Review of With Lots of Love

With Lots of Love With Lots of Love
by Jenny Torres Sanchez; illus. by André Ceolin
Primary    Viking    32 pp.    g
2/22    978-0-593-20500-6    $17.99
Spanish ed.  978-0-593-20503-7    $17.99

After moving to a “new home” in the southeastern United States, Rocio finds herself missing her “other home” in Central America, where she’d lived with her grandmother, aunt, and cousins. She visits there in her imagination, recalling everything from the “smell of spicy peppers and burnt sugar” to the “soft rustling of piñatas that hung from the ceiling” of her abuela’s small grocery store. In her picture-book debut, Sanchez (We Are Not from Here, rev. 9/20) evokes, with rich sensory detail, Rocio’s memories of lovingly prepared food (Abuela’s warm tortillas smell “sweet and fresh, like the damp earth after a soft rain”), and Ceolin’s (Hanukkah Hamster, rev. 11/18) illustrations feature abundant star motifs and geometric patterns inspired by the traditional textiles Abuela wears. But it’s Abuela herself that Rocio misses most of all. Her longing for her beloved grandmother is palpable, as is her delight when a package, covered in stamps, arrives on the morning of her birthday. It’s not spoiling the surprise to say that it was sent by her abuela, “con mucho amor.” While the contents of the package are satisfying, Rocio’s emotional connection to Abuela—one that spans the star-­sprinkled sky—remains central to this story. Happily, Rocio finds a way to send lots of love back home to Abuela, too. Concurrently published in Spanish as Con mucho amor.

From the March/April 2022 issue of The Horn Book Magazine.

Be the first reader to comment.

Comment Policy:
  • Be respectful, and do not attack the author, people mentioned in the article, or other commenters. Take on the idea, not the messenger.
  • Don't use obscene, profane, or vulgar language.
  • Stay on point. Comments that stray from the topic at hand may be deleted.
  • Comments may be republished in print, online, or other forms of media.
  • If you see something objectionable, please let us know. Once a comment has been flagged, a staff member will investigate.


RELATED 

Already a subscriber or HBook registered user?

Create an account to read more on HBook.com

ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?

We are currently offering this content for free. Sign up now to activate your personal profile, where you can save articles for future viewing.

ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?