A Maleta Full of ­Treasures

PreS-Gr 3–Sylvester tells the story of a girl excited to get to see her grandmother, who is coming from far away. Her grandmother asks what Dulce would like from their home country, Peru. Dulce says she doesn’t need things, just Abuela is enough. However, Abuela brings many things from her home—alpaca blankets, delicious candies and cakes—that fill the home with a scent of Peru. The best present of all is spending time with Abuela. Sylvester has recreated an experience that many children will understand: a visit from a relative has sensory details—the crinkly sound of candy wrappers—and grace notes, like taking the floor in Dulce’s parents’ room so that Abuela can have her bed. Medina perfectly captures the warmth of this family with her adorable, charismatic art. The pictures and context clues will help the non-Spanish speakers figure out the meaning of Spanish words that are lovingly woven into the text. This book has charming themes of family and connecting to family culture, even if it’s far away.