(3) K-3 Illustrated by Sara Palacios. Julieta struggles to add an item honoring Abuelita to her family’s Día de Muertos ofrenda. Nothing seems right, until she thinks outside the box and reflects on what made Abuelita—and herself—happiest. The text offers a realistic-seeming and gentle experience of a child’s grief, buoyed by the rest of the holiday celebrations. Jewel-toned digital illustrations are sprinkled with marigolds, and ochre-tinged pages indicate memories. An author’s note, glossary, and breakdown of common ofrenda elements are appended.

Reviewer:

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Sara Palacios. In this expert picture-book riff on the classic Caribbean folktale "La Cucaracha Martina," Otheguy celebrates big families with room for all types of dispositions. Introverted, story-loving Martina is overwhelmed by the noise from her three boisterous tías, who have come for a visit and a fiesta. With a pounding headache, Martina slips away, falls into a pot of bubbling guava fruit, and is transported to a warm island, illustrated in calming blues. On the island, she interacts with various animals until she finds the quiet ratoncito. In the end, Martina misses her loud family and makes her way back to her tías. She shares the story of her adventure, and her tías listen attentively. Colorful collages, digitally rendered, bring a sense of vibrancy. Palacios's visual representation of the cacophony of sounds in the overlays--in particular the page with all three tías--is bright and loud; you can feel the noise pop off the page. An author's note explains the folktale tie-in and explores the trope of the loud Latina.

Reviewer: Yesica Hurd | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2023

(2) K-3 Here I Come! series. Illustrated by Sara Palacios. This collection of poems covers Hanukkah history ("Macca-BAM! Macca-BOOM!"), eternal questions ("Applesauce vs. Sour Cream"; "Enough Food?"), and modern-day considerations ("Hanukkah Selfies"). The loosely metered poems have plenty of humor and a dash of sweetness (the eighth night features "one last ­Hanukkah hug"). The inclusive illustrations in Palacios's (A Song of Frutas, rev. 9/21) signature bold style depict a wide representation of families and friends enjoying the holiday together. A sheet of stickers is appended.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2022

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Sara Palacios. "Mango, limón, coco, melón," goes the rhythmic call of Abuelo el frutero. A smiling, curly-haired girl on a visit to her abuelo in Cuba describes walking with him on his route as he joins in on the memorable melodies of the pregoneros, street vendors who announce their goods through song. Engle's text is rich in sensory details: la yerbera sells "fragrant herbs"; the candy seller "croons so sweetly." The placement of the text itself adds visual interest, cascading down the page to mimic the lowering of a basket from a balcony, or shaped like the paper cones ("cucuruchos") sold by a dancing vendor. A vivid, light blue sky serves as backdrop for the bustling town, where buyers and sellers argue about prices but still bear cheerful expressions. Palacios's (Between Us and Abuela, rev. 11/19) digital illustrations are characterized by soft lines and warm colors that augment the positive mood throughout. That joyful tone is juxtaposed with the story's coda, as the granddaughter reveals her wish for an end to the travel restrictions that prevent Abuelo from visiting her at home in the States. Engle elaborates on this topic in an author's note, in which she also highlights the fascinating history of pregoneros. Fond reminiscences and a nuanced cultural depiction make for another warm ode to Engle's (Drum Dream Girl, rev. 5/15; All the Way to Havana, rev. 9/17; and many others) beloved isla. Concurrently ­published in Spanish as Un pregón de frutas.

Reviewer: Jessica Agudelo | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2021

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Sara Palacios. With her family, María visits San Diego's U.S.–Mexico border to celebrate La Posada Sin Fronteras--Jesus' birth.--with her abuela on the other side of the border fence. Nothing is allowed "through the fence"; María's clever if credulity-stretching solution to gift-giving allows for a heartwarming, culturally specific, and hopeful family holiday story. Perkins's lyrical text, incorporating some Spanish words, is accompanied by warm-hearted, sand-and-sea-toned illustrations. An author's note adds context.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2019

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Sara Palacios. In this slightly fictionalized account (with brief invented dialogue), Engle and Palacios introduce readers to Latina air-and-space pioneer Aída de Acosta (1884–1962), who defied the sexist attitudes of her era to learn to pilot dirigibles. Lilting, intermittently rhyming text highlights the difficulties de Acosta faced. Mixed-media illustrations capture the giant scale of the dirigibles without sacrificing detail in scenes of people on the ground.

Reviewer: Christina L. Dobbs | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2018

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Sara Palacios. This addition to the Girls Who Code book franchise introduces younger kids to coding fundamentals in an unusual setting: the beach. Young vacationer Pearl enlists robot Pascal to help build a sandcastle with basic concepts of sequences, loops, and if-then-else. The child-friendly text couples well with the simple, sunny art, rendered digitally in combination with gouache and acrylic paintings. A final guide reinforces the programming lessons.

