From rock to books: Tec professor makes debut in children’s literature

Alan Robles, Director of Tec de Monterrey’s Music Production program, was inspired to create children’s books by his daughter.

By Gerardo Villarreal | CONECTA Nacional Desk - 04/21/2026 Photo Kevin Chaires

Read time: 3 mins

After having collaborated as a guitarist with Jumbo, Chetes, Los Claxons, and José Madero, to name but a few, Alan Robles, Director of the Music Production and Technology Degree program on Tec de Monterrey’s Monterrey campus, has now entered the field of children’s literature by publishing two books: Alana y la nada (Alana and Nothing) and Alana y el tiempo (Alana and Time).

The project came about when his daughter Alana started asking him questions about topics such as heaven, time, and the meaning of life, which led him to create stories that explained these concepts in a child-friendly way.

“One evening, I told her an improvised story and realized that there was something there, a different way to answer her questions,” he said.

The books form part of the Big Questions collection, in which the author tackles philosophical topics through imagination and family life.

“This is an achievement for me; I’m very pleased. It makes me feel great when people write to me and tell me that their son or daughter loved it.”

*Alan Robles has published two children’s books inspired by his daughter. Photo: Kevin Chaires*

Literary creation

To develop the project, Alan learned how to illustrate using digital tools and worked on editing the text with the support of Tec students and colleagues.

The process of creation took about seven months.

Besides the narrative, the books include questions so that readers can interact with the content, as well as a QR codethat connects to a music playlist prepared by the author.

“This is an achievement for me; I’m very pleased. It makes me feel great when people write to me and tell me that their son or daughter loved it,” he said.

Alan is currently working on a third book, consolidating this new creative phase focused on childhood, curiosity, and exploring big questions.

Ilustración del libro Alana y la nada de Alan Robles, con elementos gráficos que representan temas como filosofía, curiosidad y búsqueda de identidad. — *Alan Robles presented Alana and Nothing, a children’s story that invites reflection on curiosity, philosophy, and our place in the world.*

Alana and Nothing

This is a story that invites girls and boys to ask questions about the origin of everything and their place in the world.

Robles uses his imagination to ask questions such as what nothing means and if there is something within it, building a story that combines curiosity, philosophy, and family bonds, which seeks to get readers interested in asking big questions from an early age.

Ilustración del libro Alana y el tiempo de Alan Robles, con elementos visuales relacionados con el tiempo, la familia y la reflexión. — *Alana and Time is a story that explores the value of the present, the passage of time, and the importance of asking questions.*

Alana and Time

This work takes a child’s perspective to explore concepts such as the passage of time, the value of the present, and the relationship between the past and the future.

Through imaginative scenarios, the story proposes reflecting on how to seize the day, inviting girls and boys to start a fun search that combines play, reflection, and learning.

Both books are available on Amazon and Google Books.

About Alan Robles

Robles holds a bachelor’s degree in international commerce from Tec de Monterrey and a master’s in marketing from EGADE Business School.

He is a musicologist at heart and a member of the groups Buffalo Blanco, Niña, and Alan Erre. What’s more, he has collaborated as a guitarist in bands such as Chetes, Jumbo, División Minúscula, José Madero, Brian Wright, and Steve Reynolds, to name but a few.

Since 2017, he has been Director of Music Production on Monterrey campus.