Cynthia Weill

Cynthia (Cindy) Weill (she/her) (cynthiaweill.net) is the award-winning author of 10 books for children, nine of them Spanish/English bilingual.

She has lived and worked in many countries but has spent most of her time in Mexico. Cindy started working in Mexico more than 30 years ago as a Fulbright Exchange teacher. Later as part of her doctoral research at Teachers College Columbia University she began collaborating with the State of Oaxaca’s rural artisans. In partnership, she and the artisans developed and continue to develop the artwork for a series of award-winning bilingual concept books published by Cinco Puntos Press an Imprint of Lee & Low. These books teach the alphabet, opposite, colors, numbers, animal sounds, jobs, methods of transport and musical instruments

Because each is handmade, creating all of the pieces needed for a particular book can take up to two years. After completion of each work, these crafts are sent to the Field Museum of Chicago to become part of its permanent Meso American collection.

Cindy says “I have become life-long friends with many of the artisans and am now enjoying watching the second and third generations of their families learning the trade too. When I am in Oaxaca, apart from working with the families, I spend a lot of time at quinceañeras, baptisms and weddings. It is such a pleasure.”

Cindy lives in New York where she likes to spend her free time with the many other authors and illustrators working in children’s literature in the city.

Her book awards include: Notable Books for a Global Society, Bank Street College of Education Best Books; Blue Ribbon Winner: The Center for Children’s Books, University of Illinois; Library Media Connection Editor’s Choice Award/Spanish Language or Bilingual; Cooperative Children’s Book Center, CCBC Choices; Junior Library Guild Selection, Best Southwest Book Award, Skipping Stones Honor Award

Cindy can present in English & Spanish.

Books by Cynthia Weill