Bodega Cats: Just Kitten Around

Description: "Everyone thinks Yesenia is calm, collected, and crushing it. But really, her stomach is constantly a ball of nerves. With parents who left their home in the Dominican Republic to make a better life for their kids, and three perfect, over-achieving older sisters, Yesenia knows nobody wants to hear about the anxiety that's causing her to fall behind in school. When her doctor tells her parents that taking care of an animal could help, little did they know her newly adopted kitten would be such a mischievous influence. All Candy can think about is adventure--and what's a kitten supposed to do when her owner is cooped up inside helping out at the bodega? But when Candy escapes and gets lost in New York City for a night, she realizes maybe the big open world isn't all it's cracked up to be. Can these two find a way out of feeling so lost, as long they're together?"--

Brief description: Hilda Eunice Burgos was born and raised in Washington Heights, New York City. The first time Hilda read a book--back when she was a student at P.S. 132--she knew she wanted to be a writer. After graduating from the Bronx High School of Science, Hilda headed to Philadelphia to attend the University of Pennsylvania and later Harvard Law School for her law degree. She and her husband have two grown children and an adorable dog named Bear. She is the author of the Bodega Cats series, Ana María Reyes Does Not Live in a Castle, The Cot in the Living Room, and Miosotis Flores Never Forgets.

Review Quotes:

"A meow-velous tale laced with meditations on family and identity." --Kirkus

"This -diverse, well-rounded series is -recommended for all collections." --School Library Journal

"[For] all readers of middle-grade stories." --The Dominican Writers Association

Praise for Bodega Cats: Picture Purrfect

A Bank St. Center for Children's Literature Best Book of 2025
A 2025 CBC Children's Favorites Winner
A 2025 CBC Librarian Favorites Winner
An Amazon Best Children's Book of 2024
A 2024 Kids' Indie Next List Pick
A Publishers Weekly Best of Summer 2024 Read
A 2026 Oklahoma Library Association Sequoyah Masterlist Nominee

"[A] lively portrayal of the many forms that bravery, kindness, and connection can take." --Publishers Weekly

"A series opener perfect for young fans of comics, cats, and cities." --Shelf Awareness

"Paw-sitively charming." --Kirkus

"A warm tale that embraces, sings, purrs and never lets go! Bodega Cats reminds us home is wherever a friend can be found!" --Julian Randall, author of Pilar Ramirez and the Escape from Zafa

"A warm hug of a book. Readers will fall in love with Miguel and Lolo." --Nina Moreno, author of the Maggie Diaz series