Author: Arthur Dorros
Illustrator: Elisa Kleven
Publisher: Dutton's Children's Books
When I think of picture books, I think of stories with illustrations so beautiful that they can be hung on the walls of homes and museums. Along with these wonderful pictures, there must be an equally beautiful story to tell. The illustrations should do the job of assisting the text in telling this story. They should be a perfect fit to the text and help the reader visualize the story and feel as though they are living it. The book Abuela, written by Arthur Dorros and illustrated by Elisa Kleven does just that.
Abuela is the perfect mix of Hispanic and American culture. As a Hispanic, I can honestly say that I can relate to each and every word in this story. Abuela like my grandmothers, who are both from Puerto Rico, speaks mostly Spanish. Because of this, the story includes Spanish words with English translations in the text. It is an enjoyable method of introducing children to another language and culture.
In Hispanic culture, the abuela, or grandmother, is considered the leader of the family as well as the wisest person in the family. Abuelas can teach you many things from their many life experiences. That is why this book is such a perfect representation of Hispanic culture. Rosalba speaks of all the wonderful things Abuela can help her see while flying over the city.
The illustrations in this story also include many different cultures. On the bus alone we see an African American driver, as well as a Jewish and Asian passenger around Rosalba and her abuela. It is very representative of city life, while showing how one family perceives it.
Another reason I was touched by this story is that Rosalba and her abuela love watching the birds in the park. When Rosalba is thinking of flying like the birds, she says her grandmother would call her Rosalba el pajaro. My grandfather would always call me his little bird when I was little. This immediately brought me back to my childhood and all of the wonderful memories I had with him. Like Rosalba's uncle, my uncle also owned a store where I would go to get candy, juice, and other fun stuff.
This book teaches the wonders of the imagination and that is something everyone can relate to no matter their background.
