HOME IS A HEARTBEAT

A full house promises wholehearted comfort in Kemp and Mora’s intimate picture book.

In the early morning light, a modest house stands still amid a swathe of plants and trees. The sounds of slippers and Abuela’s rolling pin signal the start of the day. Snuggled up in a bed shared with Mami, the pipsqueak narrator gazes at the ceiling with its plastic stars, considering the familia living under the same roof. Abuela preps the tortillas in the kitchen, with memories of her apá stirred by the radio on the windowsill. Meanwhile, Abuelo toils away in his workshop, where his amá’s lucky hammer—the same one used to build the house—resides. Infused with sweeping, broad swirls of heart-stamped purples and pinks, Mora’s lush artwork portrays a multigenerational brown-skinned Latine familia with evident affection, evoking love from every corner of this home. Each family member also shines thanks to Kemp’s lyrical text, which conjures lifetimes out of vignettes. Tía Imelda finds her special place in the living room, where she watches her telenovelas and paints her nails, while Mami snuggles up with her favorite book by the window. Photographs of previous inhabitants—long-gone relatives and their memories—form the beating heart of home as well. A lovely, poignant tribute, this meditation on the bonds of familia will resonate most with readers who share space in an extended household. After all, it’s presented here at its most inviting.

Like a snug hug.