Kitty Felde, a veteran Southern California public radio reporter turned children's author, says one of the congressmen in her Fina Mendoza mystery series was modeled on Xavier Becerra. The detail has suddenly become a lot more interesting now that Becerra has surged to the top of California's primary for governor.
In a column for the Los Angeles Times, Mark Z. Barabak reports that Felde based “Papa,” the genial congressman and father figure in the books, on Becerra and wrote the series to sneak civics lessons into stories for young readers. The Los Angeles Times also notes that the heroine, Fina Mendoza, was inspired by a child Felde mentored while she was living and reporting in Los Angeles.
Books That Teach Civics, Not Lecture Halls
The first Fina Mendoza novel arrived in 2019, and reviewers quickly pointed to its unusual blend of Nancy Drew-style sleuthing and deep-in-the-weeds Capitol Hill detail. According to Kirkus Reviews, the debut leans heavily on authentic Washington settings, reflecting Felde’s own time covering politics. Felde’s site says the fourth installment, "Home of the Brave," ships July 14, 2026, and that she is already at work on a fifth, likely final, volume in the saga.
According to Kitty Felde's website, the series comes bundled with teacher guides and a companion podcast aimed squarely at classroom use, turning the novels into a sort of stealth civics curriculum for kids who would rather chase clues than sit through a lecture.
Why 'Papa' Feels Familiar
Felde’s portrait of Arturo Mendoza, a soft-spoken, affable father who serves in Congress, lines up neatly with the public record of Becerra’s long political career. Reporting by The Washington Post traces Becerra’s rise from Los Angeles congressman to California attorney general and then into a cabinet role in Washington. That trajectory helps explain why a Capitol Hill mystery written by a former political reporter might just echo a real-life figure who has spent decades in the halls of power.
Election Context
Becerra finished first in the June 2 primary and advanced to the November general election alongside Republican Steve Hilton, according to the California Secretary of State’s unofficial tally. The Secretary of State posts the vote totals and canvass schedule, and political coverage has cast Becerra as the heavy favorite in a November matchup with Hilton, given California’s partisan tilt and Becerra’s résumé.
For Los Angeles readers, the whole thing doubles as a civics lesson with an inside joke: a local reporter turned novelist built government into a mystery series long before one of her inspirations ended up leading the statewide ticket. Whether parents see it as a fun bit of trivia or a handy conversation starter about politics, Felde’s books show how storytelling can make government feel less distant and surprisingly personal to young readers.
