Karla Arenas Valenti grew up in Mexico City in a house built around a tree. Her life was always filled with elements of the fantastical which she readily incorporates into her storytelling, taking readers on journeys steeped in magical realism. Karla is the best-selling and critically-acclaimed author of Lotería, the exciting Legendarios chapter book series, and various picture books. She is also the co-author of Hispanic Star: Selena Gomez. Karla’s stories are heavily influenced by her Mexican heritage and layered with ideas and concepts she’s picked up in her many travels around the world. Karla currently resides in the Chicagoland area with her husband and three kids, two cats, and hundreds of books.