The Horn Book Guide

PICTURE BOOKS

Mora, Pat

The Remembering Day / El día de los muertos

32 pp. | Piñata | October, 2015 | Trade ISBN 978-1-55885-805-3 $17.95

(4) K-3 Translated by Gabriela Baeza Ventura. Illustrated by Robert Casilla. In a pre-Mexico indigenous village, Mamá Alma talks to Bella about how she's growing old. They share memories and plan how Bella can remember the grandmother when she's gone. The book is text-heavy, a fault visually magnified by the accompanying Spanish translations; while stiff, the illustrations contribute setting details. A valuable author's note discusses the now-"misunderstood" tradition of the Day of the Dead.

Reviewer: Tim Wadham