Livermore Public Library – Latinx Heritage Month: Author Reyna Grande
Born in Iguala, Guerrero, Mexico, Reyna Grande immigrated to the United States at the age of nine. She became the first in her family to graduate from university and holds a BA and an MFA in creative writing. Her work explores themes of immigration, family separation, and the cost of the American Dream. Reyna is best known for her memoirs, The Distance Between Us and A Dream Called Home , which chronicle her experiences as an undocumented child immigrant from Mexico. She has also written the novels Across a Hundred Mountains, Dancing with Butterflies, and A Ballad of Love and Glory . She is also the co-editor of the anthology Somewhere We Are Human: Authentic Voices on Migration, Survival and New Beginnings . Reyna’s writing has earned her numerous awards and recognitions, including an American Book Award, the El Premio Aztlán Literary Award, and the International Latino Book Award.