Together, Arthur Dorros and Raúl Colón capture the way an intimate bond between boy and grandfather can feel like a magical, private world.
As the boy narrator and his Abuelo "ride with the wind, 'el viento'" across the plains ("La Pampa") and into the clouds, "with the sky, 'el cielo,' wrapped around [them]," they discover they have everything they need. When it rains, Abuelo shows his grandson how to use his poncho to take shelter ("tu propia casa"/ your own house), and when a mountain lion threatens, Abuelo models how to stand strong ("fuerte"). Dorros peppers the story with just enough Spanish words for emphasis, and when the boy learns that his family plans to move to the city, Colón's signature swirling watercolors, scratched with color pencils, suggest the whirlwind of feelings that engulf the child. "'No te preocupes,' don't worry," Abuelo tells him. In his new home, the boy remembers all the things Abuelo taught him. A bully threatens him, and he stands strong ("fuerte"), and the wideness of the city stretches like La Pampa. The echoes of the Spanish words close the distance between boy and grandfather, connecting the familiar experiences with the unfamiliar, and making the boy feel at home wherever he is.
This deceptively simple story with its universal appeal reminds children that love and comfort can cross many miles. --Jennifer M. Brown, children's editor, Shelf Awareness