Linda J. Acevedo Author Interview
Guest post by Silver Medallion Sponsor Lee & Low Books. 
Breaking to the Beat, a story brimming with hope, is a hip-hoppity journey that reimagines the life of breaking pioneers and the impact their passion and ingenuity have stamped on the world.
Linda J. Acevedo is a New York native who was known to do the toprock and six-step at birthday parties and in her backyard. She is thrilled she gets to share this story about the origins of breaking and Hip Hop with young readers. This marks her authorial debut.
What are your first memories of Hip-Hop and the Bronx, and how did they inspire this book?
LJA: Images of decay still echo in the minds of many whenever the Bronx is brought up. It’s an undeniable fact the 1970s hit the NYC borough pretty hard. But among the debris, a spark of optimism blossomed within the NYC borough—Hip-Hop. Breaking is the first element of the culture my eyes feasted on. My memory of the day is crystal clear.
A boombox blared as a breaker danced on cardboard laying on a street corner. Along with neighborhood kids, I stared in amazement at the fiery footwork. A rush of electricity ran through us. We jumped up and down as only excited preteens could, with an enthusiastic frenzy. We realized we witnessed something special but had no idea the dynamic steps were our first glimpse of hip-hop.
We latched on to the dance. During recess, gym class, or when our teacher stepped out of the classroom, my friends and I tried our hand at swivels and spins. Bellyflops, plentiful. Determination, bountiful. Somehow, I managed a decent top rock and a so-so six-step. But a six-step nonetheless.
Battles erupted in hallways, after school parties, and the school bus stop. Someone, always ready to share a new move. And the rest of us, always set to sponge up every step.
Movies such as Flashdance and Beat Street pushed breaking into popularity. As a young Puerto Rican girl, seeing teens who looked like my family and neighbors on the big screen was exciting. I later came to understand how incredible it was for a group of disenfranchised Black and Latinx kids from the Bronx to have created a dance that ultimately took the world by storm.
What did your writing process for this book look like? In addition to your firsthand experiences with breaking, what research was needed to write this story which is based on real people, places & events from the era?
LJA: While writing the first draft, I rarely slept. For two weeks I researched, wrote, and revised and revised. And then revised some more.
In a picture book every word counts. I centered my writing on telling a true-ish story with no excess while educating and entertaining the reader at the same time. It was a juggling act, for sure. But so worth it!
In terms of research, I read books and watched documentaries, news clips, interviews of Hip-Hop legends, and YouTube videos. Lots and lots of research went into writing the book. LOTS!
We’re in awe of gorgeous art by Frank Morrison. Tell us about seeing his illustrations for the first time. Was it what you pictured in your own head? Do you have a favorite?
LJA: Little Melba and Her Big Trombone inspired the way I told Manolo’s story. In fact, I had the book open while I wrote the first draft. Frank illustrated Little Melba so I was very excited to learn he’d be illustrating Breaking to the Beat!.
The illos for Breaking are stunning. Each spread is a piece of artwork. Frank’s imagination for the illos surpassed mine, for sure.
The first spread, the family scene, is my favorite. So much emotion and storytelling through lyrical lines. I also love the detail of Manolo at the door. Peeking. Too shy to join in. Nice touch.
On a side note, the same agent represented Breaking to the Beat! and Little Melba. Lee & Low published both. And as I mentioned, Frank illustrated both. Pretty wild!
What do you hope young readers take away from Manolo’s story? Do you have any advice for aspiring young authors?
LJA: Put in the effort and reap the rewards. We build character by stumbling. Don’t be the one that never gets back up.
Push through the uncomfortable parts of writing. It’s important to be comfortable with being uncomfortable. Otherwise, it’s easy to fall into the trap of second guessing yourself and never achieving your writing goals.
