Emma Otheguy

EMMA OTHEGUY is the author of the bilingual picture book MARTÍ'S SONG FOR FREEDOM/MARTÍ Y SUS VERSOS POR LA LIBERTAD (Lee & Low, 2017) about Cuban poet and national hero José Martí, as well as the forthcoming POPE FRANCIS: BUILDER OF BRIDGES (Bloomsbury, 2018) and SILVER MEADOWS SUMMER (Knopf, 2019). MARTÍ'S SONG FOR FREEDOM received starred reviews, from School Library Journal, Booklist, Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, and Shelf Awareness. MARTÍ was also named a Best Book of the Year by Kirkus Reviews, School Library Journal, the New York Public Library, and the Bank Street Center for Children's Literature. Otheguy’s short story for children “Fairies in Town” was awarded Magazine Merit Honors by SCBWI, and her scholarly article “Sermonizing in New York: The Children’s Magazines of Mary Mapes Dodge and José Martí” appeared in ETHICS IN CHILDREN'S LITERATURE (Ashgate, 2014).

Emma attended Swarthmore College, where she studied children’s literature with Donna Jo Napoli and graduated with Honors. Later, she worked in farm-based education, at a children’s bookstore, and as an elementary-school Spanish teacher. She is now a Ph.D. Candidate in History at New York University, focusing on Spain and colonial Latin America. Emma has held fellowships and grants from the American Historical Association, the Council of Library and Information Resources, and Humanities New York. Emma lives in New York City, where she was born.