This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
In your dedication for The Boy from Mexico Becomes a U.S. Citizen, you say that your great-grandfather’s border crossing made you who you are today. Could you tell us more about how your family has influenced you?
Yes! Jorge Dennis-Flores was my great-grandfather, whom I grew up hearing stories about. He was a normal farmworker in Mexico who wanted a better life. He came to the US with his brother Tomas, where he was a copper miner, farmworker, and bricklayer. His story is popular within our family because we each try to work hard in his memory. This is what inspired me to create books, to honor his legacy, and to inspire others with his sacrifices.
You work closely with the United Farm Workers Foundation and many other organizations that advance Latino progress. How does that inform your illustration work for your The Boy from Mexico series, and vice versa?
It definitely helps with my art in an authentic way. A lot of my pieces are studies from the areas I visit while helping with organizations, or places I purposely go out and take photos of to get inspired. None of this would be possible without having a close relationship with these organizations.
Before becoming an author, you worked as a special education teacher in Phoenix. How do you think your background in education shines through in what you create today?
I think my time as a teacher was necessary for me to understand how children think in terms of literacy. Without my nine years as a SPED teacher at Phoenix Elementary School District, I don’t think my books would have happened. I always wanted to create books, as my mother was a Headstart instructor. But being in the classroom really gave me the confidence to know how to approach such real topics for such vulnerable minds.
You mention that you want to teach empathy through your writing. How do you imagine your audience may apply the values they learn from your series?
You know, if even one child comes to me and says, “Mr. Dennis, your book helped me understand _!”, I would be happy. And that’s happened thousands of times since 2022 when my first book was released. I’m always looking for kids to find understanding in others’ struggles.
You’re very intentional with your choices in the art style and lessons throughout your latest book. What is the process like for planning out your story, illustrations, and text?
I start with sticky notes, write the page numbers on each one, then go from there. This helps me lay out the book; I usually start in the middle or end of the book as well. I think planning is the most fun part. When I get to hold the final product, I look back at the sticky notes and I’m surprised it still works!
With the surge of deportations and ICE arrests in 2025, how do you think your work is particularly relevant during these times?
I started this book and series years ago. To be here in 2025, seeing my community torn apart, is devastating. I hope children who look like me are hopeful when they read my book. I hope children who don’t look like me learn empathy from my writing and illustrations. I dream of living in a world where borders don’t exist, but until that happens, I at least want my books to help the next generation of children be friends.
Your first two books discuss immigrant farmworkers (The Boy From Mexico Becomes a Farmworker: Grown-Up Luz and His Friends Feed America) and border crossing (The Boy from Mexico: An Immigration Story of Bravery and Determination). How does The Boy from Mexico Becomes a U.S. Citizen add to the discourse around immigration in a new way?
Great question. I split the series into 3 parts pertaining not only to my family but to what typically happens.
- The journey here, what it takes, and the fears that come from it.
- The work we do when we get here, why we do it, and how hard it is.
- The dream, what we all want when we come here.
The series is meant to be a holistic view of the journey Jorge Dennis-Flores went through, what millions of people also go through.
Your chihuahua’s adorable. What’s his name?
Thank you! Oliver is his name. He’s my drawing buddy.