Reviewer: Dorrie Karlin

(4) 1-3 Read & Bloom series. Illustrated by Sara Palacios. In their second episodic four-chapter book, Clarabelle Chicken and Agnes Pig once again help each other overcome worries, this time while they celebrate holidays. Will the Maypole dance make Agnes dizzy? Will Clarabelle's too-scary costume ruin Halloween? As previously, the warmth of the quirky protagonists' friendship shines through both text and full-color illustrations, making it easy to overlook the episodes' simplistic resolutions.

Reviewer: Rebecca Fox

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Sara Palacios. Lola (star of Lola Knows a Lot) moves to a new neighborhood and away from her old friends. Happily, she's an expert friend-maker with plenty of experience. Expressive mixed-media illustrations and Lola's sassy first-person narrative combine for a humorous and honest look at the good--and the difficult--parts of forming lasting friendships.

Reviewer: Tory Fiske

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Sara Palacios. Lonely Princess Cassandra's search for a suitable pet seemingly ends with a frog. A kiss turns the frog into a prince who wants to marry her. "Princes aren't pets. I want a frog!" she declares. This happens repeatedly until, in a happily-ever-after ending, one of the frogs-turned-princes prefers being a frog. Colorful, mixed-media art complements the breezy nature of an old tale refreshingly retold.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute

(2) K-3 Translated by Adriana Dominguez. Illustrated by Sara Palacios. In her second book, Marisol McDonald explores words beginning with M. One M word, however, scares Marisol: "Monster! / ¡Monstruo!" A "BUMP" in the night fills Marisol's mind with worrisome questions. She comes up with a characteristically imaginative answer, then learns the real, not-so-scary cause of the sound. Mixed-media art sparkles with color and personality, matching Marisol's exuberance. The Spanish translation preserves the text's tone nicely. Glos.

Reviewer: J. Alex Mazariegos | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2016

(4) 1-3 Read & Bloom series. Illustrated by Sara Palacios. In four season-driven, episodic chapters, best friends Agnes Pig and Clarabelle Chicken loyally work around each other's fears: when Agnes dreads the beach, for instance, Clarabelle spreads a towel in the parking lot and declares, "We are at the beach enough." Simplistic resolutions aside, the characters' personalities and friendship shine through their quirky dialogue and the warm full-color illustrations.

Reviewer: Rebecca Fox

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Sara Palacios. An extended family enjoys an end-of-summer gathering, celebrated here from car trip through fond future recollection. Digital and pen-and-ink illustrations achieve a layered effect that captures the joyful characters, multigenerational connections, and idyllic setting. Shared meals, camping, storytelling, fishing, and more are all punctuated by bold, singular verbs that drive the story: "When the trip gets long...Dad says COUNT."

Reviewer: Sheila M. Geraty

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Sara Palacios. Despite her sister's contrary opinion, Lola knows a lot: she can catch tiny lizards, tie her shoes, and drive her sister crazy. "Yup, I am totally ready for school." Mixed-media illustrations capture Lola's exuberance; satisfyingly, her know-it-all attitude (e.g., Lola teaches Mom to use the remote "for the millionth time") subsides, and she's "ready to learn all the things I still don't know."

Reviewer: Sheila M. Geraty

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Sara Palacios. Everyone in Henry Holton's family is "hockey mad," including his parents, uncle, sister, twenty-three cousins, and his six-time MVP grandmother. Henry also loves the ice but surprises the family when he wants figure skates instead. Mixed-media illustrations with delicate lines warmly capture the icy-thaw of a family's gradual, but loving, acceptance of "one fine ice dancer!" Glossary of hockey terms appended.

Reviewer: Carrie Harasimowicz Sullivan

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Sara Palacios. Peppered with Spanish words, this reimagining of "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" relates the Christmas Eve celebrations of a Latino family. Thong's humorous verse follows Moore's strong rhythm without faltering--despite the metrical challenges of working in two languages at once. Palacios's warm, earth-toned illustrations invite readers into the festivities, whether these tradiciones are familiar or new to them. Glos.

Reviewer: Katie Bircher | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2014

(3) K-3 Translated by Adriana Domínguez. Illustrated by Sara Palacios. Marisol McDonald, an individualistic Peruvian-Scottish-American girl, throws a "soccer-player-pirate-princess-unicorn" birthday party, but her abuelita cannot get a visa to attend. In a sweet, satisfying twist, technology comes to the rescue. Highlighting Marisol's mixed background, the English text includes some Spanish words and the Spanish includes some English. The cut-paper, ink, and marker illustrations brim with vitality and detail. Glos.

Reviewer: Siena Leslie

(3) K-3 Translated by Adriana Domínguez. Illustrated by Sara Palacios. Spirited text in English and Spanish describes the ways the mixed-race narrator "doesn't match," from clothing choice to physical appearance ("My cousin Tato...says, 'Marisol, your skin is brown like mine, but your hair is the color of carrots. You don't match!'"). Palacios's illustrations capture Marisol's exuberant style and wacky fashion sense, as does Domínguez's thoughtful Spanish translation of Brown's text.

Reviewer: Tim Wadham