Abuelo

by Arthur Dorros, Raúl Colón (Illustrator)

Overview

Arthur Dorros's skillful blend of Spanish and English and Raúl Colón's poignant paintings illuminate how the special bond between an abuelo and a nieto reaches across miles.

Together, a young boy and his abuelo go camping, ride horses, and even confront a mountain lion. Soon, the boy's family moves to the city from the country, away from Abuelo, and it is the boy's memories that help him adjust to his new life.

Fans of Dorros's Papá and Me and Abuela will delight in this bilingual and multigenerational picture book about a special family relationship.

This beautiful picture book blends Spanish and English seamlessly, all at once telling a wonderful story and introducing young readers to both languages. Perfect for bilingual families as well as teachers and families who want to expose their children to multiple languages.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780061686306
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	05/03/2022
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	665,520
Product dimensions:	9.00(w) x 11.00(h) x (d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Arthur Dorros views being a writer like being a traveling detective. He finds ideas all around. He learned Spanish while living in Latin America, and many of his stories, such as Abuelo, grow from those experiences. Arthur is the author of many books for children, including Julio's Magic, a CLASP Américas Award Commended Title; Papá and Me, a Pura Belpré Honor Book; and the popular Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science book Ant Cities. He lives in Seattle, Washington.

Raúl Colón was born in New York City, studied art in Puerto Rico, and designed puppets and animated films in Florida. An illustrator of over thirty books for children, Raúl has received a Golden Kite Award, a Pura Belpré Award, and both a gold and silver medal in the Original Art show. He currently resides in New York City with his family.

Raúl Colón es un aclamado artista cuyo trabajo ha aparecido en numerosas publicaciones como el New York Times, Time, The New Yorker y el Wall Street Journal. Su arte para libros infantiles ha sido galardonado con medallas de oro y plata por la Society of Illustrators. Raúl vive en Nueva York.

Editorial Reviews

Perfect for a grandparent-themed story hour. — Booklist

The lessons learned on the open plains help the young boy come to feel at home in the city—laughing when he feels fear, standing strong against a bully and finding comfort in gazing at the city stars. This book succeeds at both specificity and universality, presenting the distinct culture of the gaucho cowboy and the plains of South America through a story that will resonate broadly with many children and families. — Kirkus Reviews

Together, Arthur Dorros and Raúl Colón capture the way and intimate bond between a boy and grandfather can feel like a magical, private world. This deceptively simple story with its universal appeal reminds children that love and comfort can cross many miles. — Shelf Awareness

The warm relationship between a young boy and his...grandfather...soaring landscape and emotions. — Wall Street Journal

Warm, windy, wild and free. The story depicts the affection between a boy and his grandfather, his abuelo. Dorros' language and Colón's sculptural drawings evoke a time and place...where any child would like to live, or at least linger. — BookPage

Told in graceful free verse, this book...evokes the freedom of the countryside and also the lessons of strength being taught across generations. — Waking Brain Cell

From the Publisher

Together, Arthur Dorros and Raúl Colón capture the way and intimate bond between a boy and grandfather can feel like a magical, private world. This deceptively simple story with its universal appeal reminds children that love and comfort can cross many miles.

Shelf Awareness

The warm relationship between a young boy and his...grandfather...soaring landscape and emotions.

Wall Street Journal

Warm, windy, wild and free. The story depicts the affection between a boy and his grandfather, his abuelo. Dorros' language and Colón's sculptural drawings evoke a time and place...where any child would like to live, or at least linger.

BookPage

Told in graceful free verse, this book...evokes the freedom of the countryside and also the lessons of strength being taught across generations.

Waking Brain Cell

Perfect for a grandparent-themed story hour.

Booklist

The warm relationship between a young boy and his...grandfather...soaring landscape and emotions.

Wall Street Journal

Perfect for a grandparent-themed story hour.

Booklist

04/01/2014
K-Gr 3—Colón's bright mixed-media illustrations are the highlight of Dorros's tale of a boy and his "abuelo gaucho" as they ride across what appears to be the pampas of Argentina. The dynamic interaction between the man and his grandchild is affectionately portrayed. Under the grandfather's gentle tutelage, the torch is passed from one generation to another as the child learns to apply valuable lessons to everyday life—such as standing firm when faced with a bully. Whereas the intention of enriching the story with a sprinkling of Spanish vocabulary is laudable, the placement of the words and the subsequent definitions are jarring in places and distance readers from the story: "We rode into the clouds/with the sky, 'el cielo,'/wrapped around us." Also, the prose fluctuates from poetic to flat description: "At night, we could see forever" and "I talked with Abuelo, and we visited." In the end, the boy moves to the city, leaving his abuelo behind. That's when he truly understands and appreciates his grandfather's gifts of love and wisdom. All in all, this is a beautifullyillustrated, sweet story.—Mary Margaret Mercado, Pima County Public Library

School Library Journal

2014-02-12
More than 20 years after Abuela, illustrated by Elisa Kleven (1991), Dorros offers a gentle story of the lessons a grandfather imparts to his grandson while riding horses together on the plains before the boy moves to the city. This picture book also calls to mind the author's Papá and Me, illustrated by Rudy Gutierrez (2008), as it lovingly expresses the lasting impact that time spent with a caring adult family member can have on a young child. The brief English text weaves in Spanish words and phrases with literal translations immediately provided (" ‘No te preocupes,' don't worry, Abuelo told me..."). Though this technique is somewhat redundant, it may be helpful for readers who do not know Spanish. Colón's watercolor-and-pencil illustrations expertly bring to life both expansive landscapes and subtle emotions, as the grandson transitions to city life. The lessons learned on the open plains help the young boy come to feel at home in the city—laughing when he feels fear, standing strong against a bully and finding comfort in gazing at the city stars. This book succeeds at both specificity and universality, presenting the distinct culture of the gaucho cowboy and the plains of South America through a story that will resonate broadly with many children and families. (Picture book. 4-7)

Kirkus Reviews