Caraballo’s rhyming text and Cruz’s detailed, full-bleed illustrations convey the warmth of the grandchild/grandparent relationship while also introducing young readers to life in Puerto Rico. The young boy who narrates begins and ends with the declaration that his grandparents are “mi vida” (“my life”), translated into English as “my universe” for rhyming and metrical reasons. In between these bookends he takes readers on a tour of his life with them, playing together in their yard; cooking to prepare for weekend fiestas; walking along the beach or through famous buildings; and watching the cruise ships come into harbor. Their literal wanderings meander through the year, signaled by the appearance of “Christmas” and other seasonal words. The absence of the boy’s parents makes this useful for looking at alternative families, though the text is just vague enough to conclude that he might not live with his grandparents full-time. The tight rhyming of the Spanish text, compared to the somewhat awkward and irregular rhyme of the English, tips readers off that the Spanish is the original, but in both languages the familial love and the love of home are apparent. (Picture book. 4-7)
