Paloma Joins the Circus: An Interview with Author Lupe Ruiz-Flores
Come one, come all! Witness the marvels of the circus with the new middle grade novel from award-winning author Lupe Ruiz-Flores. Set in 1939, Paloma Joins the Circus follows twelve-year-old Paloma as she travels with la carpa, her Mexican American family’s tent show. Determined to follow in her late mother’s footsteps, she sets out to show her father that she has what it takes to be a tightrope walker. But she also discovers circus life isn’t all glamour, and she must decide if la carpa is where she’s truly meant to be.
Today Lupe Ruiz-Flores joins us to share her inspiration for the book, her favorite parts of writing the story, and more. Keep reading to download the free discussion guide!
How did you come up with the idea for this book?
I always wondered how circus people lived and worked behind the scenes. I’d heard about las carpas—traveling Mexican American tent shows—when I was growing up, but I was too young to have seen one myself. Then, several years ago, I saw an article in the San Antonio Express-News about a lady named Virginia Garcia, who had become a contortionist with La Carpa Cubana when she was only ten. I looked her up and interviewed her. That was what inspired Paloma’s story.
What was the most surprising or striking thing you learned?
How young Virginia was when she joined! She had to help her family with finances; la carpa was how they earned their living. The more skilled performers they had, the bigger their paying audiences were likely to be and the more money the carperos made. Like Paloma’s cousins in the book, Virginia missed a lot of school while she was traveling with la carpa.
What circus job that you researched seems the most interesting to you?
The contortionist. That’s what Virginia did as a kid. In the book, I describe Paloma’s young cousin picking up a handkerchief with her teeth while bending over backward, which is a real move Virginia performed. And those moves could hurt. Virginia had to wear a girdle under her clothes for support. She developed an early case of arthritis, which she believed was caused by the strain she put on her body. So it was clear to me that the beautiful performances could come at a high cost for the carperos.
What part of Paloma’s journey felt most important to you as you wrote the story?
At first, Paloma thinks the circus is all fun and glamor. But she soon discovers that the same people, the same performances, and the same hard work became an everyday thing. She learns to have respect for the circus people, not just for the way they perform but for the work they do behind the scenes.
What do you hope readers will take away from the story?
Sometime things are not what they seem.
Praise for Paloma Joins the Circus
“A daring story of family and finding balance.”—starred, Kirkus Reviews
“Explores the timeless theme of belonging and the ever-present tension between appeasing family and pursuing one’s own dreams.”—Booklist
“An illuminating offering about the compromises and personal discoveries made when pursuing one’s dreams.”—Publishers Weekly
“An inspiring choice for kids with big dreams.”—School Library Journal
Free Educator Resources
There’s a lot to consider when following your dreams. Guide readers through nuanced questions with this free discussion guide.
Connect with the Author
Lupe Ruiz-Flores is the author of six bilingual picture books. She is a former Regional Advisor for the Southwest Chapter of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and until recently its newsletter editor. She is a member of the Writers League of Texas, Texas Library Association, Las Musas, and Kindling Words. She was awarded the Tejas Star Book Award for three consecutive years and won the Pura Belpré Children’s Author Award for The Pecan Sheller in 2026. Her poetry and short stories have been published in anthologies, including Thanku: Poems of Gratitude. She was recently inducted into the Texas Institute of Letters.
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