Dear Reader, To tell you how I made this book, I will go back to my memories in Mexico, to the day when my papá drove my sisters, mamá, and me to the Farallón Lagoon, an immense and beautiful body of fresh water by the Gulf of Mexico. More than four decades after that memorable visit, I came to live in a town just a couple of miles from the lagoon. This time, however, the 180 hectares (445 acres) of the lagoon had completely evaporated. When a fire destroyed the trees that the townspeople had planted the year before, the local drought— always a threat to this community—got even worse, and the lagoon became even more vulnerable. What’s more, the water of the lagoon that gave life to fish, birds, turtles, and crocodiles was being stolen for irrigation, livestock farming, and gold mining. If we allow our water to be looted or polluted, one day it will simply be gone. What can we do? Let’s keep our eyes open to the nature around us. It is everywhere! Notice when those around you are hurt—whether they are animals or humans, trees or lagoons. All of these beings are our equals and our friends, and being a friend takes attention, creativity, and actions. Care for these friends. And let’s make sure they know it! Tend to your garden. Make sure that insects, bees, and bats don’t get harmed; they are part of our weave of life, and many of them help pollinate our fruit trees and crops. Create art and create the world you want to live in. If you don’t know yet how that world looks, try making a drawing, or writing a poem by making up a few weirdiful words of your own that express your feelings and thoughts. Sometimes it is hard to know what we want to say, but let’s give it a try! Use colors, words, drawing, cut-out shapes . . . the possibilities are infinite—infinite as you are too. And that leaves me with one more thing we can do no matter what age, color, or shape we are: Let’s get together! When we find each other, we can play games where everybody has a chance and no one loses and no one wins. You might be little, and I might be little too, but together we are plenty and strong. Do you want to be one of the creatures in this story? ~a little rebel~? Share your joy with every being you encounter. Infuse every action you take with the joy that it is to be YOU. That is how, together, we create a revolution. But wait! I have a question for YOU, sí, para ti: What rebel ways do you know to take care of life around you, of each other, and our world?

Yuyi Morales

Little Rebels Q&A

★ “Multimedia illustrations both playful and serious depict a lush natural world, showcasing animals and plants alongside the children throughout an engaging, emotionally-secure-feeling telling that offers a powerful message”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

★ “Beauty gleams from the pages. . . . Morales shares her love for the borderlands, shows the pain the border wall inflicts, and presents an invitation to learn more.”—School Library Journal, Starred Review

★ “Morales wistfully invites readers to consider their relationship with nature, encouraging self-reflection and creativity in equal measure. —Kirkus Reviews Review

★ “An incredibly creative commentary, sure to expand and inspire young minds.” —Booklist

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