From the Bellybutton of the Mo

With a poet's magical vision, Francisco X. Alarcón takes young readers back to his childhood when he traveled with his family to Mexico to visit his grandmother and other relatives. Readers ride with him in the family station wagon across the misty mountain range to the little town of Atoyac, the beloved town of his ancestors. There he listens his grandma's colorful stories, samples Auntie Reginalda's tasty breakfasts, learns about the keys to the universe, and take playful dips in the warm sea. Maya Christina Gonzalez's lighthearted illustrations perfectly capture the spirit of a summer in Alarcón's Mexico where "colors are more colorful, tastes are tastier, and even time seems to slow down."