Dear Abuelo

This heartwarming story follows Juana, a young Mexican girl who immigrates to the United States and settles with her family in New York. She is excited to start a new life in a new country with her family, but she immediately begins to miss her abuelo (grandfather) who remains in Mexico. To cope with her separation from her abuelo, she begins to write letters to him, the first one while she is still on the airplane to her new home! Juana does not miss a chance to write to her abuelo, telling him about her new home, the huge park just outside her bedroom window, the impending snowfall, and her first day in her new school. As she navigates through a new school and learns a new language, she begins new friendships, all the while telling her grandfather all about her new life experiences. Dear Abuelo is a heartwarming and beautifully illustrated picture book that captures all the emotions of moving to a completely new environment and missing loved ones back home. Author Grecia Huesca Dominguez brings her own experiences as an immigrant to life in this story and focuses on common experiences of many immigrants, such as: Family Connections: Juana’s letters to her beloved abuelo (grandfather) show the reader how she feels about being so far away from him as she settles into a new life in another country. Communication: Juana chooses to communicate with her abuelo through the traditional and somewhat old-fashioned way of sending handwritten letters to him through the mail. In an increasingly digital world, young readers can learn to write their thoughts down in a detailed way to communicate with family and friends near and far. Immigration: Grecia’s story, told through the experiences of the young character Juana, helps young readers understand a journey millions of adults and children experience every day. Juana’s journey to the United States was by airplane, but there are many other ways for people to immigrate to this country. Educators have a wonderful opportunity to open their students to discussion about their own experiences, whether they be immigrating from another country or moving from another town or state within the United States. Language and Cultural Differences: Young readers follow Juana, a newcomer to the United States, as she faces the challenge of not being fluent in the language of her new peers. As the story progresses, she makes a new friend that can speak Spanish and English, providing the support she needs to communicate with her teacher and peers. Embracing Individuality: Part of the immigration experience for many people is to learn the language and culture of a new home, but to also maintain and embrace their own individuality. In Juana’s situation, her teachers and classmates are not familiar with the pronunciation of her name. Through her new friendship with her classmate Elizabeth, Juana overcomes her shyness and corrects her teacher’s mispronunciation of her name.