Celia C. Pérez

Celia C. Pérez writes middle-grade fiction about young people who make room for their identities, interests, and communities. Her debut novel The First Rule of Punk follows twelve-year-old Malú as she adjusts to a new school, creates zines, and forms a band with other students who feel out of place. Kokila publishes the book, which received a Pura Belpré Author Honor and the Tomás Rivera Mexican American Children’s Book Award. Pérez also created the black-and-white illustrations and collage art threaded through the story. A Chicago librarian as well as an author, she brings a practical understanding of how children meet books and build their own creative worlds. Her later novels include Strange Birds: A Field Guide to Ruffling Feathers and Tumble, extending her attention to friendship, family history, and independent-minded children.