Pat Mora, illustrated by Amelia Lau Carling,
Abuelos
Groundwood Books, 2008

Rating: G*

Amelia knew the word abuelos meant grandfathers but she didn’t know the word was once used to describe the old men of the mountains. It’s a cold wintery evening when Amelia’s dad tells her about the old men who come down from the mountains once a year. Coated in soot and covered in hair, they leave their caves once a year to see if children like her and her brother have been behaving. Worried that the story could be true, Amelia hides under her covers that night when she hears noises outside her window. She thinks the noises are the abuelos snoring! She wonders, "What if they chase me? What if they chase Ray?" On the night the abuelos do come down from the mountains, Amelia and her brother Ray are chased, but not by the kind of abuelo she was expecting…. this abuelo is wearing familiar looking shoes and concealing his true identity behind a mask! Amelia was scared when she first heard the story of the abuelos, but after her actual encounter with an old man of the mountains, she’s no longer frightened. The old New Mexican story first told to her by her father becomes a fun community re-enactment for Amelia; one ending in fiddle music, dancing, and delicious food.

Inspired by the New Mexican tradition of "los abuelos", Abuelos is a tale containing several Spanish words and illustrations reminiscent of indigenous Pueblo culture. Reminding children to heed their parents, Abuelos touches on many other subjects including cultural traditions, storytelling, and family celebrations. Amelia Lau Carling used watercolours with pastels and coloured pencils to draw scenes that build drama and excitement. It looks ominous outside with the dark colours in the sky and the monstrous looking abuelos stirring in their caves. When a visitor comes to the house, he’s partially hidden by the doorway and dressed in dark colours, and on the night the abuelos come down from the mountain they move in a staggering motion towards the children. The abuelos may look hunched over but they seem ready to run! The most colourful and my favourite page in the book is the last page - the party scene. Decorations hang from the ceiling, the table is filled with homemade bizcochitos and empanadas, and everyone is smiling while they are dancing.

Pat Mora is the founder of the literacy initiative El día de los niños / El día de los libros, Children's Day / Book Day. An honorary member of the American Library Association, Pat grew up speaking Spanish and English. After attending the University of Texas, Pat worked as a teacher. She has written several poetry collections for adults and two nonfiction books. Her books for children include The Night the Moon Fell/La noche que se cayó la luna and The Race of Toad and Deer/La carrera del sapo y el venado.

Amelia Lau Carling works as an author, illustrator and graphic designer. Born in Guatemala, Amelia is the author and illustrator of the children’s books Mama and Papa Have a Store/La tienda de Mamá y Papá and Sawdust Carpets / Alfombras de asserín. She lives in New York.

Thematic Links: New Mexico; Customs; Traditions; Celebrations

Tanya Boudreau
Vol. 14, number 2
December 2008

*Rating System:
E - Excellent, enduring, everyone should see it!
G - Good, even great at times, generally useful!
A - Average, all right, has its applications.
P - Problematic, puzzling, poorly presented.