The Other Side of the Garden
Written by Sili Recio
and Elena Djome Lawrence
Illustrated by Brianna McCarthy
Published by Denene Millner Books
A young girl and her mother visit her grandmother’s old garden, but things are different. A fence stands between them and Abuela’s old blue house, and when the young girl calls out to her, Abuela no longer answers.
With each visit to the garden, it becomes clear that Abuela won’t be coming back. All that’s left are memories of picking flowers, dancing in the wind, and running into Abuela’s warm embrace.
Author Sili Recio and her daughter, Elena, draw on Elena’s own grief journey after her abuela’s passing to help young readers not only navigate loss, but also recognize that remembering loved ones who’ve gone means they never really leave us.
Primary ISBN: 9781665947060
Publication Date: March 2026
Available As: Hardcover, eBook
Picture Book , Age 04 or older
Community Represented: Dominican/Dominican American
Themes: Family Relationship: Grandparents, Family Relationship: Parents, Generation: 1st, Identity: Multilingual, Mental Health, Multilingual: Spanish Featured Words, Outdoor Exploration, Own Voices/Lived Experience, Trauma & Healing, Trauma & Healing: Death of Family or Friend
Setting: United States
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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