Abuela's Library

When his favorite reading tree is cut down, a little boy must find a way to transform the stump into something magical with the help of his abuela. A celebration of libraries and literacy from award-winning poet Lissette Norman (author of Plátanos Go with Everything) and Jayri Gómez.

A picture book celebration of libraries and literacy from award-winning poet Lissette Norman (author of Plátanos Go with Everything) and Jayri Gómez.

Alfonso and Abuela love to spend Saturday afternoons finding books at the library and reading them together beneath their favorite oak tree. But when their beloved tree is cut down, Alfonso decides to transform the stump into something magical for their whole community—their very own neighborhood library!

This uplifting story from award-winning poet Lissette Norman and illustrator Jayri Gómez shows us how to turn an unexpected setback into a happy ending—one with a beautiful sky-blue door and shelves filled with books for the neighborhood to enjoy. 

Lissette Norman is a poet and the author of the picture books My Feet Are Laughing and Plátanos Go with Everything. She is also coauthor of the picture books Until Someone Listens by Estela Juarez and On the Line: My Story of Becoming the First African American Rockette by Jennifer Jones. Lissette received her BA in English at SUNY-Binghamton and currently lives in New York City.

Jayri Gómez is a Dominican children's illustrator and author of The Stars of Din. Represented by Astound, she resides in her home country with her three cherished cats—Momo, Ginny, and Lilo. Jayri has a passion for singing, watching horror films, and napping in unconventional places. With her illustrations, she brings stories to life and aims to capture the imagination of readers of all ages.

"Norman’s upbeat tale shows how a sad event can be turned into a community project and a source of happiness. It’s a love letter to trees, to reading, and to the librarians who inspire others to learn and grow. Gómez’s round-eyed, round-headed characters are endearing... A tender tribute to libraries and librarians." -Kirkus Reviews

"A sweet story about the power of building community and creativity around literacy... . Driving home the importance of community are the compelling illustrations—strong cartoon faces, in a digital style, with broad shapes—represent individuals of all abilities and ethnicities. A story teaching the valuable lesson of making lemons out of lemonade. -School Library Journal