Carmela Full of Wishes

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Description

In their first collaboration since the Newbery Medal- and Caldecott Honor-winning Last Stop on Market Street, Matt de la Pena and Christian Robinson deliver a poignant and timely new picture book that's sure to be an instant classic. An InstantNew York TimesBestseller! In their first collaboration since the Newbery Medal- and Caldecott Honor-winning Last Stop on Market Street, Matt de la Pena and Christian Robinson deliver a poignant and timely new picture book that's sure to be an instant classic. When Carmela wakes up on her birthday, her wish has already come true--she's finally old enough to join her big brother as he does the family errands. Together, they travel through their neighborhood, past the crowded bus stop, the fenced-off repair shop, and the panaderia, until they arrive at the Laundromat, where Carmela finds a lone dandelion growing in the pavement. But before she can blow its white fluff away, her brother tells her she has to make a wish. If only she can think of just the right wish to make . . . With lyrical, stirring text and stunning, evocative artwork, Matt de la Pena and Christian Robinson have crafted a moving ode to family, to dreamers, and to finding hope in the most unexpected places.

Reviews

Praise for Carmela Full of Wishes:
An Instant New York Times Bestseller
An Amazon Most Anticipated Fall Book Ages 3 to 5
An Amazon Best of the Month Pick October 2018 Ages 3 to 5
An AmazonEditors Gift Pick - Ages 3 to 5
APublishers WeeklyMost Anticipated Children's Book - Fall 2018
APublishers WeeklyBest Book of 2018
A Kirkus Reviews Best Picture Book of 2018
A Boston Globe Best Childrens Book of 2018
Four Starred Reviews

"The award-winning team behind Last Stop on Market Street portrays Carmelas Spanish-speaking community as a vibrant place of possibility, and Robinsons acrylic-and-cutout spreads introduce readers to street vendors, workers in the fields, and sweeping views of the sea. Sensitively conceived and exuberantly executed, Carmelas story shines."Publishers Weekly, starred review

Full of rich details, sharp and restrained writing, and acrylic paintings that look textured enough to rise off the page . . . Another near-perfect slice of life from a duo that has found a way to spotlight underrepresented children without forgetting that they are children first.Kirkus Reviews, starred review

Carmelas journey of wishing, waiting, and wanting resonates on many levels; an important addition to bookshelves everywhere."School Library Journal, starred review

[A] beautiful book about the love of siblings and community. . . . A must read for everyone.School Library Connection, starred review

Praise forLast Stop on Market Street:
Winner of the 2016 Newbery Medal
A 2016 Caldecott Honor Book
A 2016 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Book
ANew York TimesBestseller

Its also the warmth of their intergenerational relationship that will make this book so satisfying, for both young readers and the adults sharing it with them.TheNew York Times Book Review

This celebration of cross-generational bonding is a textual and artistic tour de force.Kirkus Reviews, starred review

That material poverty need not mean spiritual or imaginative poverty becomes beautifully clear in the quietly moving pages of Last Stop on Market Street, a picture book by Matt de la Pea filled with Christian Robinsons vibrant naf illustrations.The Wall Street Journal

Like still waters, de la Pea and Robinsons story runs deep. It finds beauty in unexpected places, explores the difference between whats fleeting and what lasts, acknowledges inequality, and testifies to the love shared by an African-American boy and his grandmother.Publishers Weekly, starred review

Matt de la Peas warmhearted story ismusical in its cadencesChristian Robinsons angular, brightillustrations are energetic and vibrant...[A] celebration of the joys of service, the gifts of grandmothers and the tenderness that the city can contain.The Washington Post

De la Pea and Robinson here are carrying on for Ezra Jack Keats in spirit and visual style. This quietly remarkable book will likely inspire questions it will also have some adult readers reaching for a tissue.The Horn Book, starred review

The sharp illustrations in bold, and cheerful primaries get CJs restless energy and curious posturesexactly right. The voices of CJ and his grandmother carry the story along in subtle point and counterpointso that at this books quiet close you feel like youve been listening to a song.The Boston Globe

With the precision of a poet, Matt de la Pea chronicles a boy's heartwarming Sunday morning routine with his nana.Christian Robinson's uplifting palette and culturally diverse cast brightens the rainy-day backdrop.Shelf Awareness, starred review

Author Bio

Matt de la Pena is the Newbery Medal-winning author of Last Stop on Market Street. He is also the author of Love; A Nation's Hope- The Story of Boxing Legend Joe Louis; and six critically acclaimed young-adult novels. Matt teaches creative writing and visits schools and colleges throughout the country. Matt lives in Brooklyn, NY. You can visit Matt at mattdelapena.com or on Twitter @mattdelapena. Christian Robinson is a 2016 Caldecott Honoree and also received a Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor for his art in Last Stop on Market Street. His picture books include the Gaston and Friends series; Leo- A Ghost Story; School's First Day of School; The Smallest Girl in the Smallest Grade; Josephine- The Dazzling Life of Josephine Baker; and many more. You can visit Christian at theartoffun.com or on Instagram @theartoffun.