Summary: The ghost at 632 Savannah Street is real . . . right?
Gilbert often feels invisible, just like the ghost living at 632 Savannah Street. Despite his family’s disbelief, Gilbert leaves gifts for the ghost: a friendship bracelet, a plate of cookies, even a drawing with a note. When each disappears one by one, Gilbert finds that believing and friendship are worth the effort.
For kids who might often feel unseen, Gilbert and the Ghost is a ghostly tale of overcoming obstacles and finding friendship in mysterious places. Gothic, whimsical illustrations make this picture book perfect for spooky season, while its earnest themes make it worth a read all year round.
Do you have a children’s picture book coming out soon? I’d love to wish it a Happy Book Birthday here on Frog on a Blog! For more information, CLICK HERE.
Please welcome debut picture book author Jackie Morera to Frog on a Blog! You may know that today is Memorial Day, the perfect day to talk to Jackie about Abuelo’s Flower Shop because her lovely book, which officially comes out on June 4, 2024, from Beaming Books, highlights grief and sadness and how people remember loved ones they have lost. Abuelo’s Flower Shop is also multigenerational, starring a young girl and her grandfather, and bilingual, featuring a mix of English and Spanish text.
Abuelo’s Flower Shop is especially touching to me because I worked as a floral designer in my father-in-law’s flower shop for 10 years, and I know firsthand how special flowers are and how comforting they can be. Let’s hear more from Jackieabout her writing life and her book!
Congratulations on the publication of your debut picture book Abuelo’s Flower Shop! Tell us a little about the story and what inspired it.
JM: Thank you! Abuelo’s Flower Shop is a story about a young girl who, while working alongside her abuelo in his flower shop, discovers the heartbreaking truth about the garden across the way and learns how their flowers help send a very special message to those in need.
The book is loosely inspired by my own experience. Like Elena’s abuelo, my grandparents sold flowers from the street in front of their Miami home, which sat catty-cornered from a cemetery. However, the heart of Abuelo’s Flower Shop—discovering the truth about the garden across the street—is entirely Elena’s story. That came from asking myself “what if?” What if I had paid closer attention when I was younger? What if my grandfather and I had that conversation? How might that have played out? And so, a story was born.
Jackie Morera’s grandfatherwith some of his flowers
What message do you hope kids will take away from the story?
JM: I hope they’ll walk away from the story with the confidence to ask questions, even (and maybe especially) when it may be uncomfortable to do so. Elena’s story is largely one about understanding loss and empathizing with those who are grieving, but, at its core, it’s about a little girl who asks “why?”
How long have you wanted to be a writer, and what influenced your love for books and writing?
JM: For as long as I can remember, I have always loved storytelling. I was fortunate to grow up in a home filled with books and with parents who encouraged reading, writing, and creativity. Some of my earliest memories are of my dad folding sheets of paper down into little booklets for me to write my own stories in, which he would pair with his illustrations. Later on, when we bought our first video camera, I would spend entire weekends writing and recording plays in my room. I carried that passion with me through the rest of my schooling and even into college where I briefly studied English Literature and Creative Writing. Of course, life takes you a roundabout way to accomplishing your goals sometimes, and ambitions change, but I’m happy I found my way back to my first true love.
You also write young adult novels. How do you switch your writer’s brain between writing for teens and writing picture books?
JM: It’s funny you ask because writing picture books happened sort of by accident for me. Young adult novels were my first love, as far as writing is concerned, so those are what I wrote almost exclusively for many years. Until, one day, I found myself sleep-deprived, nursing my (at the time) infant son, and suffering from the worst case of writer’s block I’d ever experienced. I was desperate to get back to writing and, in taking stock of what sparked inspiration, dove into studying the newest additions to our bookshelves—picture books! My first attempt at writing a picture book manuscript of my own was meant to be a creative exercise and nothing more, so switching my writer’s brain from writing for teens to writing picture books was a welcome change. Now, it does take a little more effort to toggle between the two, but I find I still turn to my picture book manuscripts as an escape. I would say the easy answer is that I’m able to switch my writer’s brain between writing for an older audience and writing for kids by letting my inner child run free on the page.
