Interviewing Danette Vigilante: SI Children’s Author
Meet Danette Vigilante, a talented author and Staten Island local. Danette has a true passion for writing and reading. Growing up in NYC, Danette developed her love for literacy and even continues to encourage others to do so by maintaining a Little Free Library on her front lawn. Danette’s cheerful personality and determined spirit make her an amazing role model for anyone. Her latest and first picture book, The Sand Beneath the Waves, serves as the perfect blend of imagination and science.
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Danette’s Work & Accolades
Danette is the author of several acclaimed books, including The Sand Beneath the Waves and Tia Lugo Speaks No Evil. The latter has received multiple awards, such as a Gold Medal from the Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards, a Bronze Medal from The Independent Publisher Book Awards for multicultural fiction in the JUV/YA category, and an Honorable Mention at the International Latino Book Awards. Additionally, her other works feature The Trouble With Half A Moon, which was nominated for the Sunshine State Young Readers Award, and Saving Baby Doe, which earned a spot on the New York Public Library’s 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing list.
Interview with Danette
- Introduce yourself! Please give us an insight into your New York background and experiences living here!
I grew up in the Red Hook Houses in Brooklyn, New York, where the scent of the harbor was never far away. On warm days we jumped rope until our legs ached, roller skated across cracked sidewalks and pedaled our bikes in wide loops around the courtyards. We’d stop at Sal’s, the local candy store, for hot candy apples that stuck to our teeth and stained our fingers red. If you’ve never had one, I’m sorry to say you’re missing out.
It was a community filled with noise and laughter, where doors were open, neighbors called out from windows, and there was always someone keeping an eye on us. Safety didn’t come from locks or alarms but from the watchful care of a neighborhood that felt like family.
- What got you into writing? Mention anything that has helped you on your journey!
Five words started it all: Danette needs help with reading. That’s what my fifth-grade teacher wrote on the back of my report card. Surely it had to be a mistake, so I did what kids do, I set out to prove her wrong. The library became the perfect place to do just that.
What I didn’t realize at the time was that I was changing the course of my life. In my neighborhood library, I fell in love with books. Soon, I was reading beneath the covers with the light from my dollhouse lamp, I couldn’t get enough!
It wasn’t long before a tiny voice in the back of my mind whispered that maybe one day I could be on the other side of a book. That maybe I could write one. To date, I’ve written four, with more on the way.
- Tell us about your work!
Children’s books have always been my zone. When I write, it feels like I’m watching a movie, walking through the places I’m describing, experiencing what my characters feel. My five senses are on high alert during those times, and that’s something I always share with students during author visits: use every sense to create something believable.
With my first middle grade novel, The Trouble with Half a Moon, there’s a scene that made me cry while writing it, and again every time I read it during revisions. Once, I even teared up while describing it to a fellow author, not my proudest moment. My third novel, Tia Lugo Speaks No Evil, is loosely based on something I experienced as a child. Writing it gave me the chance to hand Tia the strength I didn’t have at that age, and in many ways, it felt like therapy.
The Sand Beneath the Waves may be my first picture book, but the idea swam around in my head (and on my computer) for years before I felt it was finally just right. It’s a lyrical exploration of sand and the sea creatures who depend on it. Blending facts with imagination, the book invites young readers to dive into discovery. Aimed at grades PreK–4, it makes science fun and unforgettable while sparking curiosity long after story time ends.
- Do you have any favorite spots in Staten Island?
I love the Conference House for its history, beginning with the failed peace conference of 1776, when the British and Americans attempted to end the Revolutionary War. And I love it for its setting! The glistening waters of the Arthur Kill and Raritan Bay makes for the perfect reading spot!
- Finally, do you have any advice for parents and families living in NYC?
Scholar and educator Emily Style once wrote that stories can serve as windows, allowing children to learn about others, and as mirrors, allowing them to see themselves.
My advice to parents and families is simple: visit the library with your children. In those books, they’ll not only discover reflections of themselves but also glimpses into the lives of others. The library is where empathy has the chance to take root and grow.
Because empathy is more than understanding another person’s story. It’s the moment we pause, imagine, and feel with someone else, and in doing so, we grow a little kinder ourselves.
Where to Read Danette’s Work
You can find all of Danette’s books, including her new children’s book, The Sand Beneath the Waves, here!
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