Abuela's Wishing Tree

Abuela's Wishing Tree is a lyrical bilingual picture book that pays tribute to the Cuban immigrant experience and the delight of nostalgia of those who have left their countries of origin. A celebration of multigenerational joy and family. Seen through the eyes of a Cuban American girl who is about to celebrate her quinceañera, Abuela's Wishing Tree highlights how each family member brings to life a different memory of Cuba, and how home is always where the heart is.

Mitzi Fernandez Spitzer is a first generation Cuban American whose book was inspired by her deep love for her family and the customs and traditions she grew up with. Her greatest joy and role in this life is being a mother to her five beautiful children. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and family where she spends her work week as an elementary librarian.

Julia Sarpata de Carvalho is a children's book illustrator and designer from Warsaw, Poland. She is inspired by nature, animals, light, shadows, and magic, which she wants to bring in every one of her illustrations. She is also a mom and happy wife, married to a Brazilian architect and CGI artist, trying to manage the balance between her loving family and work. She wishes to tell stories filled with mysteries, magic, and miracles, which can only happen with the help of our imagination. She wants to fill all the pages of the books she is working on with details and little surprises for readers to find.