Janet Costa Bates, illustrated by Lambert Davis,
Seaside Dream
Lee and Low Books, 2010.

Ages 5-10

When the whole family comes together for Grandma’s 70th birthday, it’s a time of joy and celebration. Yet underneath the smiles granddaughter Cora, who lives next door, is feeling anxious about what present to give her precious Grandma, and about missing out on their own special time together. And Grandma is hiding a deep yearning for her sister Aura, whom she hasn’t seen for nearly forty years, since emigrating from Cape Verde to the United States.

Seaside Dream, inspired by author Janet Costa Bates’ own grandmother and her Cape Verdean roots, takes these two strands of narrative and entwines them within the whole family’s encircling love. Grandma understands Cora’s concerns intuitively, and Cora’s youthful optimism is just what Grandma needs to bolster her spirits as she talks about why she left Cape Verde but Aura stayed behind. Grandma explains how she has kept close to Aura by sending her non-verbal mantenhas (explained in a short glossary as a “greeting sent with people travelling between Cape Verde and the United States, essential for keeping relationships strong between family and friends separated by distance”). That night, Cora dreams about the two sisters and wakes up on Grandma’s birthday knowing exactly what to give her. Her thoughtful gift is, of course, perfect and opens up all sorts of possibilities for the future.

Seaside Dream was a worthy winner of a Lee & Low New Voices Award Honor and the story has been further enhanced on publication by Lambert Davis’ illustrations, which perfectly convey the happy, relaxed sharing of the family get-together and the empathy between Grandma and Cora in particular. The blues of the sea and sky and the yellow of the sand are reflected in the interiors too, giving the whole book a welcoming feel that that draws readers into the celebrations. It is noteworthy that we don’t actually meet Cora’s parents in the course of the story, meaning there is no distraction from the focus on the grandmother-granddaughter relationship. An Author’s Note also provides some historical and personal background to the book, opening up the possibility of similar discussion – both in terms of immigration and grandparents’ roots. In the meantime, Cora and Grandma’s love for each other will spill over from the story to warm readers’ hearts.

Marjorie Coughlan
June 2011