incredibly successful events. Our deepest gratitude to Elaine Galinson, whose generous investment made these author visits possible.
We are truly grateful for the commitment of our partners to connecting young San Diegans with the power of reading through enabling joyful, engaging experiences between youth from historically disinvested communities and the creators of stories relevant to their lives.
