Leyla Torres was born in Bogotá, Colombia in 1960. One day, her
mother gave her a small easel and a box of paints. One of her first paintings was of a group of six tall green cypress trees, and another was of a man she had seen in the country, cutting a pineapple from
its plant. She has enjoyed painting ever since.

Some of her books, such as Saturday Sancocho and The Kite Festival
have been inspired by her memories of the mountains, the festivities,
the colorful towns and the clothes that people wear in the village
markets of Colombia.

After studying Fine Arts and Education in Bogotá, Leyla moved to New York City where she enjoyed the diversity of people and loved to visit the art museums. Leyla also discovered a place that became like paradise to her, The Central Children's Room at the New York Public Library. Some of her books, such as Subway Sparrow and Liliana's
Grandmothers have been inspired by her experiences living in the
United States.

Leyla currently lives in Arlington, Vermont, where she works in her
studio near a sunny window from where she can see the ever-changing mountains, trees and sky.
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The Kite Festival, Saturday Sancocho, Liliana's Grandmothers, and Subway Sparrow are all published by Farrar, Straus & Giroux and available in English and Spanish.