Xelena González

Una ni a y su familia recuerdan a su querido perro mascota a trav s de las tradiciones del D a de Muertos en este conmovedor y brillante libro ilustrado del equipo ganador del premio Pura Belpr compuesto de Xelena Gonz lez y Adriana M. Garcia. Una ni a y su familia observan las costumbres del D a de los Angelitos, una de las celebraciones del ritual del D a de Muertos, para celebrar la vida de su amado perro que falleci . Construyen una ofrenda conmovedora para ayudar a llevar el alma de la mascota a casa y ayudarle a esta persona peque a a procesar su duelo en este conmovedor recordatorio de que nuestros seres queridos nunca se han ido realmente si nos tomamos el tiempo para recordarlos.

A beautifully-illustrated 54-card oracle deck that reimagines the iconic game of Lotería by using the traditional symbols for divination, reflection, and healing. La Rosa. La Muerte. El Nopal. These are just a few of the 54 iconic symbols that appear in the beloved card game Lotería, also known as Mexican Bingo. Since reaching modern-day Mexico in 1779, the deck has seen many artful incarnations, and across Latinx cultures, it has served the multilayered purpose of practicing the Spanish language, bringing loved ones together, and of course, trying our luck. But Lotería Remedios enters the cards into the canon of cartomancy: it uses the traditional symbols for divination, reflection, and self-healing. Here author Xelena González, a member of the Tap Pillar Coahuiltecan Nation, is continuing the work of her great-grandmother, a curandera sought-after and highly respected for her abilities. Through beautiful illustrations and lyrical written remedios, La Sirena (The Mermaid) becomes an invitation to view your own magic and beauty. La Bandera (The Flag) suggests the need to wave your flag high, so that you may discover who is ready to join your cause. And the much-loved La Luna (The Moon) encourage you to look within, and understand that night will always find its morning, that the tide always changes.

Three starred reviews! A Pura Belpré Illustrator Honor Book A Chicago Public Library Best Book A family remembers their beloved pet dog through the traditions of Día de Muertos in this “gorgeous, deeply touching exploration of grief and remembrance” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) from Pura Belpré Honor–winning team Xelena González and Adriana M. Garcia. A child and their family observe the customs of Día de los Angelitos, one of the ritual celebrations of Día de Muertos, to celebrate the life of their beloved dog who passed away. They build a thoughtful ofrenda to help lead the pet’s soul home and help the little one process their grief in this moving reminder that loved ones are never really gone if we take the time to remember them.

?" Simply stunning"—Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review / ?" Lyrical"—Publishers Weekly, Starred Review A children’s picture book about a grandmother bonding with her granddaughters as she teaches them how much they can learn from nature just by being curious. Grandma knows that there is wondrous knowledge to be found everywhere you can think to look. She takes her girls to their special garden, and asks them to look over their collection of rocks, crystals, seashells, and meteorites to see what marvels they have to show. “They were here long before us and know so much more about our world than we ever will,” Grandma says. So they are called grandfathers. By taking a close look with an open mind, they see the strength of rocks shaped by volcanoes, the cleansing power of beautiful crystals, the oceans that housed their shells and shapes its environment, and the long journey meteorites took to find their way to them. Gathered together, Grandma and the girls let their surroundings spark their imaginations. This is a wonderful book to foster a loving intergenerational family bond. With its dazzling illustrations and poetic text, it’s also the perfect book to encourage the curiosity of little ones and cultivate an enthusiastic approach to learning. Xelena González is a storyteller, screenwriter, poet, and author of ALL AROUND US, winner of multiple accolades, including the Tomás Rivera Mexican American Children’s Book Award, an American Indian Youth Literature Honor Award, and an International Latino Book Award. Her storytelling skills were honed as a children’s librarian in San Antonio and in Guangzhou, China. As a visiting author, she has introduced her method of “tai chi storytelling” to more than 60 schools and libraries around the country. In February 2021, Cinco Puntos Press will release WHERE WONDER GROWS, her much-anticipated sophomore collaboration with muralist Adriana M. Garcia. With grant support from the National Association of Latino Arts and Culture, Xelena recently developed a body of work in both children’s literature and visionary fiction, inspired by the iconography of the Mexican Lotería card game. Her resultant book LOTERÍA REMEDIOS led to the creation of a television script centered on the same theme and featuring a modern Mestiza protagonist. She is currently developing the screenplay THE CARD SINGER with support from the Luminaria Artist Foundation. A member of the Tap Pilam Coahuiltecan Nation, Xelena is a sought-after speaker on topics such as radical self love, creative early literacy strategies, inhabiting story through music and movement, and reclaiming indigenous identity in Latinx communities. Adriana M. Garcia, is a home-grown San Antonio visual artist, muralist, and illustrator. Her debut picture book ALL AROUND US (by Xelena Gonzalez) was awarded the prestigious 2018 Pura Belpré Honor for illustration among other honors. One of Garcia's favorite mural creation "Changing the World" is installed at Northwest Vista College (Fall 2019) and centers around access to education. The mural project "De Todos Caminos Somos Todos Uno" completed for the San Antonio River Authority was recognized in the 2019 Public Art Network Year in Review. Adriana has exhibited her artwork both locally and nationally and has been invited to present at conferences, schools and museums. She has enjoyed working as an arts administrator and an art/design instructor for both youth and adult learners. She is a big fan of portraits and loves depicting strong women as a way to honor those who have come before and those who continue to lead by example.

