Book Descriptions
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.
From the Publisher
Este es un libro dirigido a los más pequeños. Tiene un gran mérito, porque aborda el tema de la muerte con un enfoque dirigido a sensibilizar a los niños. Rosita sufre la partida de su querida abuela, una pérdida de la que no encuentra como reponerse, es por eso que se propone organizarle un homenaje. Ella utiliza como ocasión el Día de Todos los Muertos, para ese momento preparará un regalo muy especial. Se trata de un libro excepcional que aborda con profundidad y altura de mira los detalles que rodean la pérdida de un ser querido, un documento que nos permitirá medir las consecuencias de un hecho común y humano que muchos se resisten a aceptar. Excelente material de estudio para ser debatido en colectivos de padres que pretendan enseñar a sus hijos a liberarse de la carga dolorosa que significa no aceptar una pérdida y poder continuar con la vida.
Publisher description retrieved from Google Books.