"It smells like suman steaming on the
stove for afternoon marienda and tiny
red chilies spilling into sizzling sisig
as Lola lets me stir, reminding me to
scrape the flavorful bits off the bottom
of the pan."
Reading this page was only one of the times that I found myself searching for the meaning of unfamiliar-to-me words. That is part of the joy I found in this book. I love learning new things, and am very pleased to have learned about the food of the Philippines. As a grandmother, I very much enjoyed reading about the memories that are a result of every 'Lola' visit. My granddaughters also visit in summer, and it makes me more conscious of what we will do together when they arrive in 3 weeks.
This Lola always comes in the summer; the first thing she does after arriving is to make mango jam. As the two share daily experiences, the young narrator describes how she knows it is summer. It's all the smells: Lola's soap, what she brings in her old leather suitcase, the food she makes with such love, the chlorine in the pool they visit, new tennis balls, suman (rice cake), sisig (pork and chicken liver), lumpia (spring rolls), Kamayan (family buffet), milkfish and grilled bananas. Summer is also sights and sounds and warm feelings of love.
"It smells like an unexpected,
warm,
sticky
summer rain
sticky
summer rain
and getting drenched while
saying goodbye to Lola at the airport."
saying goodbye to Lola at the airport."
The house becomes grayer; so does the weather. Soon, it is time for school and 'the last sweet bits of summer'.
Graceful, textured artwork, done using gouache and digital images, make for a real summer celebration for grandmother and granddaughter. Exquisite, well-chosen language adds joy when reading this book out loud. What summer memories does it conjure for you and your family?
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