Pura Belpr Illustrator Award Winner 2023 - American Library Association (ALA)A 2023 Pura Belpr Illustrator Award Winner De las creadoras del galardonado libro ilustrado All Around Us llega otra historia l rica intergeneracional que explora nuestra conexi n con la naturaleza, la familia y las tradiciones. From the creators of the award-winning picture book All Around Us comes another lyrical intergenerational story exploring our connection to nature, family, and traditions. Cuando la abuela va hacia su jard n especial, sus nietas saben que deben seguirla. Abuelita invita a las ni as a explorar su colecci n de tesoros (rocas m gicas, cristales, conchas marinas y meteoritos) para ver qu maravillas revelan. "Son seres vivos y llenos de sabidur a," dice la abuela. Mientras sus nietas observan con atenci n, los tesoros despiertan la imaginaci n de las ni as. Encuentran historias en la fuerza de las rocas formadas por los volcanes, el poder limpiador de hermosos cristales, el misterio del mar que albergan las conchas y c mo le dan forma al medio ambiente y el largo viaje que hicieron los meteoritos para encontrar su camino hacia la Tierra. ste es el poder del jard n especial de la abuela, donde las maravillas crecen y florecen los cuentos. When Grandma walks to her special garden, her granddaughters know to follow her there. Grandma invites the girls to explore her collection of treasures--magical rocks, crystals, seashells, and meteorites--to see what wonders they reveal. "They are alive with wisdom," Grandma says. As her granddaughters look closely, the treasures spark the girls' imaginations. They find stories in the strength of rocks shaped by volcanoes, the cleansing power of beautiful crystals, the mystery of the sea that houses shells and shapes the environment, and the long journey meteorites took to find their way to Earth. This is the power of Grandma's special garden, where wonder grows and stories blossom.

American Indian Youth Literature Award - American Indian Library Association Pura Belpr Illustrator Award Honor - American Library Association (ALA)Este hermoso libro ilustrado, ganador del Pura Belpr Illustrator Honor y del American Indian Youth Literature Award Picture Book Honor, celebra los c rculos que nos rodean, en el cielo, la tierra, nuestros vecindarios, nosotros mismos ... si nos atrevemos a buscarlos. Abuelo y nieta meditan sobre jardines y semillas, sobre c rculos visibles e invisibles, mientras participan y crean tradiciones familiares en esta hermosa exploraci n de los ciclos de la vida y naturaleza. La versi n en ingl s gan el premio Pura Belpre Honor por Illustraci n en el 2018. Busque el libro complementario, Donde las maravillas crecen. Grandpa and his granddaughter meditate on gardens and seeds, and on circles seen and unseen, as they share and create family traditions in this stunning exploration of the cycles of life and nature. All Around Us received a Pura Belpre Honor Award for Illustration in 2018. Look for the companion book, ​Where Wonder Grows.

Abuelo y nieta meditan sobre jardines y semillas, sobre círculos visibles e invisibles, mientras participan y crean tradiciones familiares en esta hermosa exploración de los ciclos de la vida y naturaleza. La versión en inglés ganó el premio Pura Belpre Honor por Illustración en el 2018. Grandpa and his granddaughter meditate on gardens and seeds, and on circles seen and unseen, as they share and create family traditions in this stunning exploration of the cycles of life and nature. All Around Us received a Pura Belpre Honor Award for Illustration in 2018. Now available in Spanish for the first time. Premios y honores por la edición en inglés: Libro Notable del ALSC 2018 Premio de Literatura de Jóvenes Indios Americanos: Honor de Libro Ilustrado 2018 Premio Tomás Rivera de Libros Mexico-Americanos Awards and honors for English edition: ALSC Notable Book 2018 American Indian Youth Literature Award: Picture Book Honor 2018 Tomás Rivera Mexican-American Children's Book Award

"All Around Us begs to be shared over and over."—Yuyi Morales "A transcendent, perfectly gorgeous book."—Naomi Shihab Nye ALSC Notable Children’s Book 2018 Pura Belpré Illustrator Honor Book2018 American Indian Youth Literature Award: Picture Book Honor Best Picture Book, Texas Institute of Letters 2017 Tomás Rivera Children’s Book Award Grandpa says circles are all around us. He points to the rainbow that rises high in the sky after a thundercloud has come. "Can you see? That's only half of the circle. That rest of it is down below, in the earth." He and his granddaughter meditate on gardens and seeds, on circles seen and unseen, inside and outside us, on where our bodies come from and where they return to. They share and create family traditions in this stunning exploration of the cycles of life and nature. This is a debut picture book for Xelena Gonzalez and Adriana Garcia.