Fabiola Palapa Quijas
La Jornada Newspaper
Sunday, November 8, 2026, p. a12
"All great dreams have a place where they begin. Mine began in the patio of my house in Guadalajara." Thus begins the first children's book written by dancer Isaac Hernández, which will be presented on November 30 at the 40th edition of the Guadalajara International Book Fair (FIL).
In El patio, with illustrations by María Tuti and published by the Alfaguara label, Isaac tells of his beginnings in ballet, under the teaching of his father, maestro Héctor Hernández, and the path that took him from that small patio to the most important stages in the world, with an unprecedented career in the history of dance in Mexico.
Isaac Hernández, originally from Guadalajara, Jalisco, is a principal dancer with the American Ballet Theater (ABT) in New York. He was principal dancer at the San Francisco Ballet from 2022 to 2024, and between 2015 and 2022, at the English National Ballet.
At the age of 28 he was awarded the Prix Benois de la Danse as best dancer. At the age of 14 he made his debut at the National Auditorium in Mexico City at the Los Gigantes de la Danza gala.
In his book El patio: From the patio of his house to the biggest stages in the world, Isaac Hernández shares with children something that he has always believed in: work, discipline and perseverance can take us much further than we imagine.
His story is an invitation for each child to discover that it does not matter where their dreams begin and to find inspiration to work for them.
Isaac is one of the 11 children of dancer Héctor Hernández, three of whom showed a vocation for ballet. Thanks to his father, the dancer has achieved a brilliant career, and with effort and discipline he has changed the mentality of those who think that one cannot make a living from art.
At the 40th FIL in Guadalajara, the dancer will present El patio on November 30 at 7 p.m. in Room 9 of the National Area, Expo Guadalajara.
While on December 1, at 6 p.m., he will participate in the FIL Children Forum, where he will share his narrative experience. The autograph signing of the book El patio is scheduled at 7:30 p.m. in the Fomento Cultural Banamex space. These activities require prior registration.
Hernández is currently performing in the ABT Fall Season at the David H. Mich Theater at Lincoln Center with pieces such as Petite Mort, by choreographer Jiri Kylián, and The Dream, by Sir Frederick Ashton, where he plays the role of Oberon.
After concluding his October presentations in New York, the dancer from Jalisco will continue his artistic activity with a tour of China with the ABT. The company will present Swan Lake, one of the most emblematic works of the classical repertoire.
▲ Isaac Hernández and Hee Seo, in a moment of the choreography Petit mort Photo ABT/ Natalia Sánchez
Author: Isaac Hernandez
Illustrations: María Tuti
Publisher: Alfaguara
48 pages
Mallko
In this book, the Argentine illustrator Gusti once again shares his experience as the father of Mallko, who is about to come of age and faces the challenges and changes of adolescence.
With illustrations, photographs and personal reflections, the author portrays his daily life with his son and opens an intimate window into fatherhood, inclusion and shared growth.
Gusti defines Mallko as a very nice person, very creative, very happy and, above all, very intense. "I would define Mallko as a Heyoka, a wise person. Throughout these years the things that have happened to us have been of all colors.
“Currently, I would define Mallko's life as a mix between Peppa Pig and that of a typical teenager. He goes from wanting to have a girlfriend to wondering if Santa Claus exists. He wants to learn to read, work in a supermarket, be a police officer or a thief and he lives with the idea that, by closing his eyes, others cannot see him. We parents do the best we can. Sometimes it is difficult, but it is also magical,” shares the illustrator, who will present this book on Sunday, November 29 at the 40th Guadalajara International Book Fair.
Author: Gusti
Publisher: Ocean Crossing
Number of pages: 148
Ocean: Paired Animals
Novelist and fiction author Mel Matthews, known for texts that combine inner journey, symbolism, and exploration of the psyche, published this book for young readers that encourages memory, observation, and early vocabulary.
With thick, sturdy pages that are easy for little hands to manipulate, Ocean: Paired Animals turns reading into an interactive experience. Through simple clues and descriptions, children will guess the animals, reinforcing observation and memory.
With his illustrations, the author allows children to identify the seven animals: a dolphin, a turtle, a fish, an octopus, a seal, a shark and a crab, and then identify their babies, in a fun pair game.
For example, in the case of the crab he says: "My baby is agile with his two claws and runs with his eight little legs. Can you find him?" The dolphin comments that his baby “has two fins and likes to spin around in the water, so the little reader will be able to identify the babies and form pairs.
Author: Mel Matthews
Publisher: Ocean Crossing
14 pages
