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Ana Aranda (anaranda.com) also illustrated Moth & Butterfly- Ta-da! (by Dev Petty) and The Chupacabra Ate the Candelabra (by Marc Tyler Nobleman). She was born and raised in Mexico City, and completed her undergraduate studies in illustration in France. In San Francisco, she painted murals in the Mission District, for the Consulate General of Mexico, and for the prestigious de Young Museum. Her biggest inspirations are her childhood memories, the vibrant colours of Mexico, and music. She currently lives in Nashville, Tennessee.
In her authorial debut, Aranda, illustrator of The Chupacabra Ate the Candelabra, delivers a charming ode to the Latinx Day of the Dead holiday. A little girl narrates this sweet tale that takes readers through her family's preparations for the event that occurs every November 1st through 2nd, in which families honor those who came before with altars, poems, marigolds, and sugar skeletons. . . . The importance of family, storytelling, and tradition shines through the text and joyous textured illustrations. . . . Warm and vibrant hues, such as the orange of the marigolds and the bright colors of the papel picado, add to the lively, celebratory mood. . . . Calaveras, or skulls, and living people mingle throughout, but the joy-filled celebration is especially evident during the fiesta scenes. The matter-of-fact text contains not a hint of fear or mourning, which might be just the right tone for some children with a recent death in the family, making this a perennial title and not one to relegate to Day of the Dead shelves or displays. . . . Great fun; a strong choice for picture book collections. --School Library Journal
