Mexican-American author Leslie Adame joins Big Blend Radio to talk about her middle-grade fantasy series following Chloe Vega, a twelve-year-old from East LA whose biggest fear is that her undocumented parents will be taken away — until she discovers her family belongs to a secret magical society, and that she has powers of her own. The first book, Chloe Vega and the Agents of Magic, is out now. The second, Chloe Vega and the Missing Unseen, arrives October 6, 2026 from HarperCollins Children's.
Watch the episode below or listen to / download the audio-only version on Podbean:
Conversation Highlights
Why she built a "School of the Americas" where kids from across Latin America, Canada, and the U.S. learn to harness their magic together, and chose to let students pick which language to take their classes in.
How the series started with her Googling "how do you publish a book" in college, and the moment her father held the physical copy for the first time.
The spoon-and-frijoles scene that opens Book One — and why food, language, and culture run through every page of the academy.
A story from a school visit: a mom whose niece's father is currently in detainment told Leslie the book helped her niece see her dad as a hero, not defined by his situation.
Where she draws her own boundaries as a children's author who sometimes gets asked immigration-law questions she isn't qualified to answer.
Why she doesn't see escapism and hard topics as opposites: "it's literally just about a little girl trying to never separate from her family."
About the Series
Chloe Vega and the Agents of Magic (HarperCollins Children's, 2025) introduces Chloe Vega, whose parents are kidnapped the moment she learns they're part of a secret magical society — sending her to an elite academy to find them. In Chloe Vega and the Missing Unseen, Chloe returns for a second year with new powers, a sister finally let in on the secret, and a magical world on the edge of being exposed. The series has drawn praise from Kirkus Reviews, Booklist, and fellow authors Adrianna Cuevas and Terry J. Benton-Walker for its heart, action, and timely themes around identity and justice.
About Leslie Adame
Leslie Adame is a first-generation Mexican-American author and a UCLA graduate with a degree in political science and a minor in film, television, and digital media. She grew up in Ontario, California, in the Inland Empire, and now lives in the Los Angeles area. Visit: LeslieAdame.com
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