After spending a three months interning at Periene Press, a small publishing press in London, Jodie from Bookgazing decided to give bloggers the opportunity to show a little love to smaller, independent presses.
It's no secret that independent publishers have a smaller budget, however this doesn't stop many from focusing much of their attention on marginalized groups. Just in terms of children's and YA fiction, many small presses are dedicated to publishing multicultural titles. Cinco Puntos Press, started in 1985, is an small independent press based in El Paso, Texas. Like most independent houses, it goes for the quality over quantity approach, publishing just a few titles a year. One of the these I love about Cinco Puntos Press is that the owners Bobby and Lee Byrd are conscious of being three miles north of the US Mexican Border. Being so close to the Border it is only natural that El Paso, Texas have a large Latino population. The Byrd's embraced, Latino authors and their stories.
Sammy & Juliana in Hollywood by Benjamin Alire Saenz and Crossing Bok Chitto by Tim Tingle are the first two books I read that were published by Cinco Puntos Press. Since then, they have been one of my go to smaller presses for children's and young adult literature. I think Sammy & Juliana in Hollywood, is one of the best YA novels of all time. Part of me can't help put wonder if Saenz submitted it to one of big six, would his YA debut been been published?
Unfortunately there are only a few of Native American children's and young adult authors. Because of that a small press who publishes a Native American author is going to get some serious points with me, especially when it is very well done. Tingle's Crossing Bok Chitto is definitely that.
Last year, Maximilian &the Mystery of the Guardian Angel by Xavier Garza was a 2012 Pura Belpre Award Honor Book.
I am very much looking forward to -
Conspiracy Girl by Karen Chacek (September)
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1 Comments on Cinco Puntos Press - (Small Press Fortnight Blog Tour), last added: 7/6/2012
Thanks for taking time to spotlight such a great sounding indie publisher. Conspiracy Girl sounds great and you've reminded me I still haven't read Sammy & Juliana.