Mirelle Ortega – Illustratör

"A charming and delectably sweet debut. Mischief, friendship, and a whole lot of heart—Love Sugar Magic has it all." —Zoraida Córdova, award-winning author of the Brooklyn Brujas series. Leonora Logroño’s family owns the most beloved bakery in Rose Hill, Texas, spending their days conjuring delicious cookies and cakes for any occasion. And no occasion is more important than the annual Dia de los Muertos festival.Leo hopes that this might be the year that she gets to help prepare for the big celebration—but, once again, she is told she’s too young. Sneaking out of school and down to the bakery, she discovers that her mother, aunt, and four older sisters have in fact been keeping a big secret: they’re brujas—witches of Mexican ancestry—who pour a little bit of sweet magic into everything that they bake.  Leo knows that she has magical ability as well and is more determined than ever to join the family business—even if she can’t let her mama and hermanas know about it yet.And when her best friend, Caroline, has a problem that needs solving, Leo has the perfect opportunity to try out her craft. It’s just one little spell, after all…what could possibly go wrong? Debut author Anna Meriano brings us the first book in a delightful new series filled to the brim with amor, azúcar, y magia.

The second book in this breakout series that's been called "charming and delectably sweet." (Zoraida Córdova, award-winning author of the Brooklyn Brujas series)Leonora Logroño has finally been introduced to her family’s bakery bruja magic—but that doesn’t mean everything is all sugar and spice. Her special power hasn’t shown up yet, her family still won’t let her perform her own spells, and they now act rude every time Caroline comes by to help Leo with her magic training.She knows that the family magic should be kept secret, but Caroline is her best friend, and she’s been feeling lonely ever since her mom passed away. Why should Leo have to choose between being a good bruja and a good friend?In the midst of her confusion, Leo wakes up one morning to a startling sight: her dead grandmother, standing in her room, looking as alive as she ever was. Both Leo and her abuela realize this might mean trouble—especially once they discover that Abuela isn’t the only person in town who has been pulled back to life from the other side.Spirits are popping up all over town, causing all sorts of trouble! Is this Leo’s fault? And can she reverse the spell before it’s too late?Anna Meriano’s unforgettable family of brujas returns in a new story featuring a heaping helping of amor, azúcar, and magia.

Case Closed author Lauren Magaziner and award-winning artist Mirelle Ortega deliver the thrilling conclusion in this highly illustrated middle grade fantasy series full of action, adventure, friendship, and mythical creatures. The fate of Terrafamiliar is on the brink. With the team split apart and Golden Jumpsuit closer to her goal, the Mythics are in trouble. Ember has to lead with courage now more than ever. But when she's this upset, Ember finds that her passionate nature can sometimes feel uncontrolled.In this exciting, action-packed final volume, the Mythics finally uncover the shocking truth about Golden Jumpsuit and learn what they are truly up against. Can the Mythics find each other again and defeat Golden Jumpsuit before she ends magic in Terrafamiliar forever? Epic Series Finale: Ember, Marina, Pippa, Hailey, and Kit face their final battle to save their friends and all of Terrafamiliar from a world without magic.Mythical Creatures and Magic: Join the five girls and their magical companions—a phoenix, a dragon, a unicorn, a kraken, and a nine-tailed fox—in an unforgettable adventure.Girl Power Fantasy: With the team fractured, Ember must learn to control her fiery power and lead her friends against their greatest enemy yet.A Villain’s Secret: The Mythics finally discover the truth about Golden Jumpsuit, revealing a secret that changes everything they thought they knew about their mission.Teamwork and Friendship: Perfect for fans of action-packed fantasy adventures where courage and friendship are the most powerful magic of all.

From Case Closed author Lauren Magaziner and award-winning artist Mirelle Ortega comes the first book in a new highly illustrated middle grade fantasy series. Full of action, adventure, and friendship, a team of five girls must stop a powerful villain by finding their mythical familiars. It’s Pairing Day in Terrafamiliar! Marina has been waiting for this moment—anxiously—for as long as she can remember. Because today’s the day she gets to bond with her animal familiar for life, like every other ten-year-old in the land.Except after the ceremony ends, Marina doesn’t have one. And she’s not alone . . . four other girls also didn’t get their animal companions. The leaders of Terrafamiliar realize something special is happening: Marina and the other four girls—Kit, Ember, Pippa, and Hailey—are called MythicsIn times of unrest, the Mythics must earn their Mythies—mythical beasts—in quests of courage. But danger lurks everywhere as there are others seeking this mysterious power. And only the Mythics can save Terrafamiliar!

