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“Delectable prose and jewel-toned illustrations come together as a young narrator counts down until a bunch of plantains are ripe enough for eating….The suspense yields a satisfying ending (“One week behind me./ One plate before me.”), as Aguilera uses rich, saturated colors to create a domestic world filled with flowers and produce, amplifying the sensory-rich storytelling.”

– Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

Ripening Time

Written by Patrice Gopo
Illustrated by Carlos Vélez Aguilera
Published by WorthyKids

Mama steers the cart toward the produce section of the grocery store and picks up a bunch of green plantains. Thus begins a week of anxious anticipation as a young girl waits for mustard yellows to seep onto the unripe green peels. Creep. Creep. Seep. Green begins to turn to yellow. Creep. Creep. Seep. Black streaks appear. And finally, on Sunday, the frying pan sizzles and hisses, as Mama serves up the warm, sugary slices the young girl has waited for so long.

Much like there is sweet treasure hidden beneath the skin of a plantain, this beautifully written and evocative story reaches far beyond the act of preparing a favorite food. Ripening Time celebrates the way food and family entwine to connect us across generations—and serves as a touching reminder that some of the sweetest rewards in life are worth the wait.

Primary ISBN: 9781546005391
Publication Date: April 2025
Available As: Hardcover
Picture Book, Age 04 or older

Community Represented:

Themes: , , , , , , , ,

Setting: United States (Alaska)

Character's Place in the Immigration Journey: 1st Generation

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

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