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Remembering

Illustrated by Adriana M. Garcia

LIST PRICE: AU$ 16.99

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About The Book

Three starred reviews!
A Pura Belpré Illustrator Honor Book
A Chicago Public Library Best Book

A family remembers their beloved pet dog through the traditions of Día de Muertos in this “gorgeous, deeply touching exploration of grief and remembrance” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) from Pura Belpré Honor–winning team Xelena González and Adriana M. Garcia.

A child and their family observe the customs of Día de los Angelitos, one of the ritual celebrations of Día de Muertos, to celebrate the life of their beloved dog who passed away. They build a thoughtful ofrenda to help lead the pet’s soul home and help the little one process their grief in this moving reminder that loved ones are never really gone if we take the time to remember them.

About The Author

Photograph by Xelena González

Xelena González is the author of the award-winning picture books All Around Us and Where Wonder Grows, as well as Remembering, all illustrated by longtime friend Adriana M. Garcia. She is a poet, storyteller, essayist, and creator of the curative card deck Lotería Remedios. Visit her at Xelena.Space.

About The Illustrator

Adriana M. Garcia is the Pura Belpré Award-winning illustrator of All Around Us, which was also an American Indian Youth Literature Honor, and Where Wonder Grows. She also illustrated The Turquoise Room by Monica Brown and Pura Belpré Illustrator Honor–winning Remembering by longtime friend and collaborator Xelena González. She lives in San Antonio, Texas, with her family. Visit her online AdrianaMJGarcia.com.

Why We Love It

“This book brings me to tears with every read. Xelena González’s tender, accessible prose combined with Adriana Garcia’s absolutely incredible art shows that death is ultimately a celebration of life and remembering the loved ones we’ve lost can be both simultaneously heartbreaking and cathartic.”

—Celia L., Executive Editor, on Remembering

Product Details

  • Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (August 29, 2023)
  • Length: 40 pages
  • ISBN13: 9781534499645
  • Ages: 4 - 8

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Raves and Reviews

“Even the most cynical reader might find themselves choking back tears at the beautiful, plaintive text and the lush, realistic illustrations…A gorgeous, deeply touching exploration of grief and remembrance.”

– Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW

“González employs a slightly melancholic tone, offering a stirring invocation of the power of healing alongside loved ones. Saturated mural-style illustrations by Garcia portray swirls moving around the family’s home, where the four figures gaze at photographs of the dog that extend, like living memories, beyond their frames.”

– Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW

“The Pura Belpré award-winning team shares a new story about the deep, familiar pain of losing a pet and the natural, continuous circle of life and death…[H]auntingly beautiful text…[and] gorgeously illustrated…This poetic text with opulent illustrations is worthy of accolades.”

– School Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW

Xelena and Adriana have created another gorgeous picture book that shows us how loss and life are part of the same circle. This is a beautiful reminder that the ones we love are forever in our hearts. Beautiful and moving.”

– Christina Soontornvat, three-time Newbery Honor author of The Last Mapmaker and A Wish in the Dark

“Remembering gives us a beautifully colorful place to celebrate all the special furry, winged, and four-legged friends that protect and bring joy to our homes. The poetic words and vibrant images inspire us readers to recall our own memories of little loved ones and give us the spark to build our own ofrendas of remembering.”

– Zeke Peña, Pura Belpré Honor Illustrator of My Papi Has A Motorcycle “

Awards and Honors

  • School Library Journal Best Books of the Year
  • Chicago Public Library's Best of the Best
  • Tomás Rivera Mexican American Children's Book Award Nominee
  • CBC Best Children's Books of the Year
  • ALA Pura Belpre Illustrator Honor Book
  • ALA/ALSC Notable Children's Book
  • Kirkus Best Picture Books of the Year
  • Ezra Jack Keats Finalist

Resources and Downloads

High Resolution Images

More books from this author: Xelena González

More books from this illustrator: Adriana M. Garcia