Dreamers: A Review by Veronica Jorge
May 22, 2026 by Veronica Jorge in category Write From the Heart by Veronica Jorge tagged as book review, Dreamers, SOÑADORES, Veronica Jorge, Yuyi Morales
DREAMERS
YUYI MORALES
Neal Porter Books
2018
ISBN 978-0823440559
SOÑADORES
(Spanish Edition)
Neal Porter Books
2021
ISBN 978-0823446735
Hopes and wishes: the stuff that dreams are made of. Remember hoping for the dream boat prom date? Remember hoping for your dream job? How many times have you wished upon a star with all of your heart for something that you truly desired to come true? Or wished that you could slide down the rainbow tasting all of the colors along the ride, and then discover the wonderful world waiting for you at the end?
In Dreamers, Yuyi Morales invites us to join her on the magical journey of a mother; a migrant traveling to a new land in order to find all of the hopes, wishes and dreams that she desires for herself and her son.
They pack up the life that they know in search for a better one while leaving their hearts behind. A new language to learn. Mistakes made. And incredible and surprising things and places to see. Like a library! They experience the thrill of learning to speak a new language, to read it and write it; to make their voices heard. With each passing day, they inch closer to becoming something new and good that they cannot yet even imagine.
Beautifully written and illustrated, Yuyi Morales shares part of her life when immigrating to the United States, learning English and realizing her own dreams. She has written many distinctive books for children, five of which have won the prestigious Pura Belpré Award with one title also receiving a Caldecott Honor.
Dreamers; the ones who prove that hopes and wishes do come true!
See you next time on June 22nd! Until then, pleasant dreams and keep on wishing and hoping!
Veronica Jorge
Books Reviewed by Veronica
ALL AROUND US: A Review by Veronica Jorge
April 22, 2026 by Veronica Jorge in category Write From the Heart by Veronica Jorge tagged as Adriana M. Garcia, All Around Us, book review, Veronica Jorge, Xelena Gonzalez
ALL AROUND US
by XELENA GONZÁLEZ
ILLUS. by ADRIANA M. GARCIA
Cinco Puntos Press,
2017
ISBN 9781941026762
In my March 22nd post, As Young As Spring, I mentioned several nature themed books. Today, I’d like to offer a review of one of those titles. Since a picture paints a thousand words, I’ve chosen, All Around Us, a picture book by Xelena González, illustrated by Adriana M. Garcia. Available in many libraries and bookstores, I hope reading it will be the start of a flourishing Spring season for you, an inspiration to spend time outdoors, (my heart goes out to my fellow allergy sufferers), and an opportunity to share with others about the wonders of nature and our wonderful Earth.
Grandpa’s daily chores and routines seem mundane and dreary yet through them his granddaughter learns about the wonders of nature that encompass everything about them, including her.
When she sees a rainbow arc in the sky, Grandpa explains that the other half of the circle, the part we cannot see, is hidden in the earth. Patting the garden soil where Grandpa planted seeds, he reminds his grandchild that the seeds, though now unseen, will become the visible fruits and vegetables that will feed them.
Throughout the day, Grandpa introduces her to many other unseen secrets and she begins to see and to understand her own place in the circle of life.
All Around US by Xelena González is a reflective celebration of life; a warm and tender story of the relationship between a grandfather and his granddaughter and the lessons he teaches her about our connection to the earth and the world around us. The illustrations by Adriana M. Garcia support the theme of circles all around with deep rich earth tones, and bright greens and vibrant yellows that swirl around each page. Intermingling with the text, they enfold the reader into the story to help them feel the warmth of the earth and the love between adult and child.
All Around Us is a 2018 Pura Belpre Illustrator Honor Book, an ALSC Notable Children’s Book and a 2018 American Indian Youth Literature Award: Picture Book Honor recipient.
See you next time on May 22nd. Until then, happy reading with whatever new book friends you make.
Veronica Jorge
Books Reviewed by Veronica
As Young as Spring by Veronica Jorge
March 22, 2026 by Veronica Jorge in category Write From the Heart by Veronica Jorge tagged as bloom, refresh, Spring, Veronica Jorge, youth
Don’t spend money on green drinks, wrinkle creams, and hair dyes to take out the grey. It’s Springtime. Immerse yourself in nature and rejuvenate!
And of course, read a book. Here are a few titles guaranteed to make you flower and bloom.
Paradise Under Glass: The Education of An Indoor Gardener by Ruth Kassinger relates the author’s personal story of loss and how she found emotional healing in creating an indoor garden.
The Last Garden in England by Julia Kelly is the tale of three women in three different time periods and how the one garden they inhabit reveals secrets and changes lives.
The Comfort of Crows: A Backyard Year by Margaret Renkl, art by Billy Renkl takes the reader on a journey through the four seasons asking us to stop and notice the natural world around us that will cleanse, redeem, and take our breath away.
The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben. Did you know that trees talk to each other?! This book brings us into the secret world of how trees feel, how they communicate, support each other, share nutrients, and even warn each other of dangers.
