Nayeli misses her abuelita. Though her Mami promises that one day the whole family will have papeles, and they'll travel the world together, their Boston apartment feels empty without the sounds, colors, and rhythms that Abuelita brought from their homeland, Oaxaca.
And on the days Nayeli misses her abuelita the most, only one thing will do: music. When the vallenatos and boleros are playing, their apartment becomes their own country: one where no one is undocumented or alone.
Lyrically written by award-winning Afro-Zapotec poet Alan Pelaez Lopez and vibrantly illustrated by debut artist Bernardo Rodriguez, Abuelita's Music is a transporting tale of migration, memory, and the power of music to break down the borders that seek to separate us from those we love.
* Perfect for discussions of and teaching units on Immigration
* Eligible for several awards including the Ezra Jack Keats newcomer
* Great ""Grandma"" buy (for kids who miss their grandmas)
* Also available in Spanish!
Alan Pelaez Lopez is a writer and artist from Oaxaca's Costa Chica. Their debut poetry collection, Intergalactic Travels: poems from a fugitive alien, chronicles their border crossing journey as a child and was a finalist for the International Latino Book Award. Alan is also a co-founder of Familia: Trans Queer Liberation Movement and the Black LGBT Migrant Project, organizations whose vision are to end the criminalization and detention of queer/trans migrants. Alan is a professor at UC Davis and lives in Oakland, CA.
Bernardo Rodriguez is a Dominican artist and educator based in New York. Having immigrated at a young age, Bernardo first used drawing as a universal language to connect with his new home. His work, which moves between fine art and illustration, is rooted in a deep love for the natural world and the stories held within the land. An MFA graduate of the School of Visual Arts, he was the recipient of the Paula Rhodes Memorial Award. He has collaborated with publications and organizations including The New Yorker and The Marshall Project, among others. This is his first children's book. You can find him online at bernardoarts.com.
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