Born in Mexico and raised among giant grandmothers, mossy house walls, and rampaging feral gardens, Yuyi Morales fostered a strong bond with the magical stories that ran in her family. Since having immigrated to the USA in 1994, she has drawn from her family's legacy and her heritage to create some of the most celebrated Latino works for children's books.
Yuyi is the 2004 winner of the Pura Belpre Medal for Illustration for her book Just a Minute: A Trickster Tale and Counting Book as well as the 2008 winner for Los Gatos Black on Halloween (written by Marissa Montes), given to a Latino illustrator whose work best portrays, affirms, and celebrates the Latino cultural experience in an outstanding work of literature for children and youth.
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Her book Harvesting Hope; The story of Cesar Chavez (written by Kathell Krull), was the recipient of the Christopher Award and the Jane Adams Award, and was deemed one of the best books of 2003 by Child Magazine, San Francisco Chronicle, and School Library Journal.
Yuyi is also the creator of ALA notable book, Little Night, co-released in Spanish as Nochecita, and winner of the 2008 SCBWI Golden Kite Medal.
Some of other recognitions her work has received include the Americas Award, the California book Award, and the Tomas Rivera Award won in 2004 and 2008.
Asked about her work Yuyi says, "I strive to capture the incredible beauty of the every day forms using textures and colors as another way to reveal the heart of the story. I also pursue glow and luminosity with resolve. If I could ask for a talent, it would be to become a color genius."
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Abuelita's hair is the color of salt. Her face is as crinkled as a dried chile. She booms out words as wild as blossoms blooming. She stuffs her carcacha--her jalopy--with all the things she needs: a plumed snake, a castle, a skeleton, and more. Her grandson knows he has the most amazing grandmother ever--with a very important job. What does Abuelita do? With her booming voice and wonderful props, Abuelita is a storyteller. Next to being a grandmother, that may be the most important job of all. Sprinkled with Spanish and infused with love, My Abuelita is a glorious celebration of family, imagination, and the power of story.
Abuelita's hair is the color of salt. Her face is as crinkled as a dried chile. She booms out words as wild as blossoms blooming. She stuffs her carcacha--her jalopy--with all the things she needs: a plumed snake, a castle, a skeleton, and more. Her grandson knows he has the most amazing grandmother ever--with a very important job. What does Abuelita do? With her booming voice and wonderful props, Abuelita is a storyteller. Next to being a grandmother, that may be the most important job of all. Sprinkled with Spanish and infused with love, My Abuelita is a glorious celebration of family, imagination, and the power of story.
A Look Inside My Abuelita
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| My abuelita is round | My abuelita's jalopy |
From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 1—A boy describes the morning routine he shares with his grandmother as she prepares for work. Flights of fancy enliven the tasks of bathing, eating breakfast, and dressing. When the pair arrive at her workplace, readers discover that Abuelita is a storyteller—a calling that her grandson shares. Spanish words are sprinkled throughout, often followed by brief definitions. For example, the boy says, "I live with my grandma…I call her Abuelita." Johnston effectively engages young readers' interest by mentioning the woman's work, but not revealing what she does until the final page. Morales's bold, innovative illustrations brilliantly reinforce the text. On one spread, Johnston writes that Abuelita is "robust…like a calabaza. A pumpkin." On the left, children see a cheerful, round person, while a mirror on the right shows a pumpkin with Abuelita's smiling face. The illustrations represent a fresh new direction for Morales. Characters molded from polymer clay are dressed in brightly patterned fabrics and placed among images that evoke Mexican art. Abuelita's mirror is framed by traditional metalwork, and her storytelling props include a winged serpent and a Day of the Dead skeleton. While the story is firmly placed in a Mexican context, children of all ethnic and racial backgrounds will be drawn to the eye-catching illustrations and the universal story of a loving intergenerational relationship.—Mary Landrum, Lexington Public Library, KY
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
grandparents are special,
By
This review is from: My Abuelita (Hardcover)
This picture book follows a grandmother and her grandson getting ready for the grandmothers job. She is a storyteller and he helps her gather all the items that she needs for storytelling. What makes this story so unique are the illustrations. They are photographs of soft sculptures made of clay, wire, wool, fabric, wood, metals. The details that are out into each scene are amazing. The relationship between the grandmother and the grandson was also very touching. Grandparents are special people. The younger generation can learn so much by having a relationship with them. This story seems to bring that point across well. It would make a great story time book around Grandparents Day!
5.0 out of 5 stars
The sweet love of a young boy and his grandmother,
By G rider (Napa, Ca) - See all my reviews
This review is from: My Abuelita (Hardcover)
This sweet story follows a young boy preparing for his day with her grandmother, a storyteller. The creative and beautiful artwork of Morales weaves through the pages, taking the reader into the life and mind of our young narrator. Makes me think of my own grandmother and the special love that only grandparents and their grandchildren can share.
A must read for all!
5.0 out of 5 stars
Good Enough to Eat,
By
This review is from: My Abuelita (Hardcover)
When I was younger, my neighbor's mom used to make apple-head dolls. Apparently this was some strange Kansas custom that she brought with her to Ohio. I remember wondering what arcane process she used to transform a juicy delicious apple into the wizened little faces that topped her efforts. Yuyi Morales seems to have brought a modern version of the apple-head to her latest work of art. Not content with the rich, colorful perfection of her earlier paintings, Morales now brings a sense of dimensionality to her work, by creating and photographing dolls of her characters. Still there are the vibrant colors, the curved, flowing compositions and the expressive, connected characters. But now they fairly jump off the page. Kids will love this story, a homage to grannies and storytellers everywhere.
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