Abuelita’s Gift: A Día de Muertos Story

PreS-Gr 3–A heartwarming story of a little girl honoring her family heritage. Día de Muertos is right around the corner for Julieta and her family. During this time, her family sets up an ofrenda to honor and remember their ancestors. Julieta is a vivacious little girl eager to celebrate her abuela. She begins to work on making a memento for her abuelita, but as she comes up with ideas, Julieta feels lost. With time running out, Julieta finally finds the perfect gift she can give to celebrate Abuelita. Ramírez does a wonderful job sharing the culture, vocabulary, and symbolism behind the holiday. A glossary is included in the back, as well as an illustrated drawing of an ofrenda. On the page next to the ofrenda illustration, close-ups of each element displayed on it are presented, each with an explanation as to why it’s included. This makes this story all the more personal and is also a smart addition for those less familiar with Día de Muertos. The book is great to share with families of any culture to celebrate and learn. Illustrations are fun and vibrant, adding a pop of color to each page. The story teaches many lessons, especially that even though family members may be lost, we can still celebrate them in different ways.