By Samuel Caraballo
Illustrations by Shawn Costello
Publisher: Piñata Books – Arte Público Press, Houston, Texas
The author combines natural world surroundings and the relationship of family members to showcase the family bonds created within the story. He uses the symbolism of various plants to tell this story giving thought to how they relate to a Latino family environment and the many different characters involved.
This type of storytelling falls in line with techniques used by elders in many Latino environments, which use nature to illustrate narratives that relate to everyday living. The story is written using poetry using rhythm and rhyme to further engage the reader. This helps to capture a child’s imagination and to keep the reader involved with each of the characters.
The illustrations are so beautiful that they could actually be stand alone works of art. They have the resemblance of Monet artistry. The front cover of the book perfectly captures the essence of the story by showing a family extending their hands to the sky. This is a great entry way into the book.
The characters include various members of a family; mother, father, siblings, and grandparents and which helps a young reader identify with people in the story.
Because this is a bilingual book it makes it that much more enchanting and provides a great tool for both parents and educators. It fosters a great learning experience for a young audience. The fact that it captures a different culture and is written in both English and Spanish is that much more rewarding. The story and the illustrations are beautifully done. What a wonderful book to give your child!
Source: Book was provided by author for review. It was reviewed by Corina Martinez Chaudhry.
