A delicious and fortifying picture book inspired by the author’s
family, featuring the Mexican tradition of holiday tamale-making
“What is the
recipe?” I ask. Abuela laughs. “It is in my heart, Rosie. I use
mis ojos, my eyes, to measure. Mis manos, my hands, to feel. Mi boca,
my mouth, to taste. My abuela gave it to me, and I am giving it to
you.” Each year on Christmas Eve, Rosie’s abuela, mamá, tía,
sister, and cousins all gather together in Abuela’s kitchen to make
tamales—cleaning corn husks, chopping onions and garlic, roasting
chilis, kneading cornmeal dough, seasoning the filling, and folding
it all—and tell stories. Rosie learns from her abuela not only how
to make a delicious tamale, but how to make a delicious life, one
filled with love, plenty of spice, and family.
