Abuelo, the Sea, and Me

Ismée Williams

(Author)

Tatiana Gardel

(Illustrator)

Hardback

Picture Book

$19.99

$18.59

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Description

Pura Belpré Honor Book for Children's Illustration

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.

Product Details

Publisher	Roaring Brook Press
Publish Date	May 21, 2024
Pages	40
Language	English
Type	Hardback
EAN/UPC	9781250848772
Dimensions	9.3 X 11.4 X 0.4 inches \| 1.0 pounds

BISAC Categories: Kids , Kids , Kids

Product Details

Publisher	Roaring Brook Press
Publish Date	May 21, 2024
Pages	40
Language	English
Type	Hardback
EAN/UPC	9781250848772
Dimensions	9.3 X 11.4 X 0.4 inches \| 1.0 pounds

BISAC Categories: Kids , Kids , Kids

About the Author

Ismée Williams is the award-winning author of Water in May (2017) and This Train Is Being Held (2020), a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection and winner of the ILBA Gold Medal for best YA Romance, published by Amulet books. Ismée also co-edited the YA anthology, Boundless: Twenty Voices Celebrating Multicultural and Multiracial Identities (2023), published by Inkyard. She has been an invited speaker at The Virginia Festival of the Book, The Miami Book Fair, The NYC Teen Author Festival, The Southern Kentucky Book Festival, and The Bronx Book Festival among others. Ismée is a co-founder of the Latinx Kidlit Book Festival as well as a pediatric cardiologist in New York City where she lives with her family. She is the daughter of a Cuban immigrant and grew up listening to her abuelo’s bedtime stories.

Tatiana Gardel is a New York City–based artist whose work has been recognized by the Society of Illustrators and American Illustration. Previous books she illustrated include The First Day of Peace and Abuelo, the Sea, and Me. Tatiana loves to paint and sketch at the green meadows of Central Park, dance to the music of its performers, and go for walks on its lush pathways. She was born and raised in Brazil and teaches animation to young artists at the Harlem School of the Arts.

Reviews

Pura Belpré Honor Book for Children's Illustration
An ALSC Notable Children's Book
2025 CBC Teacher Favorites Winner
2025 CBC Librarian Favorites Winner

"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... A deftly told immigrant’s story of bittersweet memories and a grandparent’s love." -Kirkus

"A gentle text that offers a nuanced and relatable perspective on the bittersweetness of remembering a faraway home and that celebrates the relationship between grandparent and grandchild." -Horn Book

"Over the course of four seasons, a child and their abuelo connect during visits in this loving intergenerational book that looks both forward and back... [accompanied by] sensory-rich descriptions... [and] delicate digital art [that] has the feel of watercolors on textured paper." -Publishers Weekly

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