My Neighborhood

by María José Ferrada, Ana Penyas (Illustrator), Kit Maude (Translator)

Every morning, Ms. Marta goes out to check that the world is how it should her friends sitting on a terrace playing cards, the beach where it always is, children playing in the playground. With illustrations full of color and colorful characters, My Neighborhood , shows the reader the world through the eyes of elderly Ms. Marta and demonstrates the wonder of diversity that surrounds us throughout our lives. The poignant message is balanced with simple text and detail-rich, illustrations full of comical visual surprises. The artwork combines watercolors, and photo-transfer collage, for a fun medley of people and faces in the neighborhood―visiting the school, beach, hair salon, clinic, and more. My Neighborhood is a celebration of community that highlights the beauty of its everyday rhythms and routines, as well as offering a heartwarming meditation on what it means to grow old when surrounded by loving friends and neighbors. About the Publisher Tapioca Stories, a New York-based publishing house with Latin American soul, introduces young English readers to the finest Latin American children's books, originally written in Spanish and Portuguese.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Emotion

32 pages, Hardcover

Published October 4, 2022

About the author

María José Ferrada is the author of Mexique: A Refugee Story from the Spanish Civil War. She is a recipient of the Municipal Prize of Literature of Santiago, as well as the Academy Award from the Chilean Academy of Language. María currently works as the children's editor of Chilean Memory, a digital resource center of the National Library of Chile.

Reviews

[carmensittttt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Voy a explotar de ternura. Es un cuentito ilustrado, más para adultas que para niñas. Se me ha caído la lagrimita al terminarlo. Regaladlo a vuestras amigas, madres, abuelas.

[thaís bambozzi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Uma joia encontrada na nova livraria do Bom Retiro, focada em literatura produzida por comunidades migrantes. Estava com minha sogra, achamos as ilustrações da capa lindas e abrimos: a protagonista, Dona Marta, tem o mesmo nome de sua mãe. Nas prateleiras, a indicação de uma pessoa da vizinhança que escreveu sobre “a magia de se reconhecer nos espaços”. Chorei. Minha sogra me deu o livro de presente. Um desses momentos mágicos que fazem a vida valer a pena.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

There once was an advertisement that seemed to indicate that life ends at 40, and today's popular culture would probably agree. Forty seems too old, not to mention fifty, sixty or seventy. But this picture book, originally published in Mexico, pushes back against that notion. Featuring a cast of elderly women who spend their days hanging out together, playing cards, and savoring life, the story is illustrated with watercolor scenes of one neighborhood through which Ms. Marta strolls each day. She goes about her daily rounds, checking on her friends, walking by the school, passing by the beach, and keeping her various appointments before returning home. It's clear that this neighborhood where everyone knows everyone else is special to her and that she is content with her lot. The images are striking since some of the characters are painted while others consist of actual blurry photographs and collages, and the message that permeates the story through text and illustrations is to embrace oneself as one is, age and flaws and all, and savor life's moments. Being able to grow old gracefully seems to be something of an art that Ms. Marta has mastered. There are so many different body types depicted in this book that it's refreshing, reminding readers that beauty and self-worth come in all sorts of shapes and sizes.

[Trace · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely adored this picture book about a senior's neighborhood and community. So lovely.

I also loved the dedication: "Dedicated to all the women who embrace their age and stay cheerful no matter what."

I have always said that my definition of a class book is any book that you can return to again and again and still learn from it, or draw nourishment from it. Picture books are no exception and can definitely be classics and I think this book is a classic!

[Shannon (That's So Poe) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a sweet story about an older woman going about her day in her neighborhood. The illustrations are quirky and fun, too. I'm not sure I got much out of the story past that, but it was just an enjoyable read!

[A. · Rating 3 out of 5]

A warm story about community, but it feels better suited for adults than for children.

[Libertad Botia · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Alice · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars for this book about neighborhood

[Aolund · Rating 5 out of 5]

A whimsical picture book about age, change, and the passage of time.

Themes: Age, Change, Old People, Neighborhood
Age range: Toddler-Kindergarten

[Irene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Desde criança eu sempre fui muito fascinada em “ter um bairro”, então esse livro bateu em um lugar especial.

[Emma · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kind of strange in the way picture books in translation can be. Doesn’t credit translator in cover so even if it could be a Rise contender that would make it a no for me.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A warm and wonderful story with delightful details in the illustrations that capture the colorful and diverse world in which we live.