For history enthusiasts, nature lovers, and those who enjoy learning new things American Canopy: Trees, Forest, and the Making of a Nation by Eric Rutkow, relates how trees were essential to the early years of the United States and contributed a great deal to the nation’s rise as an empire and as a civilization.
For the youngsters in your life consider the following picture books. (Adults will like them too. I certainly do.)
The Extraordinary Gardener by Sam Broughton, a story about a young boy seeking color in a dreary world. He plants a seed on his balcony and when he least expects it, something extraordinary happens.
All Around Us by Xelena Gonzalez, illustrated by Adraina M. Garcia, is a warm and tender intergenerational story of a grandfather teaching his granddaughter about our connection with the earth, the parts that we can and cannot see, and the amazing circle of life.
The Weedy Garden by Margaret Renkl, illustrated by Billy Renkl is a lavish spread of art and imagination as the reader explores a backyard filled with hungry squirrels, busy bumblebees and sleepy fireflies, among other wonderful creatures waiting to be discovered.
A good title for Women’s History Month and for Black History Month is, Bring Me Some Apples and I’ll Make You a Pie: A Story About Edna Lewis by Robin Gourley. Edna was a descendant of slaves who grew up to become a famous chef. In September of 2014, she was honored on a United States Postage Stamp as part of the Celebrity Chefs series. The book also includes a few kid-friendly recipes.
The Comic Book Guide to Growing Food by Joseph Tychonievish, illustrated by Liz Anna Kozik, is a graphic novel guide for ages 4-7, (I found it very helpful too), of how to grow a successful vegetable garden.
So, spend more time outdoors in nature this year. It can help to ease stress and diminish the worry lines and wrinkles on your face and forehead, and turn your frown downside up into a smile.
Take a walk and put a spring in your step.
Smell a flower; it’s a new perfume.
Sit in the yard or in a park and enjoy a free musical bird song concert. Or take a restful nap. Forty winks can work wonders.
And try planting a few seeds of comfort and hope in someone else’s life.
You’ll feel as young as Spring!
Veronica Jorge
See you next time on April 22nd!
Books Reviewed by Veronica
Chocolate? I’m Listening
February 22, 2026 by Veronica Jorge in category Write From the Heart by Veronica Jorge tagged as chocolate
Every Valentine’s Day chocolate in all shapes and sizes: loose, bagged, heart-shaped boxes, can be found everywhere. Including in my pantry, in the candy dish, on my plate. Well, you get the picture. I like chocolate. (I indulge year round).
But how did chocolate become associated with Valentine’s Day? And who was Valentine?
While traditions and origin stories may vary, two prevalent tales persist. The first is that of a Catholic priest named, Valentine, who performed wedding ceremonies for soldiers even though Rome had prohibited it. He was subsequently executed around 269 A.D. for defying Emperor Claudius II’s orders. Another relates the story of Bishop Valentine of Terni, who during his imprisonment healed the jailer’s blind daughter. Just before he was martyred, he left the girl a note, “From your Valentine.” In 496 A.D., the Church officially established February 14 as St. Valentine’s Day.
Thereafter, the Saint’s day became associated with love and notes and gifts were exchanged. In the 19th and 20th centuries chocolate became associated with the holiday because it was a symbol of sweetness, indulgence, and sensory pleasure.
Ah, ain’t love grand?!
On the practical side, professional opinions change as to the benefits, or lack thereof, of chocolate.
Dark chocolate in particular is rich in antioxidants and contains iron, zinc, magnesium and potassium among other essential minerals. It improves heart health, brain function, and mood.
And let’s face it. It tastes good. So, what’s not to like about chocolate?
On the down side, chocolate can be high in sugar, saturated fat, and calories. Some of the seeds of the cacao plant, from which chocolate is made, can be contaminated by cadmium and lead from polluted soil.
Therefore, being informed and reading labels is important.
I wonder. Would chocolate have become so popular and associated with love if these two priests had not been martyred?
I suppose that the take away from the story and origin of St. Valentine’s Day is that all things can be enjoyed in moderation. But we should live and love LAVISHLY!
Veronica Jorge
See you next time on March 22nd!
Books Reviewed by Veronica Jorge
Veronica Jorge: January Featured Author
January 28, 2026 by Veronica Jorge in category Apples & Oranges by Marianne H. Donley, Featured Author of the Month tagged as Featured author, Reviewed by Veronica Jorge, Veronica Jorge, Write from the heart
Manager, Educator, and former High School Social Studies teacher, Veronica credits her love of history to the potpourri of cultures that make up her own life and to her upbringing in diverse Brooklyn, New York.
Her genres of choice are historical fiction, where she always makes new discoveries, literary works because she loves beautiful writing, and children’s picture books because there are so many wonderful worlds yet to be imagined and visited.
She currently resides in Macungie, PA., but she’s still a Brooklyn girl at heart. How sweet it is!
Veronica’s story “Fiona Malone’s Fesh,” was featured in the Fall 2021 Issue of Bethlehem Writers Roundtable and is archived above.
In addition to her fiction, she has a monthly column, Write from the Heart, here on A Slice of Orange where she writes about writing, life and does book reviews.
Connect with her on Facebook @VeronicaJorgeauthor
Books Reviewed by Veronica
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