This was a great book! It is Realistic Fiction, and perfect for middle grade readers. It is set in sunny Florida, and centers around a Cuban family that run a restaurant in their community, Canal Grove. Arturo is the central character and narrator, and he is a great guy! He loves his food and family dearly, especially his Abuela.💓
I love this book for several reasons. There is a smattering of Spanish throughout the story, and I love learning/relearning bits of another language. I also love the strength and love that the Zamora family has for each other. There is also a little romance between Arturo and his long-time friend, Carmen. Don't worry- it's sweet and innocent, totally age appropriate for young readers.
This book deals with the loss of loved ones. There are a couple of different scenarios within the story, and they are heart wrenching. The author does not dwell too long on the sadness, but there are some realistic descriptions of the struggles that loss brings. I think books like this can be very helpful to kids. They can normalize the strong feelings young people have when going through hard things like death or loss. It also presents and offers healthy coping strategies to the readers as well.
I highly recommend this book! In fact, this will be our Spring book club selection at our library! I am looking forward to reading through it again with our kids.
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