El manisero

K-Gr 2–A young Cuban girl longs for her home after immigrating to the United States in the 1960s. Coqui lives in Habana and has a friendly relationship with the neighborhood’s peanuts seller. The two talk every day and greet each other with funny faces. When Coqui’s parents move the family to Georgia, she longs for the familiar faces and smells of the home she will never go back to. Through baseball, she gradually feels more at ease, especially as she sees that a man selling peanuts at the stadium helps her reminisce what she’s left behind. With beautiful illustrations and thoughtful text, the book takes readers on a nostalgic journey between countries and memories. The author’s note makes the story even more special because Deedy shares that Coqui’s experiences are based on her own. A gentle tale of immigration, relationships, childhood memories, and home.