Written in the stars

“The Stars Over Socorro/Las Estrellas Sobre Socorro” is Elizabeth Rivera’s debut as an author.

It’s a bilingual book for children and the stories in it, she said, are true. They’re based on Rivera’s summertime experiences growing up in Socorro.

“I want readers to know how beautiful it is to grow up in a rural community and at the same time growing up in the modern world,” Rivera said in a phone interview.

“Socorro is a beautiful, innocent place to grow up in. Not a whole lot has changed in the 30 years since I graduated from high school.”

The book is mostly about 12-year-old Bethy — that’s how the young Elizabeth was referred to by her family and friends.

The main story thread is about Bethy’s wish for a bigger bicycle.

Her father tells his daughter that if she wants a new bike, she’s going to have to figure out a way to pay for it herself because he can’t.

That’s because, he explained, if he does buy a new bike for her, he’ll also have to buy new bikes for Bethy’s two sisters and brother. And he’s certainly not buying four new bikes.

Bethy accepts her dad’s decision. She tells herself, “So I’ll have to find jobs and save up money to buy one myself.”

And she does.

Bethy thanks her lucky stars — so many of them are in the night sky — for helping her find jobs cleaning houses and pulling weeds so she’ll have the money to buy a bike.

She’s pleased that the monsoon rains cool off the town. She’s aware that the rains produce plenty of weeds.

Bethy has learned lessons in setting and meeting goals.

The book has sidebar scenes that demonstrate to young readers the importance of community pride in the town’s history and its cultural heritage. There are several full-page images of Socorro landmarks, such as the kiosk in the town plaza and the San Miguel Mission, which was founded in 1598. The entrance to the mission is on the book’s front cover.

“It is still the church I attend,” Rivera said.

She had initially thought about writing a children’s book when she was doing graduate work at New Mexico State University. Years later, she began revisiting the idea of writing a book about growing up in a small town.

The book was released in November and is available on Amazon.

In the short time since its release, 100 copies of the book have already been sold, Rivera said.

She injects humor in her storytelling. There’s a scene in which Bethy’s parents leave for Albuquerque on business. Bethy, several cousins and a friend spend the day with an aunt and uncle who had just bought a bull.

The kids took turns riding it. On a dare, Bethy got on the bull. Not two seconds into her ride, she was bucked off and fell into a bathtub filled with manure.

Bethy said the aunt gave her this bit of advice: That’s what can happen when girls play with boys.

Rivera created the illustrations for the book. Painting has been a love of Rivera’s from an early age.

She said in a text message she chose the book’s title “because as I wrote the story about how I used to stargaze — and how I still stargaze — it reminded me that the stars over Socorro are special and not like anywhere else. … Socorro County is also home to astronomy observatories … So it was fitting.”

Rivera’s second cousin and godson, Joseph A. Rivera-Cordova, translated the book into Spanish.

Rivera, who is the principal of Socorro High School, included a page — in English and in Spanish — with questions parents and educators can use to help young readers better understand — and perhaps relate to — situations and issues the book raises.