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Awards
Tejas Star Reading List, 2016-2017
Texas Institute of Letters Denton Record-Chronicle Award, 2016
Skipping Stones Honor Award, 2016
MOSAIC Multicultural Book Display, Lincoln (NE) Public Schools, 2016
Long, long, long ago, Bella and her grandmother Mamá Alma admired their vegetable garden. They liked gardening together. They grew sunflowers and lilies too, and chatted with lizards and hummingbirds. They walked around the flowers and vegetables holding hands, something they had done frequently since Bella was a baby. As her grandmother aged, Bella helped her to walk. “Every year, I need your help more and more,” said Mamá Alma.
In this special bilingual picture book for children, author Pat Mora creates an origin myth in which she imagines how the Mexican custom of remembering deceased loved ones—El día de los muertos or the Day of the Dead—came to be. With tender illustrations by Robert Casilla that depict Bella and Mamá Alma’s loving relationship, this book will encourage children to honor loved ones, whether by writing stories and poems or creating their own remembering place.
Highlighted Reviews
"In a tender story, Mora imagines the origins of el Día de los Muertos in a village in 'the land now called Mexico'...on the night Mama Alma dies, Bella sees 'una pequeña luz,' 'a tiny light,' dart out into the night and is comforted; the next year, she and her family have their first 'remembering day.'"—Publishers Weekly Read full review
"In a tender story, Mora imagines the origins of el Día de los Muertos in a village in 'the land now called Mexico.' An aging grandmother and her granddaughter work in a garden, reminiscing about their time together. Explaining how 'our bodies do not live forever,' Mama Alma urges Bella to plan a 'remembering day' each autumn, to honor her and other loved ones. Months later, on the night Mama Alma dies, Bella sees 'una pequeña luz,' 'a tiny light,' dart out into the night and is comforted; the next year, she and her family have their first 'remembering day.' Casilla sets the story against a lush landscape of green hills and thatched huts; his softly glowing portraits of grandmother and grandchild speak to the holiday’s quieter and more contemplative aspects."—Publishers Weekly
"There is no shortage of books about el Dia de los Muertos, but Mora brings the concept to a deeply personal level in this bilingual story that imagines the holiday’s origins. Set long ago in a small village in Mexico, the story shows how Bella and her grandmother share a bond that transcends time."—Booklist Read full review
"There is no shortage of books about el Dia de los Muertos, but Mora brings the concept to a deeply personal level in this bilingual story that imagines the holiday’s origins. Set long ago in a small village in Mexico, the story shows how Bella and her grandmother share a bond that transcends time.Together, they work in the fields, grow flowers, weave cloth, and play hide-and-seek. But, mostly, they talk. The gentle tone of their conversation is mirrored in the stillness of the illustrations. As Bella and Mamá Alma recall their life together, there is a hint of sadness and a premonition about what’s to come. On their last day together, Mamá Alma tells Bella to teach people about remembering others. Of course, Bella does so, starting a tradition of dedicating a day to remembering loved ones no longer present. Casilla’s gentle, earth-toned paintings bring Bella’s world to life with remarkable realism."—Booklist
"Mora...offers this imagined story of how a 'remembering day' to honor loved ones now dead might have started in the distant past...as Mamá Alma ages, she wants Bella to know that though human bodies do not live forever, if Bella plans a day when family and friends come together to remember the people they loved, the dead will remain alive in their memories."—Kirkus Reviews Read full review
"Mora...offers this imagined story of how a 'remembering day' to honor loved ones now dead might have started in the distant past. Long, long ago, in a time before Spanish was spoken in Mexico...Bella and her grandmother Mamá Alma are very close...Now, as Mamá Alma ages, she wants Bella to know that though human bodies do not live forever, if Bella plans a day when family and friends come together to remember the people they loved, the dead will remain alive in their memories. The realistic style and warm colors of the illustrations bring to life the loving relationship between Bella and her grandmother. Readers might choose this book thinking they will find out more about this well-known Mexican tradition; instead, they will find a warm family story." (author's note) (Bilingual picture book. 5-8)—Kirkus Reviews
"The author has skillfully crafted a story which involves a grandmother and her granddaughter as they navigate through life together. The story focuses on the great relationship between both individuals as well as insight into the cultural observation of el dia de los muertos."—TheLatinoAuthor.com Read full review
"This beautifully illustrated book focuses on the love between generations, the teaching of traditional values and customs, and the importance of remembering loved ones who have passed away. It is a sensitive and thoughtful introduction to the subject of death for young children."—Catholic Library World Read full review
"The story line is a simple one and the illustrations done with mixed media highlight the beauty of the tale."—Children's Bookshelf, CMU Public Radio Read full review
"This delicate subject matter is masterfully handled by Mora, a storyteller of unparalleled sensibility."—NBC News Read full review
"This tender story will teach readers, children and adults alike, the wisdom and beauty of our Mexican tradition, El día de los muertos. It will also teach us the importance of remembering and honoring those who have passed away as well as those who are still with us."—Latino Book Review Read full review
"It beautifully imparts both the importance of family in the Mexican culture, and the custom of honoring the ancestors on The Day of the Dead.—2016 Skipping Stones Book Awards Read full review
"Mama Alma, Bella’s grandmother, teaches Bella from the time she is a baby. As Bella grows up she learns to garden, to weave, to identify and collect medicinal plants, and much other wisdom from Mama Alma. And she begins to teach others. As Mama Alma grows older, she reminisces with Bella about all their special times together. And she repeatedly asks Bella to plan a special remembering day for her when she is gone. Most importantly, Mama Alma often tells Bella that she will always be with her, even when she cannot see or touch her anymore. In this way she prepares Bella for her death. This book has both English and Spanish on each page. It beautifully imparts both the importance of
family in the Mexican culture, and the custom of honoring the ancestors on The Day of the Dead.—2016 Skipping Stones Book Awards
