Book Description
for A Gift for Abuelita by Nancy Luenn and Robert Chapman
From Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC)
Rosita loved being with her abuelita (grandmother) each day. She loved the soap scent of Abuelita's everyday dress...and the strong warmth of her grandmother's arms." She loved what they did together, such as preparing tortillas, making up songs, and weeding the chiles in the garden. One day Abuelita taught Rosita how to braid a strong cord from three overlapping strands. After Abuelita's illness and death, Rosita became heartbroken. As the family prepared for the annual Day of the Dead observances by cooking, carving, weaving, and gardening, Rosita couldn't seem to think of an appropriate ofrenda (gift for the family altar) to create in Abuelita's memory. The harder Rosita tried the more difficult it was for her to sense Abuelita's presence, until she remembered the cord Abuelita had taught her to braid. Chapman's muted mixed media illustrations on cast paper suggest three dimensions in an affectionate bilingual story about the endurance of family memory. (Ages 6-9)
CCBC Choices 1998. © Cooperative Children's Book Center, Univ. of Wisconsin - Madison, 1998. Used with permission.