About this item
Highlights
- Sweet or savory.
- 4-8 Years
- 8.7" x 10.2" Hardcover
- 40 Pages
- Juvenile Fiction, Social Themes
Description
About the Book
"Grandma Monona always made the best empanadas for Mami's birthday. But this year Monona is in heaven and Mami is sad. Her birthday won't be the same without Monona. Star and Sebi know they need a special birthday surprise to cheer up Mami. Maybe they can make Mami Monona's empanadas themselves! But will they be able to capture the same magic as Monona's empanadas if they don't know her secret ingredient?"--Book Synopsis
Sweet or savory.
Fried or baked.
Little pockets filled with love and a taste from home.
Grandma Monona always made the best empanadas for Mami's birthday. But this year Monona is in heaven and Mami is sad. Her birthday won't be the same without Monona.
Star and Sebi know they need a special birthday surprise to cheer up Mami. Maybe they can make Mami Monona's empanadas themselves! But will they be able to capture the same magic as Monona's empanadas if they don't know her secret ingredient?
From Yamile Saied Méndez (acclaimed author of Where Are You From? and What Will You Be?) and Sara Palacios comes a moving and heartfelt picture book about the ways in which we carry those we've lost with us always--in pockets of love.
Review Quotes
"Cozy illustrations feel like a big hug, full of delicious details such as examples of other cuisines from around the world. The heartwarming tale beautifully depicts how love and tradition can create new memories, even in the face of loss... A celebration of family, culture, and the healing power of homemade empanadas."--Kirkus -- Kirkus Reviews
"A heartwarming story reassuring readers that cooking cherished family recipes preserves precious memories while creating new ones." -- School Library Journal
"Pura Belpré winner Méndez deals with death and loss sensitively and gently, showing children how to celebrate life and remember those no longer with us. A wonderful two-page spread, depicting and naming "pocket" foods from around the world, highlights cultural commonalities and the pleasure of sharing good food. In delicate, cheerful multimedia illustrations, Palacios (herself a Pura Belpré Honor Book winner) scatters musical notes, stars, hearts, and flowers, concretely illustrating the characters' feelings and emotions." -- Booklist
"A heartfelt story about the ways in which we express affection to our loved ones, and the ways in which we carry on the legacy of our departed." -- Latinx in Publishing
"Méndez sensitively emphasizes legacy alongside loss: the children pick flowers from the pots Monona planted, play her favorite song while cooking, and compare their empanada-crimping styles to hers. Palacios's warm-hued illustrations--mustard yellow, avocado green, and terra cotta--portray cozy comfort throughout this story about love folded into a family's favorite dish."--Publishers Weekly -- Publishers Weekly