Frank Acosta
Frank X. Acosta was born in Los Angeles, California to a disadvantaged Spanish-speaking Mexican family embedded in an impoverished Latino community. His single parent mother, having been raised in Mexico with a strong sense of pride in self and in family, sacrificed to provide better educational opportunities for her sons.
Frank’s education started with public schools and moved on to private schools. He applied himself in school and ultimately completed advanced education with a doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology from the University of California, Los Angeles.
Frank has long had a deep passion to help the underprivileged, and in particular poor Spanish-speaking immigrant families. As a clinical psychologist he dedicated himself to helping to improve the mental health, education, and welfare of Latino children and their families. He did this through his many years of public service at the Los Angeles County + USC Medical Center.
He has published numerous professional articles and book chapters on mental health issues, on Latino mental health, and was lead author in a well-received book with Plenum Press entitled, Effective Psychotherapy for Low-Income and Minority Patients.
Frank has decided to transition from academic writing to bilingual picture book writing in order to reach Latino and non-Latino children. He brings his psychological perspective and experience to his stories. His goal is to entertain with picture book stories which will help to portray issues confronting children and provide ways to ameliorate them. His love of dogs led to his first picture book story with the main character being a puppy that is faced with an overwhelming challenge. Frank is a full member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.