Summary
Lovely moments with her Abuelita comfort Teresa while her mom is gone. In this heartwarming picture memoir, Teresa and her younger sister stay in Mexico with Abuelita making memories out of wonderful moments. Readers get a tour of Teresa’s quaint village that highlights Mexico’s rich culture and strong family bonds. Amidst struggles and sadness, there is also love and childhood delight that children around the world recognize and appreciate.
Theme(s):
Hopefulness, Dreams, Family, Sacrifices, Optimism
Personal Response
This book is inspirational and well written/illustrated. This story shines light on some of the hardships that immigrant families face, and shows how each family does everything they can to support each other. I really liked how the illustrations depicted the children’s emotions throughout the story, and really brought the story to life.
Teaching Ideas
For this story, I would have an interactive read-aloud in my classroom with follow up tasks. While reading, I would ask students to make connections, predictions, and to consider the perspectives of the characters. After reading this story, we would discuss our thoughts and talk about the different realities we all experience in life. I think this would be a good book to foster a discussion about experiences that people have and how they remain optimistic and hopeful.
Recommended Reading Level
Birth-PreK, Grade 01, Grade 02
