Author: Michael Genhart

Illustrator: Loris Lora 

Page Count: 40

Published: September 14, 2021

ISBN: 9781951836221

A delicious and fortifying picture book inspired by the author’s family, featuring the Mexican tradition of holiday tamale-making

A 2022 Pura Belpré Award Illustrator Honor Book

“What is the recipe?” I ask. Abuela laughs. “It is in my heart, Rosie. I use mis ojos, my eyes, to measure. Mis manos, my hands, to feel. Mi boca, my mouth, to taste. My abuela gave it to me, and I am giving it to you.” Each year on Christmas Eve, Rosie’s abuela, mamá, tía, sister, and cousins all gather together in Abuela’s kitchen to make tamales—cleaning corn husks, chopping onions and garlic, roasting chilis, kneading cornmeal dough, seasoning the filling, and folding it all—and tell stories. Rosie learns from her abuela not only how to make a delicious tamale, but how to make a delicious life, one filled with love, plenty of spice, and family.

"Drawing upon their own Latinx family experiences, Genhart and Lora cook up a beautiful story of food and cultural identity, rooted in family recipes, storytelling, and togetherness."—Booklist

"The warmth of family love and support wafts enticingly through this homage to tradition."—Kirkus Reviews

"Colors, flowers, rooms filled with laughing people, and a flowing well-paced text combine in a mantra-like telling, as rewarding as the tamales themselves. A bilingual beauty that celebrates family across generations, and traditions that can be shared beyond the communal table."—School Library Journal