Case Closed author Lauren Magaziner and artist Mirelle Ortega return for the second installment in the highly illustrated middle grade fantasy series full of action, adventure, friendship, and mythical creatures. After Pairing Day didn’t go as planned for the Mythics—Marina, Hailey, Kit, Ember, and Pippa—they embrace their journey to find their Mythies and save Terrafamilar. Hailey has always known she was destined for adventure, and after watching Marina and Ember unite with their mythical animal familiars, she’s more than ready to embark on her quest.Buzzing with excitement and running full speed ahead, Hailey is still adjusting to being part of a team. She’s used to leading the charge on her own, but now she has four other girls she can count on—and she’ll need them on this journey.Golden Jumpsuit is after the Mythics, and she might have allies all over Terrafamiliar. How will Hailey and the Mythics figure out who to trust when they’re still working on trusting each other? The fate of Terrafamiliar is in their hands.

From Case Closed author Lauren Magaziner and award-winning artist Mirelle Ortega comes the third book in the highly illustrated middle grade fantasy series full of action, adventure, friendship, and mythical creatures. It’s been eight weeks since Pairing Day when the Mythics—Kit, Marina, Hailey, Ember, and Pippa—learned that they are the only ones who can save Terrafamiliar. With Golden Jumpsuit tracking their every move, the Mythics are on edge, and now it’s Kit’s turn to find her Mythie. Kit has a hard time relying on others and she always expects the worst to happen. She’s also never had a team like the Mythics to help her.Kit’s search for her mythical familiar leads to surprising secrets about the magic and history of Terrafamiliar. The Mythics realize there are bigger and darker forces at play. With Golden Jumpsuit on their trail again and her followers scattered everywhere, Kit and the Mythics must learn to follow their instincts and lean on each other. Or risk watching Terrafamiliar crumble before their eyes.

A magical story starring three Black mermaid sisters who each wish to wear the underwater crown! Perfect for fans of Little Mermaid and Oona.Anaya, Shante, and Kianna are sisters.And these mermaid princesses couldn’t be more different!One day, when a problem too big for any of them to solve alone comes their way, they find out which one of them has what it takes to become legend of the sea.This fun adventure, inspired by African mermaid myth, magic, and spirituality, reminds young readers about the importance of teamwork and the different strengths we can all bring to the table—or throne.

There are many fun things to do at a birthday party. But for Luis, who has autism, sometimes fun things can be scary. Luckily his sister will be there to help him have a good time. Early readers can follow the simple story and bright illustrations as they learn about the importance of compassion and kindness. With pre-reading questions, this fiction book is ideal for guided reading and builds early literacy skills.

From the author of Magic: Once Upon a Faraway Land comes a story of imagination and the determination of a child to bring back the butterflies—even if she has to make them herselfCan you imagine a time when the land and the sky belonged to the mariposas? I can . . . A young girl dreams of the land’s historic mariposas amarillas and is determined to re-create their glory, even if her butterflies are made of paper. But when nature thwarts her plans, life, magic, and yes, even the rain, bring something more beautiful than she ever could have crafted. Based on the author’s own memories of a hurricane that diverted the migration of thousands of butterflies through her hometown near Veracruz, Mexico, this beautiful story captures the essence of imagination and the beauty of the unexpected.

Mamiachi & Me is a lyrical and empowering picture book written by Jolene and Dakota Gutiérrez and illustrated by Mirelle Ortega, winner of a Pura Belpré Illustrator Honor, about what it means to be a mariachi in an all‑female band.Today’s the day! Rosa will take the stage next to her mami and play along with her popular mariachi band. But as they fasten the shiny botonaduras and tie the moños on their charra suits, Rosa begins to worry. What if the audience doesn’t like her? Is she ready to perform?With her mamiachi and madrinas by her side, Rosa’s stage fright is soothed away by the sound of trumpets, guitars, and violins. Centering on the power of sisterhood, community, and music, the warm and lively text by mother-and-son writing duo Jolene and Dakota Gutiérrez—joined by Mirelle Ortega’s beautiful illustrations—provides a unique perspective to the male-dominated world of mariachi.Back matter includes additional context on the history of the beloved Mexican tradition and the rise of all-female mariachi groups, as well as a glossary, a bibliography, further reading, and a fun, detailed look at a mariachi’s signature charro suit!

From two-time Paralympic gold medalist Patty Cisneros Prevo and award-winning illustrator Mirelle Ortega comes a slam-dunk picture book about a wheelchair basketball player and her search for belonging—perfect for fans of Just Ask!It’s Apolonia’s birthday, and she can’t wait to celebrate with her teammates and her cousins. Mamá’s rented extra wheelchairs so her primas can join her for a game of wheelchair basketball, and Papá’s making arracheras and tres leches cake for all of her guests.But as the party approaches, Apolonia starts to worry that her two worlds are on a collision course. Her teammates want pizza and ice cream, and her cousins think wheelchair basketball sounds weird. Apolonia wonders if this birthday party is a mistake, but with a little help from Mamá, she realizes that her community wants to celebrate her—every part of her.In this beautiful story with Spanish words and phrases sprinkled throughout, two-time Paralympic gold medalist Patty Cisneros Prevo and award-winning illustrator Mirelle Ortega explore the fears many kids have about fitting in and recognize the joy of being celebrated for exactly who they are.