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Table of Contents
About The Book
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 Illustrator
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 9, 2024)
- Length: 40 pages
- ISBN13: 9781665957250
- Ages: 4 - 8
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Raves and Reviews
"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
Resources and Downloads
High Resolution Images
- Book Cover Image (jpg): Plátanos Are Love Trade Paperback 9781665957250
- Author Photo (jpg): Alyssa Reynoso-Morris Eissel Hernandez(0.1 MB)
Any use of an author photo must include its respective photo credit