Chicana author who is known for her work as both a children's fiction author and as a poet. Between 2012 and 2014, she served as the poet laureate for San Antonio. And, during 2015-2016, she served as the state of Texas' poet laureate.
She graduated with a bachelor's degree in Spanish and French from Austin College in 1972. She subsequently earned her master's degree in education from Austin College the following year.
She released her first poetry anthology collection, Get Your Tortillas Together, in 1976. In 2010, she earned the Charlotte Zolotow Award for Best Children's Picture Book in recognition of her novel What Can You DO with A Paleta?
She was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas.
She and fellow children's author Judy Blume are both known for employing themes that are near to them personally.
