5 stars
A gorgeous picture book with a powerful message.
When the people in her life question where she’s really from, a little girl starts to question whether she belongs. She asks her wise abuelo for an answer. In beautifully illustrated spreads, he answers perfectly, asserting her belonging while also teaching her about various aspects of her family history and the places they came from. She finds join in learning about herself and spending time with her family.
A beautiful work that asserts belonging while celebrating all the parts of oneself. It gets to the heart of the problem of the question, “Where are you from?” It isn’t asking about culture, influence, history, etc. It wants to easily fit a person into a single box. Abuelo’s answer circumvents this issue by talking about the places, animals, people, and events connected to their family rather than simply a racial box. It focuses on people, identity, and love.
A somewhat complex message, but a great starting point for talking to kids about belonging, both in terms of themselves and others. It goes beyond a racial or ethical category to explore the rich details of the people that came before.