Copyright Date:
2024
Edition Date:
2024
Release Date:
05/21/24
ISBN:
1-250-84877-6
ISBN 13:
978-1-250-84877-2
Dewey:
E
Language:
English
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews
Season by season, a child learns about Abuelo's past life in Cuba.The young narrator visits Abuelo several times a year, and they always go to the beach near his home. Starting in summer, the child gets glimpses into the life Abuelo led before he fled Cuba. "In Havana," he says, "marlÃn and delfÃn would leap right there!" Though he smiles at the memories of pineapple, guava, and coconut ice cream, his reminiscences are tinged with sadness, too. Abuelo won medals for his swimming prowess, but he left them behind in Cuba. He misses his homeland "so much it hurts," but he's grateful to still have the ocean he loves, as well as his family, including his grandchild. This confidently told story, made up of brief moments between Abuelo and the grandchild, gets deeper as it goes on, with richly textured digital illustrations highlighting the changing light and weather as summer, fall, winter, and spring each take their turn. Without ever becoming overly sentimental, the book conveys how past and present simultaneously coexist for Abuelo. The sky fills with clouds shaped like dolphins and marlins after Abuelo reminisces about them, and large medals, like the ones Abuelo won back in Cuba, wash in with the tide. Spanish words are incorporated throughout.A deftly told immigrant's story of bittersweet memories and a grandparent's love. (author's and illustrator's notes) (Picture book. 4-8)
Abuelo, the Sea, and Me is a tender, heartwarming picture book that vividly explores intergenerational connections, family history, and the immigrant experience. When this grandchild visits her abuelo, he takes her to the ocean. In summer, they kick off their shoes and let the cool waves tickle their toes. In winter, they stand on the cliff and let the sea spray prick their noses and cheeks. No matter the season, hot or cold, their favorite place to spend time together is the beach. It's here that Abuelo is able to open up about his youth in Havana, Cuba. As they walk along the sand, he recalls the tastes, sounds, and smells of his childhood. And with his words, Cuba comes alive for his grandchild.