The Secret of the Plátano

  • Interest Level: Kindergarten - Grade 3
  • Reading Level: Grade 2

Under the full moon, Abuela leads an enchanted dance, bows to the sky and the night winds, and helps her curious grandson discover the rhythm of his heartbeat while listening to the great secret of the plátanos.

At first his tiny ears couldn’t hear it, but Abuela shares that she can’t teach something that only her heart knows. This loving and tender story of the magical union between a grandmother and her grandson was penned by Dominican author, Luz Maria Mack, and inspired by a dream where she and her Abuela met again to dance and share the secrets of the plátanos.

Sometimes the secrets of life are written in nature, under the stars, and in the sounds of the whispering leaves.

Format Your Price Add
978-1-953859-23-5
$14.24
978-1-953859-45-7
$23.99
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Interest Level Kindergarten - Grade 3
Reading Level Grade 2
Genre Picture Books
Category Diverse Books: #OwnVoices, Diverse Books: Race & Ethnicity, Diversity, SEL: D Relationship Skills, Social Emotional Learning
Copyright 2022
Publisher Lerner Publishing Group
Imprint Soaring Kite Books
Language English
Number of Pages 32
Publication Date 2022-09-06
Text Type Fiction
BISACS JUV013030, JUV030040, JUV029010
Dewey [E]
Dimensions 9 x 11
Lexile 460
Features Activities, Author/Illustrator biography, Author/Illustrator note, Reviewed, and eSource

Author: Luz Maria Mack

Luz Maria Mack was born in Villa Mella, Dominican Republic, and immigrated to the United States as a young child with her family. She comes from a loving and big family that is a recipe for laughter and lots of beautiful memories. She now lives in Bronx, NY.

Illustrator: Stephany Mesa

Stephany Mesa was born in Bonao, Dominican Republic, where she was raised by two powerful women who inspired her to create beautiful characters through her imagination and embraced her love of books. Steph lives in Santo Domingo, DR, making her dreams come true in a country where illustration is seen as a hobby.

Reviews

School Library Journal

“The vivid nighttime illustrations are bursting with fresh breezes . . . A good choice for most picture book collections.”—School Library Journal

Kirkus Reviews

“A night full of dance and magic flows between an abuela and her grandchild.”—Kirkus Reviews