Saudade: Our Longing for Brazil
Written by Ana Crespo
Illustrated by André Ceolin
Published by Neal Porter Books
If your heart has ever ached remembering a place or a person, a smell or a taste, then you’ve felt saudade.
Saudade is a Portuguese and Galician word with no perfect translation to English; it’s a strong, melancholy longing for something you once had. Hiking in the hills, a little girl and her Brazilian immigrant mother contemplate what makes them feel saudade. A cool salty breeze miles from the ocean; the smell of Mamãe’s perfume; memories of playing with cousins under trees or waterfalls, riding waves with grandparents who are now stuck in the square of a video call.
Though deeply woven through Brazilian music and literature, saudade is a familiar companion to us all. Readers who live far from loved ones or have adopted new homes will especially connect with this exploration of nostalgia and yearning.
An endnote offers author Ana Crespo’s personal story of saudade as a Brazilian immigrant, and a glossary covers other Portuguese words the mother and daughter use. Andre Ceolin’s vivid illustrations, twining with daydreamy wisps of haze, set the perfect mood for this bittersweet, profoundly human story.
Primary ISBN: 9780823452293
Publication Date: June 2024
Available As: Hardcover
Picture Book, Age 04 or older
Community Represented: Brazilian/Brazilian American
Themes: Accolades & Awards: Starred Review, Cultural Empowerment, Cultural Empowerment & Joy: Family, Cultural Empowerment & Joy: Food, Cultural Empowerment & Joy: Identity, Cultural Empowerment & Joy: Storytelling, Family Relationship: Extended, Family Relationship: Grandparents, Family Relationship: Parents, Generation: 1st, Identity: Multilingual, Multilingual: Portuguese Featured Words, Outdoor Exploration, Own Voices/Lived Experience
Setting: United States
Character's Place in the Immigration Journey: Immigrant, 1st Generation
Book Creator(s) Connection to the Community Represented: Own Voices/Lived Experience
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Source: Holiday House