When this grandchild visits her abuelo, he takes her to the ocean. In the summer, they kick off their shoes and let the cool waves tickle their toes. In the winter, they stand on the cliff and let the spray of the sea prick their nose and cheeks. No matter the season, hot or cold, their favorite place to spend time together is the beach. It’s here that Abuelo is able to open up about his youth in Havana, Cuba. As they walk along the sand, he recalls the tastes, sounds, and smells of his childhood. And with his words, Cuba comes alive for his grandchild. Abuelo, the Sea, and Me is a tender, heartwarming picture book that vividly explores intergenerational connections, family history, and the immigrant experience.

Prizes

Commended for Pura Belpre Award (Illustrator) 2025

Ismée Williams is the author of Water in May and This Train Is Being Held. Ismée also coedited the YA anthology, Boundless: Twenty Voices Celebrating Multicultural and Multiracial Identities. Ismée is a cofounder of the Latinx Kidlit Book Festival, as well as a pediatric cardiologist in New York City. ismeewilliams.com Tatiana Gardel is a Brazilian-born illustrator whose work has been recognized by the Society of Illustrators in New York and American Illustration. She is a co -founder of #LatinxPitch and teaches animation to young artists at the Harlem School of the Arts. Tatiana Gardel lives in New York City. tatianagardel.com