Larissa Martinez brings nearly two decades of experience as a political strategist, while Mari Martinez Zinser is a teaching artist specializing in program design. Together, they combined their expertise to create My Mommy Is a Candidate, a children’s book designed to help families navigate the experience of political campaigning.
Larissa and Mari wrote My Mommy Is a Candidate to help mothers explain their candidacy and campaign experiences to their children. Political campaigns can often feel confusing or overwhelming for young kids, so the book connects those experiences to important stages of childhood development.
The story highlights qualities that make strong leaders while helping children recognize and develop those same traits within themselves. By bridging the gap between the adult world of campaigning and children’s everyday lives, the book creates a meaningful and relatable way for families to talk about leadership, service, and civic engagement.
My Mommy Is a Candidate celebrates women as leaders and encourages the entire family to feel included in campaign life in a way children can understand. The book has received praise from candidates, teachers, school board members, and families for filling a longstanding gap in children’s literature.
Larissa and Mari plan to continue expanding the series by exploring many more professions and experiences through future children’s books.
For more information about Larissa Martinez, Mari Martinez Zinser, or My Mommy Is a Candidate, visit
LM Publishers.
