Saudade: Our Longing for Brazil

K-Gr 3–A young girl enjoys hiking with Mamãe, something that always reminds her mother of Brazil and makes her say, “Que saudade!” Not sure what this means, the girl finally decides to ask. Her mother explains the feeling: the smell of her mother’s perfume, the taste of a favorite dish her mother prepared, the longing for times past, the wish to return to something or someone that is unattainable. The girl thinks about her grandparents and family in Brazil and understands what saudade means and the happiness—and sadness—it contains. The beautiful watercolor and digital illustrations convey a peaceful hike surrounded by nature, with flashbacks to the mother’s youth and their family in Brazil surrounded by cloudlike swirls. The lovely text perfectly explains what saudade means; children will likely find they understand it even if they’ve never heard the term. A note from the author and glossary of Portuguese terms accompanies the text.