School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 2-When Abuelita dies, Felipa misses her a great deal. When she is told that people's souls live on forever, she asks the donkey, the pig, and the llamas where her grandmother is hiding. They do not tell her. She searches high in the Andes but can not find her there either. In November, the village prepares for a celebration in which special treats, flowers, and candles are taken to decorate the graves and the cemetery comes to life with laughter, music, and stories. The child then feels close to her grandmother through the memories that her parents share with her. The almost-impressionistic paintings are done in rich shades of yellow, orange, and blue; they capture Felipa's emotions but few details of the culture or celebration. This will be an excellent story to pair with nonfiction sources regarding the Day of the Dead but may not be fully appreciated without additional information.-Sandra Welzenbach, Villarreal Elementary School, San Antonio, TX (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
Publisher's Weekly Review
In a more somber exploration of the holiday's roots, Felipa and the Day of the Dead by Birte Miller chronicles a girl's search for her grandmother's soul. The impressionistic spreads follow the heroine as she searches the mountains and asks the animals about her recently departed Abuelita's soul. In celebrating the Day of the Dead, however, she comes to terms with her loss. (Sept.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Horn Book Review
In the mountains of Bolivia, Felipa searches for the soul of her recently deceased grandmother but cannot find her. She finally does on the Day of the Dead, when the souls visit their loved ones. Illustrated with bold blocks of color and some Bolivian details of clothing, the story is quietly told, without mawkish sentiment. An explanation of the traditional celebration is appended. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.