Nephtalí De León is a Chicano writer known primarily for his poetry, children's stories, and essays. He is also credited with illustrating most of his books. He was born in Laredo, Texas in 1945 as the son of migrant workers. Although neither of his parents received much formal education, De León says that they were responsible for first exposing him to literature. He published his first book, ''Chicanos: Our Background and Our Pride,'' in the early 1960s during his senior year of high school. He then expanded his work to include poetry and plays, dabbling in mural art and children's stories on the side. His first children's book entitled ''I Will Catch the Sun'' was published in 1973. He was the editor of the newspaper ''La Voz de los Llanos'' in Lubbock, Texas from 1968 to 1973. He has been published in Mexico, France, the United States, and Spain with his stories being translated into several other languages, including German, Russian, Chinese, and Vietnamese. Currently, De León is a full-time poet, writer, and painter who performs lectures and poetry at schools and community events.
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