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Joana Pastro

@joanapastro

1.4K

followers

2013

following

I wear many hats.
Author of books. Architect of stories.
Interior decorating for a storied life.
🇧🇷🇺🇸

POSTS STORIES REELS

Celebrating culture through early board books and picture books 📚

Board Books and Picture Books for ages 0-6 that bring culture, family, food, music, and tradition to the page through warm storytelling and vibrant art.
Little readers can grow up proud of their culture and begin building early knowledge of the stories that shape it.

Thank you to @simonkids for sharing these Hispanic Heritage Month picks.

• Plátanos Are Love
Alyssa Reynoso Morris @areynosomorris
Illustrated by Mariyah Rahman @themaribug

• Alright
Jennifer Torres @jennanntorres
Illustrated by Molly Magnell @mollymagnell

• A Festa for Luana
Joana Pastro @joanapastro
Illustrated by Duda Oliva @dudaoliva.art

• Martina Has Too Many Tías
Emma Otheguy @emma.otheguy
Illustrated by Sara Palacios @sarapalaciosart

• Día de Muertos
Dori Elys
Illustrated by Alicia Más @alicia_mas_illustration

#SimonKidsCrew #BoardBooks #PictureBooks
#EarlyReaders #HispanicHeritageMonth by @joanapastro

These 2026 Américas Award Commended Titles celebrate the beautiful complexity of growing up between worlds.

A Festa for Luana written by @joanapastro and illustrated by @dudaoliva.art follows a Brazilian-American girl navigating the joyful but disorienting experience of Festa Junina in Brazil, where she wonders whether she has to choose between two parts of herself. Oshún and Me written by @adibanelson and illustrated by @alleannaharris weaves together Afro-Latina identity, Yoruba spiritual tradition, and the quiet power of braids to tell a story of protection, belonging, and connection. And Speak Up, Santiago! by @julioanta follows a Colombian-American boy whose summer with his grandmother becomes an honest and tender reckoning with language, identity, and what it means to be bicultural.

Stay tuned for more commended title spotlights!

The award is administered by the Consortium of Latin American Studies Programs (@claspprograms) and coordinated by both Tulane University’s Stone Center for Latin American Studies (@tusclas) and the University of Arizona’s Center for Latin American Studies (@uaz_clas). Generous support is provided by @fiulacc, @msuclacs, @clacsberkeley, @lacsconsortium, @ucla_lai, @unmlaii, @uofu.ias, @uf_latam, @uwmclacs, @vanderbilt_clacx, @llilasbenson, @clacsillinois, Stanford University’s CLAS, and the University of Michigan’s LACS. by @joanapastro

This is pretty much what I enjoy reading. Thrillers, mysteries, dysfunctional people.
What should I read next? by @joanapastro

These are my books, and these are their ‘vibes.’
Available at your favorite bookstores!
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Lillybelle, A Damsel Not In Distress written by Joana Pastro, illustrated by @jhonortizart . Published by @astrakidsbooks

Bisas Carnaval written by Joana Pastro, illustrated by @carolinacoroa Published by @scholastic

Lucas and the Capoeira Circle written by Joana Pastro, illustrated by @odougquedesenha
@simonkids @thejumbles

A Festa for Luana written by Joana Pastro, illustrated by @dudaoliva.art @simonkids @thejumbles @jmcgowanbks

#childrensbooks #brasil🇧🇷 #kidlit by @joanapastro

Here’s to new beginnings! Congratulations, @leonardo_pastro and @julietteeprehu! We love you! ❤️ by @joanapastro

Congratulations, @leonardo_pastro and @julietteeprehu! I’m so proud of you!

Keep the wise words from @brucepask close to your heart:
1- Be curious
2- Work hard and be kind
3- Be memorable for the right reasons
4- Be patient
5- Be prepared
6- Long careers aren’t linear
7- Be appreciative.

Go surprise the world!

Once a bee always a bee!

#scad #scadgrad by @joanapastro

by @joanapastro

by @joanapastro

The Big Apple with my girl ❤️🍎 by @joanapastro

Today for World Read Aloud Day, our school felt a little more magical than usual. 🌎📚

Our students gathered around the screen, listened with full hearts to Bisa’s Carnaval, and then had the incredible opportunity to ask questions directly to Joana. Stories truly connect us, even through a screen.

Thank you, @joanapastro , for sharing your story, your warmth, and your time with our P188X community. You didn’t just read a book to our students, you invited them into a world of imagination, culture, and confidence. We are so grateful for you. 💛📖

Here is a little snippet from our read aloud today, proof that when books come alive, learning becomes unforgettable. by @joanapastro

by @joanapastro