Amparo Ortiz – författare

2025-26 Louisiana Readers’ Choice Award Nominees2024 New York Public Library's Vibrant Voices Titles for Kids2024 Texas Little Maverick Graphic Novel Reading List2024 Texas Maverick Graphic Novel Reading ListCYBILS 2023 Graphic Novel FinalistIndieBound Indie Next ListVioleta Rubio and her friends are on a mission to protect their local chupacabra from international smugglers and monster hunters in this supernatural island adventure by acclaimed author Amparo Ortiz and debut illustrator Ronnie Vazquez.Violeta Rubio only has one goal in mind for her first-ever trip to Puerto Rico: help Abuelita reopen her beloved restaurant. The only problem is that Violeta’s whole family thinks they can do it without her. Now Violeta doesn’t have anyone to hang out with or anything to do. But when best friend duo Diego and Lorena need help capturing the rumored chupacabra, Violeta sees her chance to change all that.What she isn’t expecting is to run straight into the beast. Only…he isn’t as monstrous as everyone assumes. Sure, he’s got some scales and spikes, big red eyes, and pointy fangs—but he’s totally puppy and loyal to a fault. Violeta must find a way to keep Chupie hidden and convince her newfound friends that he isn’t anything to be scared of.And if that isn’t hard enough, a new threat lurks around the corner that is dead set on capturing Chupie for their own nefarious means. Will Violeta be able to save Chupie from the danger that surrounds them without sacrificing everything else in the process?Saving Chupie captures the resilience of a young girl, a family, and an island in the face of nearly impossible odds and proves that love and friendship conquer all in this timely new adventure inspired by Puerto Rican culture and lore.

Fifteen original short stories from YA superstars, featuring Latine mythology’s most memorable monsters From zombies to cannibals to death incarnate, this cross-genre anthology offers something for every monster lover. In Our Shadows Have Claws, bloodthirsty vampires are hunted by a quick-witted slayer; children are stolen from their beds by “el viejo de la bolsa” while a military dictatorship steals their parents; and anyone you love, absolutely anyone, might be a shapeshifter waiting to hunt. The worlds of these stories are dark but also magical ones, where a ghost-witch can make your cheating boyfriend pay, bullies are brought to their knees by vicious wolf-gods, a jar of fireflies can protect you from the reality-warping magic of a bruja—and maybe you’ll even live long enough to tell the tale. Set across Latin America and its diaspora, this collection offers bold, imaginative stories of oppression, grief, sisterhood, first love, and empowerment. Full contributor list: Chantel Acevedo, Courtney Alameda, Julia Alvarez, Ann Dávila Cardinal, M. García Peña, Racquel Marie, Gabriela Martins, Yamile Saied Méndez, Maika Moulite and Maritza Moulite, Claribel A. Ortega, Amparo Ortiz, Lilliam Rivera, Jenny Torres Sanchez, Ari Tison, and Alexandra Villasante.

From zombies to cannibals to death incarnate, this cross-genre anthology offers something for every monster lover. In Our Shadows Have Claws, bloodthirsty vampires are hunted by a quick-witted slayer; children are stolen from their beds by "el viejo de la bolsa" while a military dictatorship steals their parents; and anyone you love, absolutely anyone, might be a shapeshifter waiting to hunt.The worlds of these stories are dark but also magical ones, where a ghost-witch can make your cheating boyfriend pay, bullies are brought to their knees by vicious wolf-gods, a jar of fireflies can protect you from the reality-warping magic of a bruja-and maybe you'll even live long enough to tell the tale. Set across Latin America and its diaspora, this collection offers bold, imaginative stories of oppression, grief, sisterhood, first love, and empowerment.Full contributor list: Chantel Acevedo, Courtney Alameda, Julia Alvarez, Ann Dávila Cardinal, M. García Peña, Racquel Marie, Gabriela Martins, Yamile Saied Méndez, Maika Moulite and Maritza Moulite, Claribel A. Ortega, Amparo Ortiz, Lilliam Rivera, Jenny Torres Sanchez, Ari Tison, and Alexandra Villasante.