Mariana Llanos is a writer born and raised in Peru. She has published several picture books, as well as several award-winning bilingual books and books in English and Spanish for the educational market (Curriculum Associates, Heinemann, and Rubicon Publishing/Pearson).

Her latest picture book Benita and the Night Creatures/Benita y las criaturas nocturnas, illustrated by Cocoretto (English/Spanish editions, Barefoot Books 2023), won a Pura Belpré Honor, is a Junior Library Guild selection and was chosen as the Best Books of 2023 by the New York and Chicago Public Libraries.

Run, Little Chaski! An Inka Trail Adventure, illustrated by Mariana Ruiz Johnson (Barefoot Books, June 2021), received starred reviews from Kirkus and School Library Journal and has received critical acclaim, including the 2022 Oklahoma Book Award. She is one of the founders of #LatinxPitch and the current Diversity and Inclusion Chair of SCBWI Oklahoma.

The first book in her forthcoming chapter book series VAMPIRITA (Reycraft Books) will be released in 2024. Mariana lives in Oklahoma City with her three children. She tweets as @marianallanos. You can read more about her at MarianaLlanos.com.

Represented by: Sera Rivers