The first time Abuela holds Niña, her heart overflows with tenderness. And as Niña grows up, she and Abuela spend plenty of time together. Abuela can't help thinking how much she'd like to give Niña a very special treat, so she saves a little bit of her money every week — a few pesos here, a few pesos there. When the world turns upside down, Abuela's dream of a surprise for Niña seems impossible. Luckily, time spent together — and the love Abuela and Niña have for each other — could turn out to be the very best gift of all.
With a soft and subtle hand, author-illustrator Cecilia Ruiz draws from her own history to share a deeply personal tale about remembering what's most important when life starts to get in the way.
"This family story by Ruiz... unfolds in Mexico, where Abuela and Niña, grandmother and granddaughter, enjoy small pleasures like making papel picado (paper-cutout banners), and their very favorite activity: 'Every Sunday, they would sit quietly in the park, eat pan dulce, and watch the people pass by.' Abuela begins to save peso notes, planning to buy something special for Niña — but Niña grows up, Abuela grows older, and a newly issued currency renders the savings valueless. A surprise visit by Niña one day finds a new use for the devalued pesos and an affirmation of the joy the characters share.... The story traces how time shifts family situations, and — a point not commonly taken up in picture books — the way people’s economic circumstances can change in ways they can’t plan for or control. But Ruiz’s most important message is that love survives no matter what." — Publishers Weekly
Recommended Age | 4 - 8 |
---|---|
Author | Cecilia Ruiz |
Illustrator | Cecilia Ruiz |
ISBN | 0763692670 |
Publication Date | Aug 7, 2018 |
Publisher | Candlewick |
Language | English |