What were your first impressions of artist Deise Lino’s illustrations for Abuelo’s Flower Shop?
JM: Complete adoration! My immediate thought (well, once the crying subsided) was that she did a wonderful job of capturing the story exactly as I pictured it in my mind. Deise was quite far along in her illustration process when our publishing team shared her work with me, so it was almost like reading the entire story with the art at once. It was very special!
What are you working on now? More picture books?
JM: I’m currently in the editorial phase of a third (still unannounced) picture book that’s set to release in the Fall of 2026. I’m also tinkering with a few other picture book manuscripts, slowly drafting a second young adult novel, and outlining my first middle grade novel.
Thank you so much for having me on Frog on a Blog. It’s been a joy!
Jackie Morera is a Cuban-American author of books for young readers of all ages. Born and raised in Miami, Jackie lives in Central Florida with her husband, son, and goofy pup. She enjoys telling stories, savoring pastelitos, and cozying up for a good nap.
Her debut picture book, Abuelo’s Flower Shop, illustrated by Deise Lino and published by Beaming Books, hits shelves on June 4, 2024. Jackie’s sophomore picture book, Together We Remember, illustrated by Violeta Encarnacíon, is scheduled for a Summer 2025 release by publisher Make Me a World.
Favorite Line from the Book: Fortunately, stomachs growl in the same language, and Abuela knew just what to do.
Happy National Grandparents Day to all the grandmothers and grandfathers out there who share their hearts, stories, wisdom, and homes with their families! Did you know, according to AARP in 2017, the United States is in the midst of a “grandparent boom” with more grandparents than ever before, over 70 million, as the baby boomers, followed closely by Gen X, become grandmas and grandpas. That’s a lot of grandparents! And, according to Census.gov in 2021, over 6 million grandparents lived with grandchildren under the age of 18, and over 2 million of them were responsible for the basic care of their grandchildren.With numbers like those, it’s no wonder that grandparents play such an important role in our lives.
I was fortunate to have both of my grandmothers living with us when I was growing up. I’ll always remember the two of them sitting side by side in the living room, one in a rocking chair and the other with a cat in her lap, watching soap operas. My dad’s mom was a whiz at crocheting. I’ll never forget the countless pairs of colorful mittens we wore each winter. And I still have two of her afghans. My mom’s mom was a writer and self-taught poet who was published numerous times in various magazines and newspapers. I dedicated my first picture book to her.
A bond between a child and a grandparent is like nothing else, and that’s why I’ve chosen to highlight a picture book on Frog on a Blog today that features that very special grandchild/grandparent connection. I Love You Mucho Mucho, written and illustrated by Rachel Más Davidson and just published by Beaming Books, is a super sweet story about a little girl named Rosie who visits her grandmother, but her grandmother doesn’t speak English, and Rosie doesn’t speak Spanish. Rosie and Abuela spend time together, eating, drawing, playing dress up, gardening, and exploring nature, and, through the universal language of love, they find a way to communicate with very few words.
Just like Rosie and Abuela, spending time together is an important way to strengthen family bonds, create fond memories, and establish a foundation of love, something that every child benefits from and deserves (grandparents too). One activity that grandparents and grandchildren can do together is read picture books, and I Love You Mucho Mucho is a great choice!
Delightfully detailed illustrations (check out Abuela’s high top sneakers) with subtle but interesting background images and an adorable little black cat adorn this deceptively simple tale inspired by the author’s own experience in a family with language barriers. A glossary of Spanish words is included at the end.
Summary: This rollicking showcase of daddies celebrates the incredible diversity of modern fathers. The inclusive cast of characters–including a two-dad family, a single dad, and a stay-at-home dad–highlights the bond between daddy and child as they play, learn, comfort, and laugh their way through everyday life. This open-hearted ode to fatherhood will give readers new appreciation for how their own fathers and father-figures shine in their own unique ways.
Do you have a children’s picture book coming out soon? I’d love to wish it a Happy Book Birthday here on Frog on a Blog! CLICK for more information.
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