Lulu Delacre Bilingual author and illustrator of children's books ___________________________________________________________________________________

You have no idea how much fun was to write and illustrate this book. I began, again, by just sketching the characters. I know them very well, and just drawing them doing certain things gives me ideas of what the stories should be.

I couldn't resist dressing up Rosi in what she considered the most marvelous outfit to be selected as queen, with silk scarves, her mother's jewelry, and even lipstick on her -lips?

Like in Rafi and Rosi some of Rafi's behaviors were inspired by what my husband did as a little boy. Like him Rafi makes a periscope and uses it to trick his little sister into thinking he has x-ray eyes.

Set in the city of Ponce, Puerto Rico, during Carnival, I relished in making pictures that depict a little of the gorgeous colonial architecture, and show a bit of what the traditions are like.