Abuelita and Me
In this touching, empowering picture book debut, a girl and her beloved abuelita lean on each other as they contend with racism while running errands in the city.
Spending time at home with Abuelita means pancakes, puddle-jumping, and nail-painting. But venturing out into the city is not always as fun. On the bus and at the grocery store, people are impatient and suspicious—sometimes they even yell. Sad, angry, and scared, the story’s young narrator decides not to leave home again . . . until a moment of empowerment helps her see the strength she and Abuelita share when they face the world together. Warm, expressive illustrations by Rafael Mayani highlight the tenderness in Abuelita and the narrator’s relationship.
LEONARDA CARRANZA was raised in Tkaronto, and born in Cuscatlán (El Salvador) to a mixed-race family of Afro-Indigenous ancestry. She holds a Ph.D. in Social Justice Education from the University of Toronto. She is the winner of Briarpatch Magazine's Writing in the Margins contest, and Room’s 2018 short forms contest. Leonarda lives in Brampton, ON, part of the Treaty Lands and Territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit.
RAFAEL MAYANI is a Mexican artist based in Vancouver, Canada. He draws inspiration from the vibrant colours and shapes of Mexico and the natural beauty of Canadian landscapes.
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