The River Is My Ocean

K-Gr 3–A sweet yet simple story told from a child’s perspective in her neighborhood, and an ode to the Hudson River in New York City. This book details a young girl’s Saturday walk to visit the river with her grandma. Her abuela tells her all about the ocean that she loves and misses so much. To the young Latinx girl, the river is her ocean. “My abuela says she misses the sea every day. I know the sea must be powerful, because the way abuela talks about it, sometimes I miss it too.” On their walk, they pass a piragua (shaved ice) cart and can’t pass up a coconut flavored delight. As they continue on their journey down their block, the little girl reflects on how the river makes her feel: quiet, curious, and sometimes many feelings all at once. Then, Abuela brings up Yemaya, the goddess of the oceans and rivers, who looks similar to a mermaid. Back notes offer more information on Yemaya. Created in Photoshop, beautiful pastel colored illustrations fill every page.