Loretta Lopez: Middle Grade Author and Clinical Social Worker on Debut Novel "City Girls"

Loretta Lopez in conversation with Dr. Elisabeth Paige shares her writing journey from early encouragement and mentors to publishing her debut middle-grade novel, "City Girls", and explains how her work as a case manager for undocumented children inspired the character Elisa and the asylum storyline. She summarizes the book’s three 11-year-old protagonists—Elisa, Lucia, and Alice—each facing trauma, grief, divorce, or a parent’s illness as their friendship develops over a school year, and discusses using different narrative forms for each voice. Lopez addresses writing about abuse for middle graders, announces the Spanish translation coming in May, and describes a new novel-in-progress set in Guadalajara. You can find information about Dr. Elisabeth Paige at www.mindfulhappykids.com.