Erin Dealey

July is flying by, and today we’re celebrating the Book Birthday of

Fly, Pajarito, Fly!

by Alexandra Alessandri, illus, Dana SanMar,

(Sleeping Bear).

About the book:

A mother and daughter take their evening stroll past Don Jorge’s ice cream truck and the casita with the twinkling lights. They watch the riot of pájaros flocking and flying through the sky.

“All you need is wings,” says Mami.

But the child wonders if she’ll ever be brave enough to fly like that. Mami sings and twirls her daughter into the air to take a nighttime flight above the city—and share a special lesson about courage and home.

About the author:

Alexandra Alessandri is the award-winning author of picture books, MG novels, and board books for young readers. The daughter of Colombian immigrants, she is also an educator and a poet. Readers may remember her previous chats with us to celebrate the #BookBirthday of her mg debut, The Enchanted Life of Valentina Mejía, or picture books such as Isabel and Her Colores Go to School. She lives in South Florida where, when she’s not writing or teaching, Alexandra spends her time planning the next great adventure with her husband and son. 

Let’s ask some questions!

Inspiration: Comfort, Anxiety, and Courage

Q 1. What was the inspiration for this book? Did you always know this would be a picture book or did it start as a poem?

Alexandra Alessandri: Both! I always knew Fly Pajarito Fly would be a picture book, but when I sat down to write, the words came out in free verse and it immediately felt right.

The story was inspired by two memories. The first was of the nightly walks I had with my mom. We’d head out after dinner, wind our way through our neighborhood. Along the way, we’d pause by this big, leafy tree which, in the fall, was teeming with birds—and it was LOUD! It was a sweet memory, full of comfort and life.

The second memory was that of my son struggling with separation anxiety as a child, which was hard on all of us. As I navigated these memories, I found the story taking shape, of comfort easing anxiety, and it gave life to Pajarito finding courage in the birds and her mom.

Finding Your Voice

Q 2. Many of your books have a lyrical mix of Spanish words in the text. Is this a goal you have when you write, or does the mix of both languages happen intrinsically?

Alexandra Alessandri: When I first began writing stories for young readers, the Spanglish happened intrinsically; it’s just the way I speak among family and an organic part of who I am. But now I work this in more purposefully, and I’ve realized it’s an integral part of my voice as an author.

Illustrator Surprises & Favorites

Q 3. What surprises did illustrator Dana SanMar bring to Fly, Pajarito, Fly?

Alexandra Alessandri: In the sequence where Pajarito finds her courage to fly on her own, which is a nod to the magical realism I love, Pajarito and her mom fly above Miami.

Here, Dana gave Pajarito wings that gradually grow larger as her confidence grows. It was a wonderful way of visually showing what was taking place inside Pajarito!

Q 4. Which spread or text is your favorite?

Alexandra Alessandri: This is so hard to choose because there are too many spreads I love! Dana SanMar’s illustrations are just simply gorgeous and captured the story beautifully. Here are two of my favorite though:

Interior illustrations by Dana SanMar from Fly, Pajarito, Fly! written by Alexandra Alessandri (Sleeping Bear).

Takeaways

Q 5. What do you hope readers will take away from this story?

Alexandra Alessandri: I hope readers will find comfort and courage in the story, that through Pajarito navigating her fears and anxieties, they discover their own support network who will be there for them in hard moments.

I also hope they will pause and wonder and find the magic in everyday moments.

That’s such an important reminder, Alexandra!

Thank you so much for joining us on the blog today.

To learn more about Alexandra Alessandri and her books,

check out her web site: alexandraalessandri.com  and follow her on

Insta: apalessandri

Next on the blog: We chat with author Randy Preston about his new picture book:

The First Drum I Ever Heard

illus. Tamisha Anthony (Nancy Paulsen Books)

Happy Summer Reading, Friends!