Farolitos for Abuelo

Readers again meet Luz and her grandfather, introduced in The Farolitos of Christmas (Hyperion, 1995), shortly before he passes away. Through the seasons, Luz mourns the loss of Abuelo and keeps his memory alive by working in their garden in the summer and harvesting it in the fall. When Christmas comes, the girl places farolitos around his grave, and when the other townspeople see the warm, festive sight, they follow suit and a tradition is born. The figures in the oil paintings are again modeled after Gonzales's friends and family and the lanterns give the illustrations a luminous glow. The vibrant colors further enliven the narrative. --from School Library Journal