Review by Booklist Review
A young girl tells about growing up in a family with two cultures. While her mother's ancestors came to the U.S. from Europe long ago, her father remembers moving with his family from Latin America to Los Estados Unidos when he was a child. The girl loves visiting her abuela's house in summer. At family gatherings there, her tios y tias talk about trabajos y politica. The child enjoys seeing her grandma and grandpa in autumn. There her uncles and aunts talk about jobs and politics. On her brother's birthday, the whole family gathers for a joyful celebration. The upbeat, mostly English text includes a sprinkling of Spanish words. Sometimes their meanings are clear from the context, but not always. The cheerful illustrations feature fine lines, bright colors, and a profusion of patterns. In an appended note, the author (a clinical psychologist, a writer, and a mother in a bicultural family) speaks directly to other parents about helping their children handle the potential challenges of growing up within two cultures. A supportive, bicultural picture book.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A child explores what being bicultural means to them in ways that feel familiar to young readers. The story begins with the young narrator, who is depicted with long, wavy brown hair and light-brown skin, explaining that "In my home, two worlds become one. My family is a mix of dos culturas, I am bicultural." The narrator shares a short family history: of their mommy's European ancestor who traveled to North America long ago, and of their daddy, who was born in Central America and came to the U.S. as a child. Readers take a look at the homes of two grandparents: a Latinx abuela and a white grandma. While these two women are very different, the similarities in visits to their homes are abundant: aunts and uncles who discuss work and politics, food from their respective traditions, pets, and gathering for celebrations. Visual details, such Grandma's pieced quilt and a Central American textile pillow on the narrator's bed, underscore the fluidity of biculturalism. A reader's note after the story helps parents understand strategies for discussing cultural identity with children, supporting exploration of their culture and race, and dealing with discrimination. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10-by-16-inch double-page spreads viewed at 68% of actual size.) Bicultural kids will feel seen in this sweet family story. (Picture book. 3-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
