Purchase to Support Our Program

“Norman’s upbeat tale shows how a sad event can be turned into a community project and a source of happiness. It’s a love letter to trees, to reading, and to the librarians who inspire others to learn and grow. Gómez’s round-eyed, round-headed characters are endearing… A tender tribute to libraries and librarians.”

– Kirkus Reviews

“A sweet story about the power of building community and creativity around literacy… . Driving home the importance of community are the compelling illustrations—strong cartoon faces, in a digital style, with broad shapes—represent individuals of all abilities and ethnicities. A story teaching the valuable lesson of making lemons out of lemonade.”

– School Library Journal

Abuela’s Library

Written by Lissette Norman
Illustrated by Jayri Gómez
Published by HarperCollins

Alfonso and Abuela love to spend Saturday afternoons finding books at the library and reading them together beneath their favorite oak tree. But when their beloved tree is cut down, can Alfonso transform the stump into something magical for their whole community—their very own neighborhood library?

This uplifting story from award-winning poet Lissette Norman and illustrator Jayri Gómez shows us how to turn an unexpected setback into a happy ending: one with a beautiful sky-blue door and shelves filled with books for everyone to enjoy.

Primary ISBN: 9780063067530
Publication Date: June 2024
Available As: Hardcover
Picture Book, Age 04 or older

Community Represented:

Themes: , , , , ,

Setting: United States

Character's Place in the Immigration Journey: Unknown Arrival

Book Creator(s) Connection to the Community Represented: Own Voices/Lived Experience

Click here for details about how we define our titles.

Engagement Projects & Resources:

Share your favorite resources for this book with info@imyourneighborbooks.org.