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Table of Contents
About The Book
A delicious picture book about the ways plantains shape Latinx culture, community, and family, told through a young girl’s experiences in the kitchen with her abuela.
Abuela says, “plátanos are love.”
I thought they were food.
But Abuela says they feed us in more ways than one.
With every pop of the tostones, mash of the mangú, and sizzle of the maduros, a little girl learns that plátanos are her history, they are her culture, and—most importantly—they are love.
Abuela says, “plátanos are love.”
I thought they were food.
But Abuela says they feed us in more ways than one.
With every pop of the tostones, mash of the mangú, and sizzle of the maduros, a little girl learns that plátanos are her history, they are her culture, and—most importantly—they are love.
About The Author
Eissel Hernandez
Alyssa Reynoso-Morris is a queer Afro-Latinx Dominican and Puerto Rican writer, wife, mother, and community organizer. During the day she is a chief of staff working with community members, nonprofit organizations, and government officials to make the world a better place. Then she puts her writer’s hat on to craft heartfelt stories about home, family, food, and the fun places she has been. Alyssa was born and raised in the Bronx and currently lives in Philadelphia with her partner and daughter. Alyssa is honored to be a Musa with Las Musas Books which celebrates the diversity of voice, experience, and power of Latinx children’s authors. She hopes you enjoy her stories.
About The Illustrator
Photo by Damir Ali
Mariyah Rahman was born and raised in Trinidad and Tobago. She spent her earliest years climbing trees, digging for fossils, and drawing on walls with crayons. Today, she is an illustrator for children’s books and entertainment but has still never found a fossil.
Why We Love It
“Reading Plátanos Are Love is like being back in my Cuban grandmother’s kitchen—smelling the frying oil, tasting the sweet and savory plantains, hearing the voices of my family, and, more than anything, feeling the immense sense of love, family, history, and community.”
—Alex B., Editor, on Plátanos Are Love
Product Details
- Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers (April 11, 2023)
- Length: 40 pages
- ISBN13: 9781665902748
- Ages: 4 - 8
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Raves and Reviews
* "[Esme, her little sister, and her abuela] make tostones, maduros, and mangú for family and friends, and the love that goes into making each meal can be felt in every word and image in this joyous work. Sprinkled throughout with Spanish words, the narrative is lyrical and filled with fun food words that often appear in a different font and beg to be read aloud. . . The illustrations are luminous. . . A stunning, must-have picture book about food, community, and love."
– School Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW
"Cooking plantains with Abuela, young Esme grows to appreciate her family lineage in this intergenerationally focused first-person tale . . . Rahman’s digital illustrations use bright, warm colors for contemporary spreads and desaturated greens and browns to delineate scenes occurring in the past, contributing to a thoughtful story of legacy."
– Publishers Weekly
"Text that incorporates unitalicized Spanish throughout and warm and inviting illustrations convey affection for both food and family and will leave readers hungry for plátanos.…A cozy story for the stomach and the soul."
– Kirkus Reviews
* "[Esme, her little sister, and her abuela] make tostones, maduros, and mangú for family and friends, and the love that goes into making each meal can be felt in every word and image in this joyous work. Sprinkled throughout with Spanish words, the narrative is lyrical and filled with fun food words that often appear in a different font and beg to be read aloud. . . The illustrations are luminous. . . A stunning, must-have picture book about food, community, and love."
– School Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW
"Cooking plantains with Abuela, young Esme grows to appreciate her family lineage in this intergenerationally focused first-person tale . . . Rahman’s digital illustrations use bright, warm colors for contemporary spreads and desaturated greens and browns to delineate scenes occurring in the past, contributing to a thoughtful story of legacy."
– Publishers Weekly
"Text that incorporates unitalicized Spanish throughout and warm and inviting illustrations convey affection for both food and family and will leave readers hungry for plátanos.…A cozy story for the stomach and the soul."
– Kirkus Reviews
Awards and Honors
- Kansas NEA Reading Circle List PrimaryTitle
- NCTE Charlotte Huck Outstanding Fiction Recommended Title
- Rhode Island Latino Book Award Nominee
Resources and Downloads
High Resolution Images
- Book Cover Image (jpg): Plátanos Are Love Fixed Layout eBook 9781665902748
- Author Photo (jpg): Alyssa Reynoso-Morris Eissel Hernandez(0.1 MB)
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