Description
Three starred reviews!
A Pura Belpre Illustrator Honor Book
A Chicago Public Library Best Book
A family remembers their beloved pet dog through the traditions of Dia de Muertos in this "gorgeous, deeply touching exploration of grief and remembrance" (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) from Pura Belpre Honor-winning team Xelena Gonzalez and Adriana M. Garcia.
A child and their family observe the customs of Dia de los Angelitos, one of the ritual celebrations of Dia de Muertos, to celebrate the life of their beloved dog who passed away. They build a thoughtful ofrenda to help lead the pet's soul home and help the little one process their grief in this moving reminder that loved ones are never really gone if we take the time to remember them.
About the Author
Xelena Gonzalez is the author of the award-winning picture books All Around Us and Where Wonder Grows, as well as Remembering, all illustrated by longtime friend Adriana M. Garcia. She is a poet, storyteller, essayist, and creator of the curative card deck Loteria Remedios. Visit her at Xelena.Space.
Adriana M. Garcia is the Pura Belpre Award-winning illustrator of All Around Us, which was also an American Indian Youth Literature Honor, and Where Wonder Grows. She also illustrated The Turquoise Room by Monica Brown and Pura Belpre Illustrator Honor-winning Remembering by longtime friend and collaborator Xelena Gonzalez. She lives in San Antonio, Texas, with her family. Visit her online AdrianaMJGarcia.com.
Reviews
"Even the most cynical reader might find themselves choking back tears at the beautiful, plaintive text and the lush, realistic illustrations...A gorgeous, deeply touching exploration of grief and remembrance."
-- Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW
"Gonzalez employs a slightly melancholic tone, offering a stirring invocation of the power of healing alongside loved ones. Saturated mural-style illustrations by Garcia portray swirls moving around the family's home, where the four figures gaze at photographs of the dog that extend, like living memories, beyond their frames."
-- Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW
"The Pura Belpre award-winning team shares a new story about the deep, familiar pain of losing a pet and the natural, continuous circle of life and death...[H]auntingly beautiful text...[and] gorgeously illustrated...This poetic text with opulent illustrations is worthy of accolades."
-- School Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW
Xelena and Adriana have created another gorgeous picture book that shows us how loss and life are part of the same circle. This is a beautiful reminder that the ones we love are forever in our hearts. Beautiful and moving." -- Christina Soontornvat, three-time Newbery Honor author of The Last Mapmaker and A Wish in the Dark
"Remembering gives us a beautifully colorful place to celebrate all the special furry, winged, and four-legged friends that protect and bring joy to our homes. The poetic words and vibrant images inspire us readers to recall our own memories of little loved ones and give us the spark to build our own ofrendas of remembering."
-- Zeke Pena, Pura Belpre Honor Illustrator of My Papi Has A Motorcycle "
Awards
Commended for Pura Belpre Award (Illustrator) 2024.
Book Information
ISBN 9781534499638
Author Xelena Gonzalez
Format Hardback
Page Count 40
Imprint Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Publisher Simon & Schuster
Weight(grams) 485g
Dimensions(mm) 229mm * 279mm * 10mm
A Pura Belpre Illustrator Honor Book
A Chicago Public Library Best Book
A family remembers their beloved pet dog through the traditions of Dia de Muertos in this "gorgeous, deeply touching exploration of grief and remembrance" (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) from Pura Belpre Honor-winning team Xelena Gonzalez and Adriana M. Garcia.
A child and their family observe the customs of Dia de los Angelitos, one of the ritual celebrations of Dia de Muertos, to celebrate the life of their beloved dog who passed away. They build a thoughtful ofrenda to help lead the pet's soul home and help the little one process their grief in this moving reminder that loved ones are never really gone if we take the time to remember them.
About the Author
Xelena Gonzalez is the author of the award-winning picture books All Around Us and Where Wonder Grows, as well as Remembering, all illustrated by longtime friend Adriana M. Garcia. She is a poet, storyteller, essayist, and creator of the curative card deck Loteria Remedios. Visit her at Xelena.Space.
Adriana M. Garcia is the Pura Belpre Award-winning illustrator of All Around Us, which was also an American Indian Youth Literature Honor, and Where Wonder Grows. She also illustrated The Turquoise Room by Monica Brown and Pura Belpre Illustrator Honor-winning Remembering by longtime friend and collaborator Xelena Gonzalez. She lives in San Antonio, Texas, with her family. Visit her online AdrianaMJGarcia.com.
Reviews
"Even the most cynical reader might find themselves choking back tears at the beautiful, plaintive text and the lush, realistic illustrations...A gorgeous, deeply touching exploration of grief and remembrance."
-- Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW
"Gonzalez employs a slightly melancholic tone, offering a stirring invocation of the power of healing alongside loved ones. Saturated mural-style illustrations by Garcia portray swirls moving around the family's home, where the four figures gaze at photographs of the dog that extend, like living memories, beyond their frames."
-- Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW
"The Pura Belpre award-winning team shares a new story about the deep, familiar pain of losing a pet and the natural, continuous circle of life and death...[H]auntingly beautiful text...[and] gorgeously illustrated...This poetic text with opulent illustrations is worthy of accolades."
-- School Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW
Xelena and Adriana have created another gorgeous picture book that shows us how loss and life are part of the same circle. This is a beautiful reminder that the ones we love are forever in our hearts. Beautiful and moving." -- Christina Soontornvat, three-time Newbery Honor author of The Last Mapmaker and A Wish in the Dark
"Remembering gives us a beautifully colorful place to celebrate all the special furry, winged, and four-legged friends that protect and bring joy to our homes. The poetic words and vibrant images inspire us readers to recall our own memories of little loved ones and give us the spark to build our own ofrendas of remembering."
-- Zeke Pena, Pura Belpre Honor Illustrator of My Papi Has A Motorcycle "
Awards
Commended for Pura Belpre Award (Illustrator) 2024.
Book Information
ISBN 9781534499638
Author Xelena Gonzalez
Format Hardback
Page Count 40
Imprint Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Publisher Simon & Schuster
Weight(grams) 485g
Dimensions(mm) 229mm * 279mm * 10mm
