When Christmas Feels Like Home

September 16, 2013
In this sensitive story, when a family relocates to an American town from an unnamed Latin American country, Eduardo seeks assurance about when he will feel at home. “First that mountain will turn the color of the sun,” says Tío Miguel, adding that “pumpkins will smile” and the trees will resemble skeletons. “No se puede,” is Eduardo’s response, but as the seasons change and Eduardo makes friends, these and other promises comes to fruition. At Christmas, Eduardo finally feels at home as he arranges the family Nativity set he treasures. Farias’s burnished paintings create a feeling of warmth and luminescence in every scene, while Griffith’s soothing, poetic language delivers a comforting message about traditions and transitions. Ages 4–7. Illustrator’s agent: Mela Bolinao, MB Artists.

September 1, 2013
When a little boy named Eduardo moves from a village in an unnamed Latin American country to a town in the United States, he struggles to feel at home in his new surroundings. Eduardo moves to the U.S. in the fall, bringing along his futbol (soccer ball) and his family's box of Christmas decorations, with a hand-carved Nativity set that Eduardo cherishes. He loves playing futbol, but the boys in his new neighborhood play football with a ball of a different shape. He starts school, but he struggles with English lessons, though he does well in math. Eduardo's parents and aunt and uncle gently encourage him to adjust, and gradually, he makes friends and participates in family celebrations at Halloween and Thanksgiving. On Christmas, Eduardo sets out the family's Nativity set and announces, "This is home." Eduardo's adjustment is perhaps a little too quickly resolved, but the genuine emotions and strong family support are sensitively portrayed. Spanish words and phrases are skillfully woven into the text, with each use defined through the illustrations, context, or by the word or phrase being repeated in English. Farias, an artist from Argentina, provides appealing illustrations with a muted palette matching Eduardo's mood. A gentle, lyrical story that can be read year-round as a sensitive exploration of the meaning of home. (Picture book. 4-8)

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October 1, 2013

Gr 1-3-More an affirmation of patience and fortitude than a Christmas story, this heartwarming tale of one family's immigration experience focuses on Eduardo, a schoolboy uneasy about leaving his small village in Latin America and moving to the U.S. Mami assures him that he will feel more at home by the time they open the box containing the wood-carved Nativity set that Eduardo made with his grandfather. His Tio Miguel tells him about some of the things that will happen between now and then (a mountain will turn the color of the sun, pumpkins will smile, words will "float like clouds from your mouth..."). As months go by, the seemingly impossible predictions come true, and Eduardo really does feel at home when Christmas preparations begin. The text is succinctly descriptive with a bit of Spanish vocabulary sprinkled into the dialogue. Warm, autumnal hues enhance the stylized illustrations, inviting readers to linger on expressive character details. A charming and worthwhile read for any time of year.-Linda Israelson, Los Angeles Public Library

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