TOGETHER WE REMEMBER

I’m excited to welcome my fellow Musa Jackie Morera to the blog today, to learn more about her newest picture book TOGETHER WE REMEMBER. Illustrated by Violeta Encarnación and published by Make Me a World (imprint of Random House Children’s Books) on May 13th, 2025, this is a lovely story you won’t want to miss.

A bit about TOGETHER WE REMEMBER:

Together We Remember is a story about imagination, the power of memories, and the “why” behind daydreaming. It follows a girl and her father as they embark on an imagination adventure that includes rainforest hikes, intergalactic planet-hopping, and most of all,
remembering Mami through her favorite activity—creating stories and memories together.

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Now on to our interview:

M. Jackie, I’m so happy to have this chance to talk with you about your recently published book. Congratulations! For starters, can you share if some of the adventures included in this book are inspired by your own memories?

J. Only one: the scene that sets the stage for our main characters, Giselle and Papi’s, imagination adventure. The two hop aboard an “airplane” made of lined-up dining table chairs with stuffed animal passengers. My dad and I used to play pretend airplane in a similar way! The rest of the adventures are all scenarios invented to serve Giselle and Papi’s (and Mami’s) unique story.

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M. How sweet that you have such a memory with your dad and that it made it into the book. Imagination plays a big role in TOGETHER WE REMEMBER, how do you connect with it and why was it important for you to include it in your story?

J. Human beings are fueled by imagination! It’s absolutely a form of magic to take your thoughts and explore any reality possible. It’s a shame we lose that as we age, but children are always tapped into daydreaming and whimsy. Still, a story about venturing through imagination only takes the reader so far. I wanted TOGETHER WE REMEMBER to be about the deeper reasons one might dive into imagination. In Giselle and Papi’s case, it’s to remember, revisit, recreate, heal, and move forward.

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M. Imagination is indeed powerful, and the way the illustrations work with the text in this story is just perfect. Jackie, how was it for you to meet the characters created by Violeta Encarnación? Did you have any input in the illustration process? Did you include art notes in your manuscript?

J. Indescribable! Re-meeting your characters for the first time is one of the coolest parts about publishing picture books. It was a dream come true to partner with Violeta, an unbelievably talented artist and creator in her own right. She crafted a world beyond anything I could imagine. Regarding art notes, because of the largely imaginative aspect of the story, the original manuscript had more than my usual number of them, mainly to clarify the action. For example, in one scene, Giselle and Papi “land on the moon.” The art note for that line simply said bound across the sofa. Violeta took that and turned it into the stunning spread below.

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M. Violeta Encarnación is so talented! I love how she created such a magical spread. Thanks for sharing it with us. Considering that TOGETHER WE REMEMBER is your second book, how was the publishing process different from your debut’s? What would you say is your most valuable lesson learned?

J. There are several differences. First, my debut, ABUELO’S FLOWERSHOP, was acquired directly by the publisher via an online pitch event. So that was unique! TOGETHER WE REMEMBER went through the typical submission process, with a “revise & resubmit” ahead of acquisition. Working with a Big 5 vs. an indie publisher also has its differences. The biggest of them, in my experience, was the more collaborative nature of working with Make Me A World and my wonderful editor, Lois Evans. Every step of the process felt like a conversation between creative partners. I appreciated that so much. I had this relationship with the team at Beaming Books as well but, because of some editorial turnover during that time, I never felt as “plugged in,” I guess. And so, the most valuable lesson I’ve learned is to be as flexible and adaptable as possible.

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M. That’s so interesting, Jackie! Any new projects you’re currently working on that you can share?

J. I have another picture book on the horizon! I can’t share too many details, as it’s still unannounced, but it’s full of humor, innocent misunderstandings, and intergenerational love. Keep an eye out for more about Diego and his abuelitos soon!

Wow! Congratulations! I will be looking forward to hearing more news about Diego and his abuelitos. Thanks so much for the wonderful chat, Jackie, I enjoyed learning more about your books and your process. I wish you the best with all your projects!

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JACKIE’S BIO

Jackie Morera is a Cuban American author of books for young-at-heart readers. Born and raised in Miami, Jackie now lives with her family in Central Florida. She’s a wife of 10+ years, a mom to the most marvelous kid, and is never far from her animal familiar: currently, a floppy black lab named Tanner. Outside of writing, Jackie enjoys talking to the bees, caterpillars, and butterflies that visit her pollinator garden; savoring pastelitos; and cozying up for a good nap. Jackie is an active member of Las Musas and a 2025 PB Rising Stars Mentor. Jackie is the author of TOGETHER WE REMEMBER, illustrated by Violeta Encarnación; Abuelo’s Flower Shop, illustrated by Deise Lino; and more!

@jmorerabooks on Instagram, TikTok, Threads, and BlueSky

Thanks for reading!

M

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Cover photo by RDNE Stock Project.