Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Parra celebrates the ephemeral in this comforting observance of Día de los Muertos. The artist's signature-style acrylic on board illustrations open with a child, hands and face painted like a calaca, sitting in soft moonlight before dawn: "Today holds a special promise. Una promesa especial." As the day starts, the youth joins family for a tamale, avocado, and egg breakfast; hurries to school on a bus that reads Oaxaca; studies and adds to a painted portrait of Abuela; and, back at home, plays with friends, reads, and more. Finally, the full day leads to a marigold-festooned gathering where individuals, portrayed with white-painted or brown skin, interact, some holding images of loved ones. Each spread makes the most of the moment, reflecting in English and italicized Spanish on every occurrence and the child's perception of it, and aptly underlining themes of intergenerational connection, mindfulness, and remembrance: "I am here now, for all of life's special moments./ I carry love in my heart, and/ I remember./ Yo recuerdo." An author's note concludes. Ages 4--8. (July)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 3--A heartfelt journey through the eyes of a young child preparing for a Day of the Dead celebration who finds beauty and meaning in everyday moments. Whether tending a garden, studying, reading, or playing, each activity becomes a quiet tribute to cherished loved ones. Parra's storytelling is both gentle and profound, with each spread offering a few sentences in English, culminating in a poignant phrase repeated in Spanish. This thoughtful repetition reinforces the book's central theme: the importance of slowing down, appreciating the present, and holding close the people we love. The illustrations, rendered in Parra's signature worn-texture technique and a soothing palette of cool tones, radiate warmth and nostalgia. There's a quiet joy woven into the pages, mirroring the deep familial bonds at the heart of this book. VERDICT A beautiful and reflective read, perfect for celebrating Día de Muertos or simply savoring life's precious moments. Purchase to enrich holiday collections.--Cassie Veselovsky
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
A boy celebrates the moments that make up a day during Día de los Muertos. Under the light of a crescent moon, the child sits in the quiet of the early hours. Ghostly white paint covers his brown face and hands, an echo of a calavera. "Today holds a special promise.Una promesa especial." He and his family eat tamales, avocados, and eggs for breakfast. Then, it's a mad dash to catch the bus--with its "Oaxaca" sign on top--to school, where history, geography, science, and art all spark his imagination. He's filled with awe as he runs back to town amid a storm. His friends are waiting. "They like me for me. I like them for them.Nos apreciamos." And so it goes in this tender tale that embraces life's small and monumental moments alike--a sweet reinforcement of the holiday's emphasis on family, memories, and love. With a steady tone and pace, Parra measures the boy's day from heartbeat to heartbeat, word to word. Reading a book, cultivating a garden, jamming with the band--each moment builds to the next until it's time for his visiting Abuela to say goodbye. Later, everyone comes together to celebrate and honor loved ones, carrying photographs in their hands and smiles on their bone-white and rich brown faces. The graceful acrylic artwork overall favors movement and muted colors to great effect. Strikingly affectionate. (author's note)(Picture book. 4-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
